Heart Of Darkness And Selections From The Congo Diary

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Heart Of Darkness And Selections From The Congo Diary

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65 · rating details · 265 ratings · 32 reviews

With an Introduction by Caryl Phillips
Commentary by H.L. Mencken, E.M. Forster, Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway, Bertrand Russell, Lionel Trilling, Chiua Achebe, and Philip Gourevitch

"Heart of Darkness," which appeared at the very beginning of our century, was a Cassandra cry announcing the end of Victorian Europe, on the verge of transforming itself into the Europe of vi...more

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Published (first published 1899)

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Oct 15, 2008 Catherine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008, the-congo

I read this book as a result of having read King Leopold's Ghost, so my interest was not so much literary as historical. Because of that, I read things out of order - skipped all the commentary at the beginning, went straight to the story, then read excerpts from Conrad's diary, and then returned to the start of the text and read what critics had to say.

I found the story plodding, to be honest - the style of a long and rambling narration by one character just didn't hook me, and I frequently fou...more

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May 17, 2012 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-for-school, classics

I know this is the required reading book everyone hates, but I thought it was stunning, honestly due to the language for the most part. Everything was described so perfectly, so eloquently, and so beautifully. It was a simple story, and a very short one - a novella, really. A guy goes into the Congo, meets this crazy dude, and takes him back as he dies. That's it. But the way Conrad describes how Kurtz's heart has been infiltrated and darkened by the wilderness around him is just amazing, as is...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Mike Jensen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are two things dangerous for a literary person to admit. One is that they like Conrad, with the possible exception of HEART OF DARKNESS, and the other is that they recommend others avoid Conrad, with the possible exception of HEART OF DARKESS. This is my second sojourn into the heart of this book, and it is the second time I have regretted the time wasted.

It is hard to judge today just how much to blame Conrad for the contempt shown the African characters. From the frequent use of the N wo...more

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Jan 10, 2012 Marci rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have been to the "heart of darkness" many times over the years with other authors - in critical texts, histories and New Yorker articles. I've been there so many times that going there started to feel trite. Yet Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" is anything but trite. It's serious, heart-wrenching and horrible. Still, reading it I found that I expected more. Probably too much, for a book of its time.

"Africa" appears early on to be a state of mind for Conrad's narrator. Marlow travels to the physic...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Simran rated it 1 of 5 stars

***SPOILER ALERT***

I started this book aware that some people think of it as a racist book. I’m not entirely convinced of that, mostly because I’m not entirely convinced of the views of Marlow; the narrator of the story, towards the native people & the Congo.

At moments, he looks upon them as savages and I believe in one of 2 instances has described them in quite a derogatory way, for example, when he sees a native dressed in Western clothing, saying “to look at him was as edifying as seeing...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Elisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 19th-century-novels

This story is the perfect example of enveloping imagery. Everything about its descriptions brings us back to its title: the impenetrable wall of black that is the jungle, the dark shapes of the natives strewn about, the somber depths of men's thoughts and souls.
There's something about writers for whom English is not a first language (like Nabokov) that makes them do incredible things with English words.
This edition includes some very interesting commentaries from such literary luminaries as Vi...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Kyle rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Over-rated work of literature.

Reading it felt too inward and individual. Conrad's journey never felt like it had any sense of place or purpose. I had very little understanding of the African continent or Congo. If there was anything about his own or society's nature and values in question, I must have missed it.

Heart of Darkness may be one of those novels more fit for a college classroom. I think some theoretical or pedagogical guidance would have helped make this a richer, more rewarding text....more

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Sep 26, 2012 Alex rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So rich and multi-layered that I had to read it twice back-to-back. Then watch videos and read analyses to take it apart even more.

While being a contentious novel due to its portrayal of Africans as being primitive in the late 1800s, there is no denying Conrad's vast knowledge of literature, his mastery of the English language, and his ability to weave a complex tale into a novel that spans only 124 pages. The novel depicts the worst of humanity through the eyes of Marlow, and explores countles...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Jocelyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, historical-fiction, short-stories-novellas, read-before-i-died

Heart of Darkness is a book that has really put me on the fence. I don't really know what to make of it. First, let me give you a small summary: The narrator is on a boat on the Thames listening to Marlow tell a story about his journey up the Congo River in search of an elusive ivory trader, Kurtz.

