Question: Discuss the significance of the title Heart of Darkness.
Ans. Heart of Darkness, the title of Conrad’s novel, bears two meanings—one literal and the other symbolic. Literally, the title refers to the Dark Continent of Africa, especially the territory known as the Congo. Symbolically, it refers to the dark region or the subconscious state of the human mind, which is even more difficult to explore than a dark country like the Congo.
The idea of darkness is also suggested by the thick, almost impenetrable jungle from which the natives can appear suddenly and attack the white men without warning. Marlow refers to the great stillness that prevails in the dense forests, where the air is warm, thick, heavy, and sluggish.
The barbarism of the natives and the evil designs of Mr. Kurtz also give us a strong impression of darkness. On one occasion, the natives see Marlow’s steamer sailing up the river and gather near the riverbank to launch an attack upon the intruders. In this encounter, the helmsman of the steamer is killed by a spear hurled at him by a native. This attack is carried out out of ignorance and also under the influence and direction of Mr. Kurtz, who has become an integral part of the darkness of the Congo.
The phrase “heart of darkness” bears yet another meaning. Marlow’s exploration of the dark country is accompanied by an exploration of the depths of his own mind or soul. The human mind may also be regarded as a kind of dark continent. The exploration of this dark continent is perhaps even more difficult than the exploration of a dark country like the Congo. The novel certainly describes a physical journey, but at the same time it is a psychological and mystical journey.
In many passages of Marlow’s narration, we get glimpses of his inner mind. In this connection, we may refer to his feelings of isolation on the steamer, his reactions to the sufferings of the black men chained together, each wearing an iron collar around his neck, the ill-treatment of the cannibal crew by the white owner of the ship, and his reflections on the Manager of the Central Station, the Brick-maker, and finally Mr. Kurtz. When Marlow meets Mr. Kurtz, he begins to admire him despite his demonic character. He remains loyal to him even after returning to Europe and tells a lie to Kurtz’s fiancée that Kurtz’s last word was her own name.
This loyalty to Mr. Kurtz expresses Marlow’s own response to primitivism and barbarism. This suggests that if Marlow had stayed for some time longer in the Congo region, he too might have followed the same path of evil that Mr. Kurtz had taken.
Thus, Heart of Darkness is an exploration not only of a continent but also of the subconscious state of the human mind, which is itself a dark region. Therefore, the title of the novel is highly appropriate, as darkness refers to both kinds of exploration.
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