Write an essay (250-300 words) based on ONE of the following questions; cite relevant texts to prove your points:
- How is Brussels portrayed in Heart of Darkness? What kinds of imagery define the city? What does the description of the Company's people hint at Marlow's forthcoming journey into the jungle?
- Compare the description of Kurtz's "Intended" (1054-7) with the description of his African mistress (1044). What role does each woman serve in the narrative? Why does Marlow lie to Kurtz's "Intended" and tell her that "The last word [Kurtz] pronounced was--your name"?
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| "In the outer room the two women knitted black wool feverishly" (1005). |
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| "They were dying slowly--it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now--nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom" (1010).
*drawings courtesy Catherine Aanyango
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55 comments:
In Heart of Darkness, Bruddels is portrayed as a whited sepulchre, a desert and even the doors standing ponderously ajar.
It can be seen on page1004: "In a very few hours I arrived in a city that always makes me think of a white sepulchre"(Paragraph2 Line3) and "A narrow and deserted street in a deep shawdow...as arid as a desert.(Paragraph3).
The city is definded as a dead city and it must have something ominous in the atmosphere so that it give us a ponderous and weird imagery of this city.It also reveals the information of bad thing or ominous future. It can be proved by page1005: "There wasyet a visit to the doctor...in a city of the dead"(Paragraph4)
The desription of the hint is "I heard he was lying helpless, and so I came up－took my chance"(from Page1041 Line24).and "Evidently the appetite for more ivory had got the better of the－what shall I say?－less material aspirations."(from Page1041 Line22)." There are the hints indicating the upcoming days on journey of Heart of Darkness and Kurtz's material life by profitable ivory.
Kurtz's African mistress is so strong and seems to be more freedom of daily routine (from Page1044 Paragraph2).While his intended is too pure to understand current situation and his characteristics. And Marlow lies to Kurtz's "Intended" and tell her that "The last word [Kurtz] pronounced was--your name" because Marlow does not want to destroy the beauty of Kurtz's personality, trying to hide the reality from Kurtz's intended.
410203013 歷史二 顏堉至
Q: How is Brussels portrayed in Heart of Darkness? What kinds of imagery define the city? What does the description of the Company's people hint at Marlow's forthcoming journey into the jungle?
A: In Heart of Darkness, it said” A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow, high houses, innumerable windows with Venetian blinds, a dead silence, grass sprouting between the stones, imposing carriage archways right and left, immense double doors standing ajar.”(page.1004-3) Therefore writer give us an imagery of hopeless, and its color are all covered by dark colors. Besides the city, company of the over-sea empire was described as a” white sepulcher”. The people that Marlow meet in the company also have some special meaning. He meet two woman, one fat and the other slim, a white-haired secretarial head. In the story, Marlow described these two woman as two evil witches. “I thought of these two, guarding the door of Darkness, knitting black wool as for a warm pall, one introducing, introducing continuously to the unknown, the other scrutinizing the cherry and foolish faces with unconcerned old eyes.” (page.1005-2) I think these are signatures to the unknown voyage, for example, these two woman are just like witches cursing the people who want to go to the dark continent. Furthermore, there is an old doctor that measure Marlow’s head in order to research his brain! To conclude, these symbolization all have some dark meaning toward the trip to Africa.
410202011英美二 李昀蕙
The African mistress was described as wild, superb, magnificent, proud, powerful and dressing in a sexy style, while his fiancée was clean, white, dependent, and living in the false image of her “perfect” fiancé. The mistress was sad for his leaving, but she still walked normally and even cried with her head high. She was heartbroken but showed no weakness. Unlike the fiancée, she seemed half dead after the news and couldn’t live on her own. Her whole world turned into complete darkness without him, only the love and belief in her fiancé lit up a little.(p.1044,paragraph 2;p.1055,paragraph 3,4)
The African mistress represented the wilderness, mysterious and charming. She also served as a conflict of human’s mind: the eager of unknown and passionate soul, adventure verse safe, predictable and stable love. As for the fiancée, she was the lovely and naive angel who stayed at home doing all the house works for her beloved fiancé. She was the ideal type of women of western society at that time— staying at home, depending on men, which was the total opposite of African women. The two women served as two different types of love that men desire, which lead to the men’s confusion and end up hurting both of them.
At page 1056, paragraph 6 from the bottom, the fiancée said she wanted something to live with while she asked about those last words, Marlow must couldn’t bear to tell her the truth, which might lead to her entire world’s destruction, so he told a lie. Another reason could be that he didn’t want the “white and clean” world to be interfered by anyone or anything from the dark world. So he chose to tell a lie and kept two worlds parallel.
“In the few hours I arrived in a city that always makes me think of a whited sepulcher.” Means a person who is inwardly evil but outwardly professes to be virtuous. “A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow.” It means the mysterious, dark and unknown Brussels. The women in the city, “knitted black wool feverishly” that means black men’s life and fate are controlled by the white men. Besides, the woman keeps a cat that implies the woman is a witch. Finally, “a doctor felt his pulse, evidently thinking of something else the while and measured Marlow’s head” the means, the doctor seem Marlow as a man lost his mind.
Kurtz’s Intended, like Marlow’s aunt and Kurtz’s mistress, is a problematic female figure. Marlow praises her fiancé for “mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering,” suggesting that the most valuable traits in a woman are passive. She is a repository of conservative ideas about what it means to be white and European, upholding fine-sounding but ultimately useless notions of heroism and romance.
His presence fulfills her need for a sympathetic ear, and she continually praises Kurtz. Her sentimentality begins to anger Marlow, but he holds back his annoyance until it gives way to pity. She says she will mourn Kurtz forever, and asks Marlow to repeat his last words to give her something upon which to sustain herself. Marlow lies and tells her that Kurtz’s last word was her name. She responds that she was certain that this was the case.
