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 Heart of Darkness and the Collective Unconscious September 24, 2008
The Heart of Darkness is about a man, a very accomplished man, erudite, educated, aspirational, filled with ideals, hope and ambition for himself and humanity. Yet, upon encountering the ordinariness in others, an ordinariness that is prejudiced, violent, vile, base and degenerate, he respondes with a violence and degeneracy that exceeds anything he had encountered from those ordinary others.
This is a story about ignorance, contempt and arrogance and its consequences. It is about the impotence of Kurtz to affect change upon this collective unconsciouness and his consequent omnipotent reaction. It is a narrative descriptive of the manner in which, without consciousness and insight, even the most accomplished may be corrupted and decend into the Heart of Darkness. The alternative would be, arguably, transcendance of the ordinary human ego to a state of divine grace. Driven, perhpas by high ideals, Kurtz could not do this and thus the narrative suggests that the most accomplished are perhaps the most vulnerable. Kurtz may thus be seen as a contemporary Lucifer. The brigthest that became the darkest.
The book describes the destruction of high human philosophy to a nihilistic Law of the Jungle taken to its obvious and horrifying ("The horror. The Horror") conclusion in the mind of a man of genius. Kurtz witnesses ignorance, contempt and vile arrogance, the antithesis of his ideals, as we do when, for example, Conrad describes the Europeans and their attitude to the horror of the dying African enslaved miners.
The impotence of his idealism is absolute and he respondes with a contempt that is transcendent of anything the ordinary man is capable of, becoming omnipotent and terrible.
In this regard it is a most insightful narrative into the human condition, reflective of the affect of the collective unconscious upon an individual psyche. Puzzling to many commentators who perhaps interpret Kurtz's behaviour as innate within us all, there is a more profound interpretation descriptive of a deeper understanding.
The book is, ultimately, about the struggle not to degenerate. Kurtz knows he is wrong and he welcomes death as an end of this struggle. Perhaps we must consider an hypotheseis that this evil is not innate but rather an infection from the collective unconscious to which our personality responds. In recognition of Kurtz's insight into this struggle, a struggle that is both his and, if we observe our own lives, relationships and behaviours, our own. It is, arguably, the greatest of all human confrontations. It is through this insight that, although he lost, he remains, to the narrator, someone unique, to be greatly admired.
The shallow and facile nature of our society, it's collective ignorance and banal innocence is encapsulted when the narrator declines from telling Kurtz's berieved fiance the truth, for it would be beyond her understanding. As is perhaps this book to many.
Yet, the Heart of Darkness is an extraordinary psychological work. Maybe one of the greatest. Engrossing, beautifully written and read, there is nothing else quite like it.
 Mixed Bag May 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
First thing to say is that Heart of Darkness itself is definitely a 5 star story. However here it is published with 2 more of Conrad's seafaring stories - "Youth" and "The End of the Tether", presumably to give the reader more examples of his writing style.
Heart of Darkness is brilliant in its theme and in the way it is written. I had read a number of years ago and found it tough going but this time enjoyed it much more.
It's almost what is not included (ie the details of Kurtz's actions in the jungle) that add so much to the tension and "horror" of the story.
Marlowe is also the narrator in "Youth", possibly an autobiographical account of a young seaman's first trip. Not particularly noteworthy really.
I found "The End of the Tether" much too long although the story itself was interesting.
A good idea to put these lesser known stories with the "main course" but you know which story you'll read again and again.
 Mediocre July 6, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Let's get a few things straight. Heart of Darkness, though classed as horror, os not overtly frightening. It is one of those stories which relies on reader participation, inteprpretation and a claustrophobic atmosphere in order to induce unease. The story works, in an outdated sort of way, in criticising the morality of slavery and the ruthless exploitation of small colonies. But it certainly will not top my list of story which truly terrify. Conrad is no E.F Benson or M.R James.
His writing style is convoluted, and this is shown to the extremes in the openings of the final story 'The End Of The Tether'. The writer seems to have an affinity with sailing, and this is shown in the aforementioned story as well as 'Youth'. Even in Heart Of Darkness, in the scene sailing down the river to meet Kurtz, we are 'treated' to in depth and painfully detailed descriptions of sailing.
In short, I did not find Conrad deserving of the devotion of some of his continuing readership, nor was his reputation deserved. It also seemed to me that the Heart of Darkness, was not in the failing chest of Mr Kurtz, but in the corrupting and malign depths of the jungle, through which the rivers were the arteries. But then, the story is written in such a may as to imply multiple meanings.
Great collection of stories April 16, 2007
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
Don't just pay out for Heart Of Darkness alone, when you can get some other great stories with it for free.
A great writer, and some great stories that are so well written you picture the scene and characters with clarity.
Get it!
Brilliant November 27, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Heart of Darkness is Conrad's study of the potential for evil that we all possess; in some it bubbles closer to the surface than others and the removal of societal constraints can give it free reign; Kurtz is representative of such a person while Marlow acts as a counter-weight to him. The boat voyage along the river is a metaphor for this journey from the light of civilisation into darkness, and is superbly narrated by the main protagonist Marlow.
Heart of Darkness is a very short book (72 pages in this edition) but the breadth of its content is equivalent to some books ten times its length; this conciseness, and the particular narrative style are what give this book such a wonderful feel. I have to admit I struggled with the style on occasion especially were it flips from its mainly first-person narration to third-person without warning, but the whole effect is astounding.
I wish I had read this book 20+ years ago because I found that I was often relating both the style and events back to "Apocalypse Now", a wonderful film and not a great detractor, but I always find it unfortunate when the "film version" imposes itself onto the book so strongly.
Overall then an excellent book that everyone should read - it's not going to take up a large chunk of your life but will certainly add something to it.
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