I'm going to be frank: Kurtz is the most interesting character that came out of this book. Marlow seems less of a character and more of a narrative frame. I never really felt that Marlow was a characte...more Heart of Darkness is a book that has really put me on the fence. I don't really know what to make of it. First, let me give you a small summary: The narrator is on a boat on the Thames listening to Marlow tell a story about his journey up the Congo River in search of an elusive ivory trader, Kurtz.

I'm going to be frank: Kurtz is the most interesting character that came out of this book. Marlow seems less of a character and more of a narrative frame. I never really felt that Marlow was a character or a person, just a window into how the late 19th century viewed Africa. And let me tell you, it is not a pretty view. Almost every bad adjective is used to describe the Congolese and nicer ones were ascribed to the Europeans, or white people. There are only two Africans who have speaking roles, and even those are minimal (one of them being the famous "Mistah Kurtz--he dead."). Marlow points out that all the Africans are cannibals and it's amazing they haven't eaten each other yet because they're all so thin. Just wow. Also, Conrad overuses the n-word, at least in my opinion. I understand that in 1899 the n-word wasn't as taboo as it is today, but that doesn't make it any less racist.

So does this mean that Heart of Darkness is a racist book? I'm going to have to agree with Chinua Achebe ("An image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness", Massachusetts Review, issue 8 (1977)) on this one: yes, it is. So then why is it constantly considered one of the greatest short novels of all time? The answer for this question is more contextual.

As a writer, Conrad has immense skill. He manages to incorporate Victorian ideals and flawlessly change them into Modern ideals. And if you're not paying attention, it's hard to notice the subtle tone shifts throughout Marlow's tale. This has a way of masking the racism. Also, Heart of Darkness was written at the turn of the 20th century, and even though a lot of people hate this argument I'm still a stern believer that literature needs to be read within the context of its artistic movement/historical happenings. That means that Heart of Darkness, while racist for our standards, wasn't racist back then. The attitudes towards Africans portrayed in the book was the ubiquitous attitude of the time. I'm not saying it's right, I'm only saying that's the truth of it.

I don't believe Conrad was being vehemently racist, but I do think this novel is a product of its time. Should we still read and/or study it? This is where I'm on the fence. Studying it for a university class to learn style, tone and the interesting psychoanalysis happening in part III, I say go ahead. Reading it for fun? Yeah, maybe not so much.(less)

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Nov 18, 2012 Violet rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, books-to-film-and-plays, realistic-fiction, books-for-school, british

Imagine then that you are standing at the edge of a fallow field, planning your route through it. You could walk across it and end up on the other side, safe and sound. But you’ve heard rumors of treasures buried underneath the dirt, so you decide to tunnel your way through.

You start shallow and begin to dig deeper and deeper, the soil around you growing denser and denser. Soon you are so deep that there’s nothing to light your way, and there’s great risk of becoming lost. Fortunately, you find...more Imagine then that you are standing at the edge of a fallow field, planning your route through it. You could walk across it and end up on the other side, safe and sound. But you’ve heard rumors of treasures buried underneath the dirt, so you decide to tunnel your way through.

You start shallow and begin to dig deeper and deeper, the soil around you growing denser and denser. Soon you are so deep that there’s nothing to light your way, and there’s great risk of becoming lost. Fortunately, you find the knowledge within to find a path out and to the other side. You’ve found some treasure along the way; but, your outlook has changed slightly from the experience.

However, in reality there is no field of wild vegetation in front of you, instead there is only a small book in your hands. Though it is less than 100 pages, the story within it is like that strange fallow field, and you are there at the edge deciding how you shall go through it.

It should be a field that is common to most, after all Heart of Darkness is a familiar presence in many English classrooms. With a deceivingly simple plot, the story, set in the days of British Imperialism, centers around Marlow on his harrowing trip down the Congo River to find and rescue the wayward ivory trader Mr. Kurtz.

And just like walking across the top of the field you can choose to be a casual reader and skim the surface of the novel, coming through on the other side with no significant impact upon yourself. Or, you could dig and gain some of the treasures that are touted by many literary experts as some of the greatest pictures of humanity the written world has ever seen.