410102002 英美三 李卉潔
The narrator describes Kurtz’s mistress as a female warrior who seems does not afraid of anything. ‘’She carried her head high; her hair was done in the shape of a helmet; she had brass leggings to the knee, brass wire gauntlets to the elbow…’’ In addition, she is wild and sexy, looking down on everything.’’ She was savage and superb wild-eyed and magnificent; there was something ominous and stately in her deliberate progress’’. The image of her is very strong and sexual. This kind of female can rarely be seen, therefore, men must have to depress their desire and fear inside of themselves, like the man of patches says,’’ If she had offered to come aboard I really think I would have tried to shoot her.’’
Kurtz’s intended is a common traditional woman, a woman who is mature enough to endure any distress and sadness. Moreover, those eyes reveal loyalty and confidence to her beloved, she admires him a lot. Marlow says,’’ She had a mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering.’’ in order to show her purity.
The reason why Marlow does not deliver ‘’ The horror! The horror!’’ to his intended is because Marlow is doing his best to stop those evil truths to permeate into a pure and hopeful world (Kurtz’s intended’s world). If his intended knows the truth, her belief will start to be questioned by those words. Although Marlow has been through a lot of dirty things, he still swallows the truth that what did Kurtz say at the end. It is finally a way for Marlow to show his mercy and humanity to some degree.
410102073 英美三 游佳洵
In Heart of Darkness, Kurtz's African mistress plays the role not just of a person, but also of an actual incarnation of Africa and its dark mysteries. Also, she is an image which presents wildness and power, and she is gorgeous because she is full of life, the hot, passionate kind of life. "She walked with measured steps, draped in striped and fringed cloths, treading the earth proudly with a slight jingle and flash of barbarous ornaments. She carried her head high, her hair was done in the shape of a helmet, she had brass leggings to the knees [...] She was savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent; there was something ominous and stately in her deliberate process. [...] the colossal body of the fecund and mysterious life seemed to look at her". (p.1044, paragraph 2) On one hand, she is full of life, but on the other, it is a dark, dangerous, mysterious type of life. She is not just in her role of Kurtz's woman, but also in her role as the metaphor for the imperialist Europe.
Conversely, Kurtz’s fiancée, who is the naive angel stayed at home waiting for her lover to come home. She lives in her own world, and she does not know the situation in Africa, even her lover, Kurtz. She was the type of women of western society at that time, which is fragile, pall, and weak. “She was in mourning. It was more than a year since his death, more than a year since the news come; she seemed as though she would remember and mourn forever.” (p.1054, paragraph 3)
When Kurtz’s fiancée asks Marlow what Kurtz said before his death, he decides to lie to her. Marlow thinks she is too fragile to be harmed, so make her believe that her lover’s last word was her name may be the best choice. This kind of women has their own “beautiful world” that must not be sullied.
410102034 英美三 林婉婷
Q1: Conrad described Brussels as a city like “white sepulcher”, which meant a place like a grave. This imagination is very negative and dark, which can be interpreted as an implication to Marlow’s journey will be horrible and dangerous. The whole of city was “a narrow and deserted street in deep shadow…” that meant the city was under a sense of haze; such as a haunted house. Conrad depicted two strange women in the company as “…these two, guarding the door of darkness, knitting black wool as for a warm pall…”and made they were like incarnations of hell’s gatekeeper. These descriptions implied Marlow’s journey was a trip to purgatory – the heart of darkness. People in the trade company were all strange and eccentric, and their reactions to Marlow’s decision were creepy, too. For instance, a doctor asked Marlow if any madness in his family, and this plot can help us to realize that the doctor thought those who decide to go to heart of darkness are crazy and abnormal. Also, the doctor mentioned several youths whom went to the heart of darkness and never came back; this suggested that Marlow’s upcoming journey will be fatal and unpredictable. Besides, an old woman glanced at Marlow and that made him feel quite eerie. He felt that“…She seemed uncanny and fateful…” and this sentence constructed an imagination of a witch. In Marlow’s mind, the old woman actually remind him something that fateful and uncanny; her reaction and glance made him aware of the eerie journey. These descriptions implied Marlow’s horrible journey and made readers can easily recall these plots to connect with different situations.
410102008 英美三 黃暐婷
Q1.
Brussels was portrayed like a whited sepulcher in Heart of Darkness. Everything seemed white, clean, immense and august; however, under this imposing and decent cover, it is actually a city of dead. It is in a dead silence, grass sprouting without anyone taking care of it. These imageries made us doubt the company’s decency. The whole city is like a trap, looks nice but you can never come out when stepping in.
In the company, Marlow met two women. They were dressed in plain clothes, knitting black wool, having the looks of indifferent and unconcerned. From these two, we can sense the ominous atmosphere. The black wool they were knitting symbols death and also the savages’ fates in the Congo River. Their looks also hint that most of the people they see will never come back again, especially the old one, as if knew what will happen and had already get used to it.
There was also a secretary with a compassion expression, looking Marlow in sympathy, knowing that he may not come back. Then Marlow met the shabby and careless clerk; though he glorified the company’s business, he stated that he is not a fool to go out there.
The last person Marlow met in the company was the doctor. After feeling the pulse, he mumbled that Marlow’s heart was strong enough to go the Congo River, and then he measured his head. The doctor seemed to be doing some research to find out what kind of people are willing to go out there, and suspected that there may be madness in their family. He also revealed that he never saw them again, hinting that they will not return, physically or mentally.
410102001 英美三 林儀歆
Q2
In the Heart of Darkness, the narrator describes Kurtz’s African mistress as a warrior. Her appearance is armed with brass and she has innumerable accouterments on her neck. She seems like power and prestige. I think her appearance is present the wilderness and savage. The narrator use this way to combine the mistress with the wilderness. It is an intensely comparison to Kurtz’s fiancée in England.
The African mistress is different from the Kurtz’s fiancée. She can do many things by herself and she looks like not afraid of anything. And her appearance is also different from the normal female in that times, to the people in that time, they think the mistress is sexy, mysterious and charming. On the other hand, Kurtz’s fiancée represents the conventional women who are the angel of the house. She looks clean and white. She does all the house work every day and takes care of the family. She is the strong backup for the man who is working outside. She was the ideal type in that time.
