Explanation: “Then I noticed a small sketch in oils, on a panel, representing a woman, draped and blindfolded, carrying a lighted torch. The background was sombre—almost black.”
Exp. This extract has been taken from Joseph Conrad’s short novel Heart of Darkness. Here Marlow refers to an oil painting that he noticed at the Central Station of the Belgian Trading Company and which, he later learned from the Brickmaker, had been painted by Kurtz more than a year earlier.
The Brickmaker, whom Marlow had met, wanted to talk freely. During the course of the conversation, Marlow guessed that the Brickmaker was trying to elicit some information from him. However, Marlow could not imagine what it was that the Brickmaker wished to know. Finding his efforts futile, the Brickmaker became angry. Thereupon, Marlow got up to leave the Brickmaker’s room.
At that moment, Marlow noticed a small oil painting that depicted a blindfolded woman carrying a lighted torch against a dark background. The painting held Marlow spellbound. The Brickmaker told him that the picture had been painted by Mr. Kurtz at that very station more than a year ago.
The picture appeared to Marlow to be symbolic of Kurtz’s ideology—his mission to civilize the Black people of the Congo region. As a result, Marlow became curious about Mr. Kurtz, whose name was being mentioned by everyone. He asked the Brickmaker who Mr. Kurtz was, and the latter replied that Mr. Kurtz was the chief of the Inner Station and that he was a wonder among men.
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন