Menu
In the opening section of Conrad's novella, the protagonist Charles Marlow recounts his journey into the Belgian Congo, setting a tone of moral ambiguity and impending doom.
Marlow is a "frame narrator," meaning we hear his story second-hand, emphasizing that truth is often obscured by personal perspective and the "fascination of the abomination". Heart of Darkness Part 1, Section 1 Summary & Analysis 7. Hearts of Darkness (1)
Upon arriving in Africa, Marlow witnesses the "absurdity of evil"—native laborers in chains and a man trying to carry water in a bucket with a hole in it. Here, he first hears the name Kurtz , a legendary agent rumored to be a "prodigy" of humanity, yet deeply entrenched in the ivory trade. In the opening section of Conrad's novella, the
Both works argue that civilization provides the "restraint" needed to keep inner darkness at bay; without it, as seen with Kurtz, the human psyche can fracture. Here, he first hears the name Kurtz ,
The story begins on the Thames River, where Marlow reminds his listeners that even England was once one of the "dark places of the earth". This establishes the theme that savagery is not a geographic trait but a potential within all human hearts.