I think the reason why Marlow lies to Kurtz’s fiancée is because he thinks that she is purity and she always believes her husband, he doesn’t want to destroy her good vision. Second, I think is because Kurtz’s fiancée said “I have survived”, in this situation Marlow wants to give a reason to survive so he lies to her. I think this is a kind of patriarchy’s selfish. Marlow doesn’t want to see Kurtz’s fiancée’s world collapse, so he chose to tell a lie to save her world. I think it is also shows Marlow’s humanity.
410102054 黃琦涵 英美三
I'm going to answer question one.Kurtz’s fiancée and African mistress are totally different kind of person. Kurtz’s fiancée just liked a traditional woman at that time that is gentle, innocence, boring, weak, silly, and living in the world she imagines. She was a woman who loved Kurtz blindly. When Marlow saw her, she still was in mourning. (1054-55) Kurtz’s fiancée believed her fiancé so much, so she never thought that he will betray her. She even assumed that Kurtz’s last word was her name. (1056, paragraph 2 from the bottom) In the contrary, Kurtz’s African mistress represents the wilderness. She was mystery and charm, wild-eyed and magnificent, even ominous and stately in her behaviors. (1044, paragraph 2) Furthermore, she was a sexy and coquettish woman who wore many decorates and crimsoned her cheek. She was full of confidence that like she was powerful and knew what she really wants. She did not say any word, but she truly impressed Marlow deeply. Kurtz’s mistress attracted Kurtz likes the heart of darkness attracted him. Although this Africa woman and the heart of darkness were so dangerous and fatal, he still was willing to embrace them. (1044)
In my opinion, Marlow lie to Kurtz's fiancée because of two reasons. First, Marlow felt pity. (1056, line 24 from the top) He realized that Kurtz's fiancée was a weak woman and loved Kurtz firmly. Therefore, Marlow told a white lie to her. Another reason is Marlow’s male chauvinism. In his mind, he thought that Kurtz’s fiancée do not need to know about what her fiancé said. She just need to live in her wonderful life even it is fake. At that time, Marlow fall into the ambivalence; he hated lie, but he still told a big one in the end. Whatever he thought, he just deprived a woman’s right to know about the truth.
410102033 英美三 陳世豪
Q1
Brussels was portrayed as a white sepulcher in the Heart of Darkness. Although there were high houses, they were covered with a dead silence and grass sprouting between the stones without any management. It just looked like a big city where you could get a chance to fulfill your dream but you might never come out after stepping in because a corpse could never come out of its tomb.
At first, Marlow met two women when he came to the company. They were knitting black wool and said nothing. They seemed to not concern anything at all. It seemed that they were knitting the fate of whose people who came to the heart of darkness, and their indifference showed not many people they saw would show up again just like there were no those people. Then he met a white-haired secretary who stared at him with a compassionate expression made him felt weirder.
Before he came to see the doctor, he drank with a boy who kept glorifying the company’s business but stopped by Marlow’s foolish to go to there. The boy knew nobody could survive from the heart of darkness.
After that, he went to the doctor. In addition to common examination, the doctor wanted to measure his head and even hinted that he was mad to go there. Besides, he said that he never saw the people who went there before come back again. It reveals how dangerous the journey is.
410202050 英美二 李岱融
In Heart of Darkness, Brussels was portrayed as an arid desert and full of dead silence. In paragraph 2 on page 1004,” A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow… doors standing ponderously ajar.” Also as a whited sepulchre.
And it was a creepy and symbol of “death” city. In paragraph 3 on page 1005, “There was something ominous in the atmosphere... I had been let into some conspiracy… something not right; and I was glad to get out. ” Which made Marlow begin to feel slightly uneasy. And “An eerie feeling came over me.” Also, in paragraph 4 on the same page, he said “A house in a city of the dead.” So we can see the writer used many dark and negative words to describe the city.
From page 1004 to 1006, there were many descriptions of the Company's people. First, we can see the two women who were seen as the messengers of Death and looked like witches were knitting “black” wool feverishly. And the word “black” was also an implication of death, very creepy and ominous. Then, when Marlow was in the waiting-room which I think was a hint of “waiting for death” room. He saw a man was “wearing a compassionate expression” coming in. I think the man felt sad about Marlow is going to lose his life. Finally, there was a doctor did strange behaviors to Marlow, such as measured his head, and he also answered “Oh, I never see them come back” and asked “Ever any madness in your family?” to him. From their conversations we can see the doctor gave a hint of “death” about going into the jungle to Marlow, and also the doctor thought if Marlow was not crazy and ill, he would not go to the jungle for searching for death.
英美二 詹欣芳 410202036
In Heart of Darkness, Brussels is portrayed as a whited sepulchre. In addition, the description “a narrow and deserted street in deep shadow, high houses, innumerable windows with Venetian blinds, a dead silence” (p.1004) shows that Brussels looks dead and lacks of power. It seems to tell the readers that things which are going to happen are not joyful at all but quite ominous.
The description in Heart of Darkness shows that the two women who knitting black wools know what will happen in the future and it’s probably Marlow’s death. “She seemed to know all about them and about me too.” “She seemed uncanny and fateful.” “I thought of these two, guarding the door of Darkness, knitting black wool as for a warm pall, one introducing, introducing continuously to the unknown, the other scrutinising the cheery and foolish faces with unconcerned old eyes.” (p.1005) The doctor who Marlow meets also gives him a hint that the journey may cause Marlow’s death in their dialogue. “Good, good for there.” (p.1005) Besides, when Marlow asks him if those people who go to Africa ever come back. He answers “Oh, I never see them.” (p.1006) A young man of the company also gives Marlow a hint of death because when Marlow asks him why he doesn’t go to Africa, he answers “ I am not such a fool as I look, quoth Plato to his disciples.” (p.1005) All of these characters’ reactions and words give Marlow and the readers a sense of danger about Marlow’s journey to jungle.
410102016 英美三 方映程
Q1.
The city of Brussels is portrayed as the city of death. The vibe of the city always makes Marlow thinks of “a whited sepulcher.” The street view is “deserted in a deep shadow,” and “a dead silence” pervades around the city.
