The Imperial Catastrophe

    Joseph Conrad shows how Imperialism destroyed the African continent during the 1890’s. His famous novel The Heart of Darkness clearly reveals Conrad’s criticism towards this massive colonization that happened during the last half of the century.  The biggest colonies where owned by the reign of queen Victoria of England. To illustrate the reader, the author gave two main facts that will help the reader to understand his point of view. The first one, how England made the colonists look like heroes and missionaries and secondly, how they use this excuse to destroy the African people.

      As an illustration, the reader may take into consideration the Victorian age, in which England recovered from a horrible crisis that had left it in a horrible state. With the money taken out of the colonies, the country quickly recovered and Queen Victoria and the explorers, where recognized as heroes. To explain, the author clearly shows how this honor was inside the mind of our main character Marlow states that  “And indeed nothing is easier for a man who has, as the phrase goes, ‘followed the sea’ with reverence and affection, than to evoke the great spirit of the past upon the lower reaches of the Thames.” (Conrad, 6) In other words, the reader can see how Marlow was trapped inside this illusion of being a savior to the people of the Black Continent.

      Afterward, Marlow discovers the truth about this “explorers”. After the colonization, all the resources that the African people had became part of the wealth of the European empires. It is here when Conrad shows the reader how Marlow, after seeing what’s really happening inside the continent, thinks about this colonizers and the job he is doing. He clearly shows how conquers “want only brute force--nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others.” (Conrad, 13) For this purpose, the reader quickly understands that Conrad wants to clearly differentiate a Colonist with a Conquers.

      The Heart of Darkness is a book that shows hoe imperialism may look like something good for both countries involved, but it is really a bloody and cruel Conquer for power and strength, that is why Conrad shows the reader the importance of the liberation of these colonies for the well being of the entire world.