Character of Kurtz in Heart of Darkness Essay (Critical Writing)
Georges Antoine Kurtz is an important character in the novel Heart of Darkness. Marlow is the narrator in the novel and he sets the stage for the story by saying that, “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much.” (Conrad, 2003, p. 7). This implies that the author is much inclined in portraying the world as a place where victory does not matter much as compared to the joy attained in developing human relations. The author does not give much value to the character of Kurtz. He is portrayed as a dealer in ivory who is sent to Congo Free State by a shady company from Belgium.
Kurtz is indeed a charismatic character who, by using advanced technologies turns himself into a literal demigod for the tribal people that lived around his station. In this manner, he was able to collect large quantities of ivory from the local people and soon becomes very popular in the entire region. The Belgian company’s general manager who is stationed along with Kurtz becomes jealous of him and plans to stage a conspiracy to get him out of his way. It is evident after reading the entire book that Kurtz is a man with several talents. He is a painter, writer, and politician in the making.
Many of the major themes in the novel are related to the character of Kurtz and his actions. He is a true example of a person with a heart filled with darkness. His actions reveal to Marlow as also to the reader the decadence to which humans can fall. Kurtz is in full authority at the Inner Station which is the company depot in the deeper interiors of the Congo Free State. Kurtz establishes his expertise in extracting maximum supplies of ivory from the natives which are more than what is collected by all the other managers. He is also dreaded because of his contacts with the higher authorities in the company as also because of the unethical practices he adopts while operating in Congo. Marlow meets Kurtz at a time when he is already in bad health and passes away before he can be taken back to Europe. Although at first Kurtz has a gracious objective in believing that he could assist the natives in improving their culture, but his experience in the interiors transforms him and his philosophies entirely.
A painting by Kurtz has been included in the book that depicts a blindfolded woman holding a torch against an almost dark backdrop, which symbolizes his past views. Kurtz is also a writer who writes pamphlets about native civilizations. He is aptly described in Marlow’s words as “But his soul was mad. Being alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself and, by heavens I tell you, it had gone mad.” (Conrad, 2003, p. 66). The quote is indicative of the loneliness that Kurtz experiences and depicts the intensity of his emotions in being away from his homeland.
However, while Kurtz is in Africa he starts adopting corrupt practices, which is evident from the way in which he scribbles on his pamphlet to exterminate the natives by calling them brutes. He induced the natives to pay reverence to him and set up rites and rituals that indicated his nature as a tyrant. When the narrator in the novel, Marlow, sees Kurtz, he becomes sick with jungle fever and is on the verge of dying. Marlow gets hold of Kurtz and attempts to take him to his steamboat along the river. Kurtz passes away while in the boat by uttering the words, “‘The horror! The horror,” (Conrad, 2003, p. 69). This clearly indicates the horror situations that Kurtz experiences.
The character of Kurtz conveys symbolism that is important in understanding his complex qualities as a human being. The background of Kurtz is aptly described by the author, “all Europe contributed to the making of Kurtz, and by and by I learned that most appropriately the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs had entrusted him with the making of a report for its future guidance,” (Conrad, 2003, p.49). it is true that Kurtz had gradually transformed himself into a savage who had no sentiments and emotions for fellow humans.
The painting by Kurtz represents taming the impulse by way of compassionate imperialism. The constant connection that Kurtz has with darkness depicts the reversal of his plans, with his life being surrounded by darkness. This was aptly implied when Marlow stated that the wilderness ran through Kurtz’s veins. Kurtz is depicted as being constantly related to shadows, which reveals that he epitomizes the archetype shadow of Marlow. The half-dead state of Kurtz has been explained in different ways. He is portrayed as being unable to walk properly in being as light as a child despite his great eminence. As acknowledged by Marlow, Kurtz is primarily thought of in terms of his voice only.
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness and Selected Short Fiction . Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print.
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The Identity of Kurtz in The "Heart of Darkness"
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Published: Jun 29, 2018
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Heart of Darkness
Joseph conrad, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.
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Heart of Darkness
Mr. kurtz as a force for evil anonymous 12th grade.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Apocalypse Now exemplify the cruel and unforgiving nature of humankind through the actions of Mr. Kurtz. Before Kurtz is introduced in each story, the narrator creates an image of the man in his head that is very much contrary to reality, and each of the stories portray this awakening in their own unique way. In the settings, land is being infringed upon for a higher power’s selfish, greedy gain, and Kurtz has no moral compass to point him in a direction of compassion or pity for the people whose lives he has destroyed; however, Kurtz handles his power differently in each case. When Kurtz’s end is finally met, his final words tell the most about his character and reveal the truth of his mind.