When Marlow arrives at the Company’s office, he encounters two women, who are knitting the black wool. Both of them show apathy and numbness toward Marlow’s arrival, thinking he is simply another person to seek his doom. The old one who wears a starched white affair on her head, and has a wart on one side of her cheek, possesses the quality of a witch. Her unconcerned wisdom seems to enable her to know that, she will never meet these people again. The two women are like death massagers, who keep introducing people into the threshold of purgatory.
On the other hand, when Marlow is signing the documents, the white-haired secretary, who wears a compassionate expression, shows his desolation and sympathy. Even though the secretary has a trait of compassion, his intention is similar to the two women. All of them are watching Marlow on his way to misery.
And the old doctor, who asks Marlow eagerly whether he could measure his head, actually implies “you must be mentally insane” to go out into the wilderness. When Marlow asks, “And when they come back too?” The doctor responds, “Oh, I never see them.” It indicates they all die out there. To sum up, the city of the dead, and the people Marlow meets in the Company’s office all hint at his forthcoming journey into the jungle will be a ghastly journey to hell.
410202051 英美二 宋惠筑
In the Heart of Darkness, these two women are come from different countries and societies, which built up their different personalities. Both of them have something that men desire, the African mistress represent wildness and the unknown, men will be curious about this kind of women; and the fiancé just so pure like angels and can do anything for their lover, this kind of women are men’s ideal type, they just don’t need to worry about them. We all know in that time though the western world is a modern society, it is conservative. In the other hand, Africa is an open world. So the African mistress was described as wild, superb, magnificent, proud, powerful and dressing in a sexy style. In contrast of his fiancée, was clean, white, dependent, and living in her own image of “perfect” fiancé. And these two women in their hard time also acted different ways; the mistress was heartbroken but showed no weakness. Unlike the fiancée, she seemed to need someone to be with her all the time just can’t live by her own.
In the end of this story, the fiancé asked Marlow about Kurtz’s last word so that she could live with. In my opinion, Marlow felt stressed when he heard what she said, so he decided not to tell her the truth which may have someone die. I think Marlow also knew that the power of Darkness can change and kill someone even he or she was original pure and kind just like Kurtz, and he didn’t want to bring the Darkness into the uncontaminated world.
The African mistress is contrasted sharply with Kurtz’s fiancé in this novel, both of whom represent an extreme model case. The African mistress, being wild, bold, powerful, yet also mysterious and dark, can be linked to the untamed land of Africa itself. Although she reveals the dark and savage part, she still preserves a special kind of charm which suggests that she is full of vigor, especially the hot and passionate side of life. She is closer to the more natural aspect of human beings; however, at the same time, her presence is also quite dangerous and unpredictable as the word used to portray her in the text “ominous”, just like a jungle filled with both exciting ventures and the inevitable perils. On the other hand, Kurtz’s intended, the white woman who waits him faithfully in Europe, is the ideal woman who keeps the good memory of her fiancé. She is the one with unquestioning loyalty to her husband as merely remaining in the pure world of innocence and naïve goodness. She is so clean, without any evil thing but somehow too blind to know about the reality. It seems that her existence is for fidelity, for belief and for suffering. She lives in the delusion of the unbreakable light of conviction and trust, which embodies the common image of the European white women at that time. The probable reason for Marlow to lie to Kurtz’s intended may be that he is fully understandable about her state of mind, which appears to be vulnerable to the truth about her fiancé’s deed in Africa. To tell her the real things happening can lead to an irretrievable consequence, and that means her perfect world would no longer be intact and the most severe outcome is all about her mental destruction.
410102005 英美三 張群
The author portrayed Brussels as a city of death. When Marlow arrived this city, Marlow always thought the city like a white sepulchre. The street was narrow and deserted, innumerable windows with Venetian blinds, a dead silence. The city was filled with lifeless atmosphere.
Marlow entered a room. Two old women came into his view. One of them sat on chair and a cat reposed on her lap. She had a wart on one cheek and silver-rimmed spectacles hung up on the tip of her nose. And s knitted the black wool as for warm pall for people who will go to Congo, the wilderness. She glanced at him with placid manner. She looked like a witch. She knew the conspiracy which was invasion of imperialism would lead to the start of the death and the author would lose his life. Two women were the guard of darkness. They ever saw the people who came to wilderness again—not half, by a long way.
Before the Marlow visited the doctor, he met a man who was shabby and careless. He wore the inky jacket and his chin shapes liked the toe of an old boot. He looked like a stupid clown, but actually he wasn’t such a fool as he looked. He knew the danger of wilderness, so he just stayed in the company.
At last Marlow met the doctor. The doctor felt his pulse, thinking of something else the while.” Good, good for there.” And the doctor measured the crania of his head. Marlow asked “They would measure their head when they come back too?” The doctor replied that I never see them. It implied that going to Congo was a dangerous journey even though he was good for there.
410102032 英美三 許喬閔
Kurtz’s intended was weak, pure and innocent. She was an ideal woman in Victorianism. She was obedient to men and would not have a quarrel with Kurtz. When Marlow saw her at the first time he thought she is so foolish and innocent. In her mind, Kurtz was a great man who was respectable and brave man. However, in reality Kurtz had been eroded by his greed. Though Kurtz’s intended didn’t know about Kurtz at all, she chose to support Kurtz and keep praising Kurtz. After she knew Kurtz’s death, she was heartbroken and didn’t know how to live without Kurtz. In contrast, the African mistress was powerful, proud and superb. She always carried her head high and had brass wire gauntlets to the elbow. In addition, she was so savage that made Marlow and other men felt scared and even wanted to shoot her. Besides, she even had quarrel with Kurtz. Though she was heartbroken after she heard that Kurtz left the village, she still carried her head high and did not show any weakness. In my opinion, Kurtz’s intended symbolized peace, comfort and safe. As for the African mistress, she symbolized Africa which was dangerous, chaos and evil. As for the reason why Marlow told Kurtz’s intended that the last word Kurtz pronounced was your name, I thought Marlow wanted to show that he still have conscience and did not want to become evil just like Kurtz and others who was indifferent to slave’s life and eager to gain ivory.