If you deiced to take the risk and dig, you’ll be faced with denser and denser language made even more difficult by the age of the words. And if you’re not careful or lack a guide in your quest such as an English teacher or another literary escort, than you can easily get lost and return to the surface with a headache plaguing your brain, a bad taste in your mouth, and no treasure in your pockets.

But if you are able to keep on track, the treasures are as wonderfully brilliant and profound as they always tell you. The dark and hideous truths about humanity, whether or not you agree with them, will stick with you like fine dirt in your hair. And before you know it, you find yourself richer in human knowledge, knowledge which will color your outlook for the rest of your life.

So now that you are at the edge of the field, deciding how the make your way through it, remember you are making a choice that will influence the amount of riches you will collect by the end of your life. The decision is yours. Now how will you cross the fallow field of the Heart of Darkness?
(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 C rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1001

Joseph Conrad begins his 1902 novella by having the sub-narrator, Charlie Marlow, talk about the Romans conquest of England centuries before. "And this also has been one of the dark places of the earth." I found this a bit odd. The only thing I could think Conrad (or Marlow) was doing, was to justify invading Africa, since this was not first instance of colonization. That goes along with a doctor telling Marlow he would love "to watch the mental changes, on the spot" of people who travel to Afri...more Joseph Conrad begins his 1902 novella by having the sub-narrator, Charlie Marlow, talk about the Romans conquest of England centuries before. "And this also has been one of the dark places of the earth." I found this a bit odd. The only thing I could think Conrad (or Marlow) was doing, was to justify invading Africa, since this was not first instance of colonization. That goes along with a doctor telling Marlow he would love "to watch the mental changes, on the spot" of people who travel to Africa. But I'm thinking... what about the Africans? They're the people being kidnapped and murdered and sold into slavery. What about THEIR mental changes? The book is pretty darn racist, but I guess some people still are today, a century plus later. I think Conrad was either ironically OR unconsciously matching the general racist thoughts of early 20th century people. If he went out pointing most reader's inherent racism in 1902, he might have lost a lot of his readers at the start. They wouldn't have finished the book. But it is hard to say what writers were thinking, especially writers so far in the past. I'm not entirely sure that the book is ABOUT even Africa, since the book mainly seems to be about a character named Kurtz (he is the only character actually given a name except for the sub-narrator), even if Kurtz is first met twenty pages near the end. The book seems to say the "wilderness" has affected him (and certainly not stealing large amounts of ivory and using less that savory means to go about doing that). So instead of Africa, the book is about a pretty horrible guy. Maybe that is why the book is so short. The modern library edition I have has an excellent piece by Chinua Achebe who can sum it up better than I can: "..there is a preposterous and perverse kind of arrogance in thus reducing Africa to the role of props for the breakup of one petty European mind." I'm glad that the modern library edition included Achebe's piece, even if he wasn't entirely complimentary to the book. He is one of the famous Afican writers, after all. The writing was wonderful at times, which is why I guess the book has survived so long. And it's still quite a puzzle.(less)

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Aug 05, 2008 Dorothy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My husband was appalled when I told him I’d never read this book, and frankly, after reading it, I’m a little ashamed of myself too.

Heart of Darkness is a study of man’s potential for greatness and for evil. Sometimes the two can’t be extricated from each other, and that is what the narrator, Marlowe, comes to acknowledge about himself. On the surface, it’s an indictment of colonialism and the idea that the white man had a duty and a charge to civilize the "savage peoples" of the earth. It was...more

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Jan 30, 2009 Christiana rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 16, 2011 Ashlee rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: school-assigned

Very quotable. Lot's of interesting ideas. Feels more like the author had something he wanted to talk about but knew people would read a lecture, but they would read a story, so he buried a lecture in a story. This is the third time I've read this for a class, and I'm finally getting why everyone keeps making me read it. I enjoyed it more this time around, but only because I was reading it with the intention of pulling ideas/themes out of if, instead of trying to follow the story.

