Explanation: “Marlow ceased, and sat apart, indistinct and silent, in the pose of a meditating Buddha.”
Exp. This extract set for explanation occurs in Joseph Conrad’s short but famous novel Heart of Darkness. Here, the first narrator describes Marlow’s meditative mood as he sits in the posture of a Buddha.
Heart of Darkness deals with a twofold journey. The first is the haunting account of a journey into the heart of the Congo, the ivory country. The second is a journey into the subconscious level of the human psyche. There are two narrators in the novel. The first narrator, who remains unnamed, merely serves to introduce Marlow, the second and principal narrator.
At the beginning of the novel, the first narrator describes Marlow as a man with sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, and an ascetic appearance. He depicts Marlow as sitting cross-legged in the posture of a Buddha—preaching, as it were, in European clothes and without a lotus flower. After a brief reference to ancient and uncivilized Britain, which was once invaded by the Romans who later achieved a high degree of civilization, Marlow begins his tale of his own experiences during a journey to the dark country of the Congo. There, he encounters a remarkable man named Kurtz, who degenerates completely while wielding the power of a native deity.
While narrating his tale, Marlow resembles the image of a Buddha. This resemblance highlights the moral and spiritual dimensions of his personality. When Marlow’s narrative comes to an end, he sits slightly apart from his companions on the deck of the Nellie, the cruising yawl, still in the pose of a meditating Buddha. Throughout the narration, all the listeners remain spellbound.
Marlow’s posture in the pose of a Buddha indicates the moral purpose of Joseph Conrad. He suggests that prolonged contact and association with evil ultimately dehumanize a person.
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