410102025英美三 黃俊棠
In Heart of Darkness, Brussels described as a whited sepulcher. “A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow, high house, innumerable windows with Venetian blinds, a dead silence.” In this sentence, we can realize that the surroundings in the city filled with the atmosphere of death despite the company the biggest building in the city. “Though there have clerks in the business, the house is still as a house in the city of the dead.”
In the company, the secretary wearing a compassionate expression because the secretary knew that he would never be back again. He still satisfied with his journey and French “Bon voyage.” He didn’t know he was going to a danger, unknown and dead place.
“Often far away there I thought of these two, guarding the door of darkness, knitted black wool as for a warm pall, one introducing, introducing continuously to the unknown.” The warm pall they knitted is prepared for him to wear. He just like a man was going to die. He was going to explore the journey of death.
When he met the doctor, the doctor asked” whether I would let him measure my head.” It is so strange to measure his head. Because the doctor wanted to know reasons that he wants to go Congo. In other words, the doctor is told is the Congo River is a danger place. When the doctor answered “Oh, I never see them,” you can totally know that going to Congo like as a road of death. Finally, he still start this dead journey.
英美三410102004 陳慧敏
Q1:
How is Brussels portrayed in Heart of Darkness?What kinds of imagery define the city? What does the description of the Company's people hint at Marlow's forthcoming journey into the jungle?
Ans:
When Marlow arrived in Brussels, he described this city makes him think of a whited sepulchre. The white colour makes people feel there is no hope and sepulchre is an image of death. This city was portrayed as a city of the dead, for example, “A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow” and “dead silence”. From the description above, we can feel the gloomy, ominous and uncanny atmosphere in this city.
When Marlow went in the Company, there were two women who knitted black wool feverishly. It is a weird and unusual scene. The old one, she has a wart on her cheek and a cat reposes on her lap. Her image is kind of like a witch. In addition, when she glanced at Marlow above the glasses, it makes Marlow think she is uncanny and fateful. It seems like that she has already known something about his journey, but she is indifferent and tells nothing even she knows it is a dangerous journey and nearly no one come back. Then, Marlow went to visit the doctor. One of the strangest things is that the doctor measures his head. It indicates that the doctor’s thought about Marlow. The doctor’s act seems that he want to know whether Marlow has gone crazy or not. According to the conversation between Marlow and the doctor, we can know the doctor think that Marlow must be mad, otherwise why he wants to go to the jungle. Although Marlow felt uneasy and it seems that these indications have foreshadowed something bad toward his journey into the jungle, he has made up his mind and still wanted to go.
49302007 JoJo黃南燕
1.
It has all the features of the adventure, weird story, for instance—terror, horror, mystery, exotic scenery, flight tracking, ambushes, death, etc. I feel terrible that it is a human desire, evil history, the colonial economy, ethical reflection colonial fiction.
"Heart of Darkness" mentions that Marlow's voyage up the Congo River constitutes almost all of Conrad's novel. Marlow desires to visit Africa and navigate a steamboat on the Congo River. After learning of the Belgian Company, knows a man Kurtz—a large ivory trader —but Kurtz’s ambitions do not stop at merely moving up in the Company; he desires to prove himself superior to all Africans. When the steamer arrives at the Company’s Outer Station in the Congo, Marlow witnesses scenes of savagery, a chaotic and disorganized place. It’s an “inhabited devastation” on “a rocky cliff”, and a “lot of people, mostly black and naked.” These black men with the eyes of “complete, deathlike indifference of unhappy savages” look too exhausted, inanimated to do anything at all. And then, Marlow travels to the unknown European city, Africa on a French Steamer, where the Company has its headquarters. He describes the city as a "whited sepulcher." The black man’s effort to appear correct in front of a white man makes Marlow acknowledge that being a white himself he is kind of proud but no alternative. However, Marlow's quest is a failure, he learns that at the heart of everything there lies only darkness.
410202027 英美二 龔宥蓁
In Heart of Darkness, Brussels was portrayed as a whited sepulcher which made a lifeless impression. ‘’A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow…’’gave a dead, silent, and ominous imagery of the city. The high houses, ponderous doors seemed to have hid something inside. The city was dark and mysterious that made Marlow have a feeling of uncertainty.
When he entered the office, two women were knitting black wool that was a weird situation. The color ‘’black’’ can be interpreted as a symbol of ‘’death’’ and the women as “witches’’. Then, it seemed that the secretary knew something would happen to Marlow so that she wore a compassionate expression. ‘’ I began to feel slightly uneasy…there was something ominous in the atmosphere…’’ described the strange feeling Marlow had. ‘’ It was just as though I had been let into some conspiracy…the two women knitted black wool feverishly…An eerie feeling came over me’’ which depicted a creepy and inauspicious atmosphere. The doctor must think that Marlow was out of mind so he asked Marlow if he would let him measure his head. The doctor also mentioned that those who went to the jungle never came back ever which hinted the forthcoming journey of Marlow was dangerous and doomed to death. ‘’ So you are going out there. Famous. Interesting too.’’ what the doctor said implied that he knew what would happen to Marlow and he sympathized him.
Everyone in that company seemed to know something about the journey but refused to say too much to those who came to knock the door into hell.
Q1. How is Brussels portrayed in Heart of Darkness? What kinds of imagery define the city? What does the description of the Company's people hint at Marlow's forthcoming journey into the jungle?
In the Heart of Darkness, Brussel was portrayed in a way similar to a ghost town. Instead of a city with thriving opportunity, Marlow described it as a “whited sepulchre”, a white tomb. (Pg.1004 Par 1 Line 3-4) The city itself was a foreshadowing of the dark side of imperialism. As Marlow made his way towards the Company’s office, he passed through a deserted narrow street buried deep in the shadows of high rise structures. Upon the high houses were the innumerable windows which were covered with Venetian Blinds which conceals. Imposing carriage archways filled the street left and right as immense double doors stood tall looking down on Marlow. (Pg.1004 Par 2 Line 1-3) From all of the overwhelming description given, one can see that Marlow was like a dead man walking. Marlow had no control over his fate. The street and the city itself gave an uninviting “dead” atmosphere.