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Aug 20, 2011 Justin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

my thoughts on this book after reading it are tangible enough to type out and have sense be made of from; however, my thoughts are moving too quickly to be made tangible, typeable. some of the most stunning language usage in my literature experience, firstly. secondly, huzzah humminah humminah humminah.

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Mar 17, 2011 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: classic, i-own

This is definitely a book that a person should read. Its all about your own inferences as to what the main point of the book was. For me it was about how the wild can change a person. Its basically about a guy named Marlow and he tells the story of a guy named Kurtz. Kurtz is this “remarkable” person and everyone seems to know about him and what type of person he is. It amazes me how much people admired this guy.

I really enjoyed the way that the jungle was portrayed. It was like its own characte...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Sebastian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, africa, travel

I started to read Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" late one night and the captivating prose didn't let me put it down again until after I had finished it. Way to end a day, reading about the horror of men...

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May 05, 2011 Eleanor added it · review of another edition

Read the Norton edition, actually.

This time through I soaked it up. Such language! Such dimensions! Such fog! A problematic and beautiful novel. Has me thinking...

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Mar 30, 2010 Carmen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

A trip to Africa to win money and prestige. What a new concept. But Joseph Conrad makes it all new as he relates how the cultures clash and change.

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Jun 25, 2007 Poorfish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: fiction

I don't know what it is, but there is something about this book that sucks me in every time. I have read Heart of Darkness countless times and my copy is filled with enumerable markings and underlines. The narrative within a narrative delivery, the quest up the Congo, the contrast between the industrialized/civilized world and the jungle, Conard's wonderful prose, and the torment of man. Great, great stuff.

The added Congo Diary from Conrad's own travels is a neat extra treat in this edition.

"Fo...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Ashley rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-for-school, own

I understand this is such a highly rated classic. For me however, I could not get into it. Joseph Conrad, as I imagine, is a superb writer. However, this book was just not it for me. Not sure I grasped what was really going on... having it required as a mandatory novel in my history class, I just wanted to get it done and over with. I'm sure after I write my paper on it I will have even more unhappy feelings towards it. As of now, I'll just stick with: "I did not enjoy it one bit".

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Nov 17, 2010 Pamela rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had to read this in college. It may be the only book Dr. Fucci gave me that I couldn't stand.

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Nov 26, 2012 Icíar rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://www.losmilyunlibros.com/2010/1...

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Apr 24, 2011 cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The hypnotizing prose made up for the mediocre story. Beautifully illustrates the complexity of our feelings

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Feb 16, 2009 yoli rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: school

I enjoyed it. The subtext is pretty fabulous. I wish the class were more rigorous and we were going deeper in depth but c'est la vie. I will most definitely be writing about it!

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Oct 22, 2012 PurpleBootz13 rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-school, torturous

So little plot...so few worthwhile characters...so little point...so much hate.

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Jun 25, 2009 Emilie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: post-colonial-fiction

I expected so much more from this book. I thought there would be more interplay between the colonisers and the Congolese peoples, I expected a sharper criticism of imperialism and certainly did not expect it to be in the form of a yarn. I don't quite know what I WAS expecting but this fell hollow on me and has (lamely) upset me because from the snippets I had overheard or come across in relation to this work, it was going to be a revelation of some sort. It simply wasn't.

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Jun 24, 2009 Aruna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Conrad's writing is brilliant. This is true. But I'm swayed by Achebe's point that we can't call something so racist a "great novel."

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Jan 23, 2008 KATEtheGREATESTBESTONE rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

my first reaction was to put my head under the pillow and squeeze my eyes shut. actually, still there. makes you wonder, yes?

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Jun 04, 2008 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

Okay, so Marlow went off into the jungle to find Kurtz. Big deal. I guess I missed something here.

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About Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski ) was a Polish-born English novelist who today is most famous for Heart of Darkness, his fictionalized account of Colonial Africa.

Conrad left his native Poland in his middle teens to avoid conscription into the Russian Army. He joined the French Merchant Marine and briefly employed himself as a wartime gunrunner. He then began to work aboard Bri...more

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Books by Joseph Conrad

Heart of Darkness and Selected Short Fiction

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Quotes from Heart Of Darkness And ...

“The NELLIE, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest. The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway. In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits. A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness. The air was dark above Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth.
” — 5 people liked it

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