Before the initial meeting in the novel, Marlow builds Kurtz up to be an indulgent, greedy character, who has no remorse for the land he is taking and the people he is killing; in fact, one of the only proofs Marlow has that Kurtz is even real is a document stating that Kurtz believes in “exterminat[ing] all the brutes” (Conrad, 83). However, Willard sees Kurtz simply as a target to complete his mission—even if he is infatuated with said target. Willard has no real preconceived notion of Kurtz, and...
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Georges Antoine Kurtz is an important character in the novel Heart of Darkness. Marlow is the narrator in the novel and he sets the stage for the story by saying that, "The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much." (Conrad, 2003, p. 7).
1. Only Marlow admires Kurtz in an extreme way. 2. After Kurtz's death, Marlow keeps him alive by preserving his memory. IV. Conclusion: An argument can be made for either Marlow or Kurtz as the ...
Character Analysis Kurtz. One of the most enigmatic characters in twentieth-century literature, Kurtz is a petty tyrant, a dying god, an embodiment of Europe, and an assault on European values. These contradictory elements combine to make Kurtz so fascinating to Marlow — and so threatening to the Company.
Kurtz Character Analysis. The fiancé of his Intended, and a man of great intellect, talent, and ambition who is warped by his time in the Congo. Kurtz is the embodiment of all that's noble about European civilization, from his talent in the arts to his ambitious goals of "civilizing" and helping the natives of Africa, and can be seen as a ...
Kurtz. Extended Character Analysis. Kurtz is a mysterious figure throughout much of the novel. Marlow first hears about him from the Chief Accountant, who describes him as a first-class agent in ...
Essays and criticism on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness - Critical Essays. ... Kurtz's "Exterminate the brutes!" illustrates the tendency of Europeans to exploit and oppress indigenous ...
Heart of Darkness is the source for the movie Apocalypse Now. The movie uses the primary plot and themes of Heart of Darkness, and shifts the story from Africa to Vietnam to explore the hypocrisy, inanity, and emptiness of the American war effort there. The best study guide to Heart of Darkness on the planet, from the creators of SparkNotes.
The very first mention of Kurtz in "Heart of Darkness" occurs when Marlow runs into the Company's very well dressed chief accountant: One day he remarked, without lifting his head, 'In the interior you will no doubt meet Mr. Kurtz.' ... Essays About Heart of Darkness; Alienation: A Modernist Theme; Darkness and Light: the Illumination ...
Published: Jun 29, 2018. In Joseph Conrad's classic novella, Heart of Darkness, the identity of Kurtz is unknown for most of the story. For the majority of the story, Marlow's image of Kurtz is based solely on hearsay from other Europeans. He is a seemingly extraordinary man who wants to civilize the natives of the area.
A year after his return to Europe, Marlow pays Kurtz's partner a visit. She is represented—as several of Heart of Darkness's female characters are—as naively sheltered from the awfulness of the world, a state that Marlow hopes to preserve.When she asks about Kurtz's final words, Marlow lies: "your name," he tells her.
Kurtz is a central fictional character in Joseph Conrad's 1899 novella Heart of Darkness.A trader of ivory in Africa and commander of a trading post, he monopolises his position as a demigod among native Africans. Kurtz meets with the novella's protagonist, Charles Marlow, who returns him to the coast via steamboat.Kurtz, whose reputation precedes him, impresses Marlow strongly, and during the ...
Kurtz pauses, struggling with himself. Marlow watches him, and realizes that Kurtz is perfectly sane in his mind, but his soul is mad. Kurtz's soul, Marlow says, "knew no restraint, no faith, and no fear." Yet in the end Kurtz allows Marlow to support him back to the ship. This is the climax of Heart of Darkness.
During the 1890s, at the time Heart of Darkness takes place, ivory was in enormous demand in Europe, where it was used to make jewelry, piano keys, and billiard balls, among other items. From 1888 ...
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Apocalypse Now exemplify the cruel and unforgiving nature of humankind through the actions of Mr. Kurtz. Before Kurtz is introduced in each story, the narrator creates an image of the man in his head that is very much contrary to reality, and each of the stories portray this awakening in their own unique ...
Heart Of Darkness Kurtz Essay. Heart of Darkness, written by James Conrad, is one of the most significant novellas of the early 1900's literature. It is written in frame narration, with the main perspective being Charlie Marlow, the philosophic sailor, as he tells his friends the story of his voyage to Congo and how he came to meet the ...
In a paper that is supposedly altruistic, or intended to help the local people, Kurtz seems to forget himself in the end, and his true nature comes out when he writes that all the natives should ...