When first Marlow arrived at the company he was greeted by two women knitting black wool. The two women said nothing but they gave off an ominous atmosphere with their downcast eyes. If one were to compare, the two women would be similar to the “Fates” from Greek mythology. In a way the women themselves symbolizes death since they get to choose who lives and who dies. (Pg. 1004 Par 2 Line 6-8)
After greeting the “Fates” many clues about the forthcoming of his journey hides in plain sight within the company. One of them was the yellow marking on the map “dead in the centre” in the shape of serpent. (Pg. 1004 Par 2 last line – Pg. 1005 Line 1) In Biblical terms, the snake is the symbol of evil, sin and temptation. The other clue to the ominous forthcoming was his encounter with the old secretary whose appearance was of an old witch. The white hair, wart on one cheek and the cat sitting on her lap portrayed a witch like character. (Pg. 1005 Par 5)
Upon waiting on the doctor Marlow encountered a young lad who praised the company but at the same time dares not to go. All the signs were indicating the journey as negative one. (Pg. 1005 Par 3 Line 8 - 13)
Finally the last piece of the puzzle indicating about the forthcoming journey came from the doctor. The doctor measured his head, and asked if he has madness in his family. In addition, the doctor mentioned about no one ever returning from the journey. (Pg. l005 Last Par – Pg. 1006 Line 6)
From the streets of Brussel to the Company’s office, Marlow was greeted with shady characters, environment and a shady future.
410102028 英美三 陳雅森
1. How is Brussels portrayed in Heart of Darkness? What kinds of imagery define the city? What does the description of the Company's people hint at Marlow's forthcoming journey into the jungle?
Marlow used an ominous imagery to describe the city when he arrived Brussels. After he arriving the city, the first thought came into his mind was "a whited sepulchre". He also used other descriptions like "deep shadow" and "a dead silence" to describe the scene he saw. These descriptions described the city was like a grave and made the atmosphere around him become bizarre.
He came in the building and saw two woman sitting on the chair and knitting black wool, like guards beside the entrance of hell. One of the two old woman was described like a witch, who had a cat on her lap, a wart on one cheek, and silver-rimmed spectacles hung on the tip of her nose. Instead of welcoming Marlow, they said nothing and just gave him a quick glance. The second person Marlow met in the building was a secretary with a compassionate expression. Unlike the two women, he did not do or say something which would made Marlow has an eerie feeling. But he was full of sympathy and looked at Marlow pathetically as he might never see Marlow again. The last person Marlow saw was the old doctor. The doctor was “evidently thinking of something else” when he felt Marlow’s pulse. The doctor asked Marlow if he could measure his head, and asked him “Ever any madness in your family?” This implied that the doctor thought that Marlow and the people who wanted to go to the heart of darkness must had some psycho problems in their heads. The doctor also said that he never see the people coming back.
All these description of the city and the people in the building were creepy, and also were hints which implied that Marlow would encounter something terrible in the journey. And this journey would be a horrible experience in his life.
410202024 英美二 龔穎俐
Q1. Brussels, the first place of Marlow’s journey, was portrayed as a whited sepulcher in the Heart of Darkness. We usually think of death when we mention about sepulchers. The image of a whited sepulcher makes people feel more desolate and scare. It implies that Marlow was died when he arrived at Brussels. Conrad used some strange and creepy image to describe the city, such as “A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow”, “high houses”, “a dead silence”, “a swept and ungarnished staircase” etc. The city is full of ominous and dead atmosphere. It means the future of Marlow’s journey will be miserable.
All the people Marlow met in the city are weird and lifeless. The figure of two women that Marlow first met, are contrasting. There is an incongruity in the sense of sight. The black wool they were knitting is like the fate of the people, went to the heart of darkness, black and entangle. Marlow also met a man murmured “Bon Voyage” vaguely, and a young boy who said fools would do what Marlow do. It seems that Marlow’s trip will be dangerous and deadly. It is weird that the doctor helps him to measure his head too. The doctor also think Marlow is crazy because of that there is no more normal people want to go to this dangerous journey.
410102014 英美三 陳萱
Q1.
In Heart of Darkness, everything seems to imply Marlow’s ominous future after he arrives in Brussels.
Brussels is portrayed as a whited sepulcher by Marlow. “A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow ……, a dead silence, grass sprouting between the stones……” the words he use are negative, all making people desperate. And the grass sprouting scene implies that it will be difficult to come out from “there”. These imageries all indicate that it is actually a city of dead.
Besides, people in the Company, including two women, secretary, and doctor imply Marlow's ominous journey. First, the two women he meets are knitting black wool for a warm pall; the color black is seen as a bad luck and the symbol of death. The black wool can also be interpreted as the fates of the savages, the blacks, at Congo River; they are controlled as the wool. In addition, Marlow mentions that the slim one is knitting with the downcast eyes, which is also an ominous sign. Then, there comes a secretary, who is wearing a compassion expression; she seems to know what Marlow is going to suffer for her face is full of desolation and sympathy. Furthermore, Marlow meets a doctor. The doctor keeps glorifying the Company’s business, but says “I am not such a fool as I look” when Marlow asks him why he does not go there, which shows that the doctor knows clearly that there is not a place that people should go. After feeling the pulse, the doctor mumbles that Marlow’s heart was strong enough to go to the Congo River, and he also measures his head; he seems to do some research to find out what kind of people are willing to go there. He also reveals that he never saw them again, hinting that Marlow may not return from the jungle. And the doctor says “Adieu” to Marlow, which means “Good-bye” in English.
Regardless of the city itself or the description of the Company's people, those scenes are all under an ominous atmosphere and imply Marlow’s forthcoming journey.
Q2.
