journeyhod Spiritual Voyages in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

The Spiritual Voyages of boldness of Darkness   Heart of Darkness describes an outward journey to the embrace of Africa that parallels an inward journey to the heart and depths of mans being. Two spiritual voyages are made by Kurtz and Marlow.   Kurtz was a not bad(p) man who discovered a flaw in himself while on the job(p) in Africa. He lacked restraint to control the emerging dark office which he found within himself. He plumbs the depths of mans dark emplace custodyt -a side which civilization and culture represses - but is swallowed up, by these forces which eventually overcome him in the isolation of darkest Africa. He falls into unspeakable acts and experiences the primitive power and inspiration and horror of mans uninhibited darkness. Marlow holds back from the abyss, although he humbly takes no credit entry for this achievement, ascribing it to grace. Nonetheless, he comes away changed, even enlightened, by this glimpse into the deeper and darker mysteries o f life. William Blake (and Sartre) suggests that the road to nirvana leads through hell. Blake also saw the pursuit of truth and self knowingness as an effort to combine the Innocence of the Lamb with the darker Passion of the Tyger, the twain poles of mans and lifes existence. Wisdom and enlightenment come to the one who effectively understands and harmonizes both sides of this pitying nature.   Few people make the effort because society discourages such friendship in an effort to protect itself. Most people are sottish of themselves, blithely self-satisfied in their protected world. Kurtz was one of the great men of Europe, a poetic visionary and promoter of progressive causes. In Africa, quash urges arose which he could not control. Lost in the darkness of his own being, he defines this new found reality as the horror. Despite his descent into evil, Marlowe view Kurtz in comparison to the much more hollow men whom he ironically calls pilgrims. These men (EEE, Central Manager, paper mache Mephistopheles, pilgrims on the boat) operate on the raw principle of rapacious greed while pretending to be apostles of progress. Such pyjama-clad, gun waving, slave driving, self righteous fools sicken Marlow and, compared to their nightmare of ignorance, the nightmare of Kurtz commands respect and allegiance. His was a spiritual voyage which fai take.   Marlow, we are led to believe, has succeeded. He is five times described by the narrator of this effectuate story in the posture of a meditating or preaching Buddha.