“Heart of Darkness”

A literary term which refers to the use of symbols in literature.Purpose-either to illustrate a point or to say

something which is not admissible in plain language.

Symbolic poets often used titles which suggested a much larger and more mysterious range of implications than their work’s overt subject apparently justified.

“All the great creations of literature have been symbolic”

(Marlow)

More deeper meanings in the novel than that are found on the surface

In certain passages he elaborates his imagery so as to give a new dimension to the descriptive writing.

Writer wants to make reader see the vivid facts and the truth behind these facts.

The external details are vivid in themselves which had a strong meaning in themselves.

“heart of darkness” symbolically means the inmost region of man’s mind on inmost depths of man’s soul.

Title Heart Of DarknessEvery person and every thing mean more

than what we find on superficial view.

Through his novel he certainly wanted to make us realize the vivid facts of story.

These vivid facts are an obscure revelation of truth which lies behind them.

charactersKurtz—greed and commercial mentality of

whitemen.he symbolises the whitemen’s love for power.

His last words “the horror,the horror” depict the darkness of human soul.

His desire to collect more wealth represents the exploitation of backward people by white colonizers.

Symbol of whites’failure in africa.He stands for a repentant sinner.

Marlow—a philosophical approach to human life

Knitting women---fate who determine the future of every human being.they feel Marlow realizw that they are kniyying shroud for dead body.

Manager----spiritual emptiness.he is

certainly not nefficient.

symbolsCongo river---journey into one’s inner

spirit.as Marlow progresses further up the river,he learns more and more about himself.

Ivory---greed and destructive nature of manBrussels—inner corruption of whitemenMarlow’s journey —journey into the

subconscious mind of mankind.It is a psychological and mystical journey.

Colours---represent territorial claims of various countries on the African territory.

Vivid facts and the truth behind these facts

Each detail has a symbolic value which depends and enriches the emotional and moral values.

There is “infinite in finite”

Journey to innerself and soul