The African mistress is different from the woman in the Europe in this era. She has the unruly beauty and fatal attraction. Her manner and dressing are unique. She walks vigorously and her facial expression is dignified. Her makeup is colorful, gorgeous, charming, and is full with bizarre style. Although she is an African woman and wears with barbarous ornaments, she isn’t looked down and her identity is even a magic power to lure men. The mystery from her body seduces Kurtz but his loyal and fascinating status attracts her alike. She too loves him strongly to be willing to leave him, even if he is sick. However, the European woman’s representation is his fiancée. She is conservative and ignorant. Especially, she is born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth and has high rank of classes. She is like other women in her country in this era and can do nothing, even if he seldom comes back. She doesn’t know the reality and never think it. She lives in her own perfect world which is her imagination actually. Kurtz’s whole things are great for her. She loves him purely. For Kurtz, his fiancée is a symbol that he is from civilizational world but it is easy to control of her. The African mistress is another symbol that he pursues mystery and is greedy for unknown things. Marlow is also a European man and adores Kurtz. He understands his feeling and has same one about two women a little. He fancies her wild beauty but think civilization should be exist. The fiancée is so pure that she doesn’t know the truth of her fiancé and accept it. Thus, he chooses to lie and tells what she wants to listen.
410002015 黃琦恩
I would like to answer the first question, and separate the question as two parts. The first part is about the place, Brussels and the company; the second part is about the people in the company.
First, the speaker use the white sepulcher as his first impression to Brussels, and people in the city are all chasing the wealth. The company is the biggest building in the city, but the building standing deadly in the grass. Inside the building, the company’s office like desert. The most colorful thing is a map, full the color of rainbow, like all the hopes come from the area, Africa, and he will go to the center, yellow zone. Second, when he arrived the office, two knitting ladies handing black wool and looked pale, like somnambulist. They glanced swift and indifferent at every young man who dreamed to Africa. They like death witches, knitting the fate, saw these people as dead men. The secretary is the only human who speak to him, but with full of desolation and sympathy. The Boss only murmured, and said nothing to the speaker. Then, he meet a young boy who may be a clerk in the city. He speaking dumbed, but he refuse to Africa, “I am not such a fool as I look,” he said. The last person in the office is the doctor, he measured his head, to assured the nameless skull is his when the he dead. “I never see them.” The doctor replied. All of these attitudes shows that the travel was deadly and dangerous, but curiosity is blind. He still went to the rainbow’s center, the heart of darkness.
410102048 英美三 李靖淇
Q1
Conrad portrayed the city of Brussels as a deserted street in gloomy, and all in silence with dead atmosphere such as a whited sepulcher in Heart of Darkness. Although there had high houses in the town, what the whole people cared about was going to earn endless money to expand their imperialism. It showed that people were indulged in their greed and desire, also made them overwhelmed in no vitality life.
In the company’s offices, Marlow met two women who were knitting black wool. Moreover, there were two things to let Marlow feel uncanny, the first thing was the color of black made Marlow have ominous feeling with imperialism conspiracy. And the other one was “One of the women glanced at Marlow above the glasses.” It meant both of them did not have opportunity to see Marlow again after entering the Congo River.
In addition, Marlow took a visit to a doctor, doctor felt his pulse and just mumbled he was good to been there. Besides, the doctor was also eager to measure his head for what kind of people had such a crazy heart and brave to want to go there.
Certainly, the people in the offices did not believe that Marlow could enter the dark, long, and wandering river, and returned safe and sound to meet them again. Because the mystery river of Congo was an unknown place on the earth, they were all scared of this secret place, and indirectly hinted that Marlow is mad for doing this decision for the journey into the jungle.
410202020 英美二 陳誼芳
Question 2
While both Kurtz’s African mistress and his intended left at home are presented as women with typical image of great capacity of love, devotion and faithfulness, these two women are of absolutely different characteristics. His mistress, beautiful and ornamented, charming and seductive at the same time and seems to have influence over him, can really intrigue desire within men to conquer her while she’s also able to create fear in others as we can see the Russians discuss her. As for Kurtz’s fiancée, she’s portrayed as a clean figure isolated from the real world. Despite the fact that it’s been a long time since Kurtz’s death, her mourning for him seems to last forever. Not having seen her husband for quite a long time and even not getting a bit of news about him ever since his departure, she still firmly believes that the last few breaths of air he gave out would convey how much he values her, just as she does when she desperately inquired about details of last moments of Kurtz.
Kurtz’s fiancée is committed that memories regarding Kurtz must be preserved because “It was impossible to know him and not to admire him,” whereas Kurtz is the opposite kind of person. Taking a native mistress, killing others at will, and being a god in the land of darkness are what he’s really done. Marlow knows Kurtz much more than others by the time he passed away, including those dirty tasks. Though it’s very difficult for him to hide truth from others, he still decided to tell what she wants to hear as she coerces him into Kurtz’s nobility(the last words). Ironically, that brings to a satisfactory result whereas truths about Kurtz aren’t revealed to his fiancée who deems herself as the one that knows Kurtz the best.
410102044 英美三 薛姿黛
Brussels in Heart of Darkness is portrayed as a whited sepulchre, and the speaker also mentions that “ A narrow and desert street in deep shadow, high house, innumerable windows with Venetian blinds, a dead silence grass sprouting between the stones, imposing carriage archways right and left, immense double doors standing ponderously ajar.” (page1004) This sentence gives us the imagery of inanimate, hopeless, like he goes to a dead city that without any lives. A city earned endless money, but its landscape turned out to be no color. This scene predicts Marlow’s future.
Also, the people that Marlow meet in the company including two women sat on straw-bottomed chairs, the white haired secretary, and the doctor, all of them act very strangely to Marlow. At first, the two women, one fat the other slim, they just sit on chair, and knitting black wool. They say nothing but just keep knitting black wool, and just like the peculian at the entrance. Secondly, he meets the secretary with white hair. The secretary always wears a compassionate expression and full of desolation and sympathy to Marlow. He even says to Marlow in French “Bon voyage.” It means to say goodbye to the person who is about to dead.
And then is the doctor, he asks two questions to Marlow, one is he want to measure Marlow’s head, and the other is” Ever any madness in your family?” These two questions shows that do Marlow have some problem that he wants to go Congo River? “I began to feel uneasy. You know I am not used to such ceremonies, and there was something ominous in the atmosphere. “(page 1005) Marlow says in the book. They all predict the unfortunate to Marlow’s destiny, it is a journey that never come back.
410202016 英美二 王珮文
For question 1, Joseph Conrad portrayed Brussels as a city of death. As we can see from page1004 second paragraph, when the character arrived in the city for a very few hours makes him think of a whited sepulcher. And in next paragraph, “narrow and deserted street in deep shadow”, “innumerable windows with Venetian blinds”, “dead silence”… all these descriptions give us odd feelings.
The first one he met is two women, who is knitting black wool. I think people usually would not knit black one, so it can be seen as a pall for the death. The old one with a cat reposed on her lap, glanced at him above the glasses. This action imply that this woman will never see Marlow again, so she want to look at him carefully. These two women were the guard of the door of darkness. One introduces continuously to the unknown, the other scrutinizing the cheery and foolish faces. (P1005 paragraph 3)
In the waiting room, he met a man who wears a compassionate expression, full of desolation and sympathy. From here, we can see that this man seems to express: “This poor man is going to dead.” Bon voyage, which this great man sent to Marlow, always be a kind of blessing, but now here "have a nice trip" seems so frightful. (P1005 paragraph 1)
Next, Marlow met an old doctor. The doctor not only felt him pulse, also measure his head. How strange a doctor asking to measure your head, it seems to measure for your size of coffin. As Marlow asked those who going out there, the doctor answered he never saw them. Here imply that once you go on the trip, you will not have chance to come back. Also foreshadow for the future Marlow is going to face. The question: “Ever any madness in your family?” give us a thought that, the one who are insane will go to the heart of darkness. From the scene of street and people he met, all evidence indicate the ominous future of Marlow.
410102006 英美三 姚佩君
The city of Brussels is portrayed as a whited sepulcher in Heart of Darkness. Everything in this area is full of gray and dark, give people a mysterious and oppressive feeling. For example, " A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow, innumerable windows with Venetian blinds” and” a dead silence, grass sprouting between the stones, immense double doors standing ponderously ajar.” These imagery actually define Brussels is like a city of the dead.
After Marlow opened the first door and came into the company, he met two women who guarding the door of Darkness, and knitting black wool as a warm pall. The slim woman, whose dress was as plain as an umbrella-cover, turned round without a word and preceded Marlow into a waiting-room with downcast eyes. Secondly, a white-haired secretarial head appeared, and made Marlow sign some document with a compassionate expression and full of desolation and sympathy. This atmosphere was really ominous, and let people think the journal was a conspiracy. Then, after Marlow got out from the room, the old woman who wore a starched white affair on her head, had a wart on one cheek, glanced at Marlow above the glasses. She was like a witch, and seemed to know everything including Marlow’s future. Besides, she seemed uncanny and fateful. And then, Marlow visit the doctor who asked Marlow some strange questions. For instance, the doctor asked Marlow whether willing to let he measure the head, and told Marlow that he never see the other people come back. These descriptions imply the journal may encounter with some terrible things, but Marlow did not afraid to, he decided to finish his journal.
英美三410102003 張懿萱
Q1:
How is Brussels portrayed in Heart of Darkness? What kinds of imagery define the city? What does the description of the Company's people hint at Marlow's forthcoming journey into the jungle?
In Heart of Darkness, Marlow described Brussels as a whited sepulcher. The Company’s offices was the biggest thing in the town, it’s the most noticeable as well as magnificent building there. However the scenery around it was a narrow and deserted street in deep shadow, in a dead silence. It seemed that the imagery of “a whited sepulcher” meant that Congo River was covered by death atmosphere and was full of unknown and mystery things like this city of death.
When he entered the place he must have to visit, there were two women came into sight. The elder one is fat and the other one is slim. They wore in black and sat on straw-bottomed chairs, knitting black wool. The old one had a cat reposed on her lap and had a wart on one cheek. Those descriptions make me feel these two women are witches and also the gatekeeper of Hell. They knitted black wool as for a warm pall, one continuously leaded people to the unknown, and the other used her scrutinous eyes to look at you without any commiseration. End of this paragraph said that “Not many of those she looked at ever saw her again – not half, by a long way.”
After that, a secretary with a compassionate expression appeared. He felt a lot of sympathy for Marlow because Marlow will never come back again. And the last person he met was the doctor. The old doctor felt Marlow’s pulse, mumbling Marlow’s heart was strong enough to go to the Congo River where might happen many unpredictable things. Before let him go, doctor wanted to measure his head, because he was doing a crania research, stating that people who went to Congo River would probably die there.
Q2.
Kurtz’s “Intended” is descripted as a kindness woman who is just like an angel with sorrow. “She came forward, all in black, with a pale head, floating towards me in the dusk. She was mourning. It was more than a year since his death, more than a year since the news came; she seemed as though she would remember and mourn for ever.”
Kurtz’s African mistress is a savage woman who is full of confidence. She seemed aggressive. “She walked with measured steps, draped in striped and fringed cloths, treading the earth proudly, with a slight jingle and flash of barbarous ornaments. She carried her head high; her hair was done in the shape of A helmet; she had brass leggings to the knee, brass wire gauntlets to the elbows, A crimson spot on her tawny cheek, innumerable necklaces of glass beads on her neck; bizarre things, charms, gifts of witch-men, that hung about her, glittered and trembled at every steps.” “If she had offered to come aboard I really think I would have tried to shoot her,” said the man of patched nervously. Even a man is afraid of her, we canimagine how scary does she look like.
I think Kurtz’s “Intended” is a typical Victorian woman. She only believed what she had known and can’t afford other things that against to her belief. She is very kind not like the woman in Africa who is threatening. The African woman is a kind of symbol to presents Kurtz’s state in Africa. He is very powerful and invasive.
Marlow thinks that she can’t afford the truth about her love, Kurtz. She is fragile. He also thinks that there is no reason to destroy her beautiful dream. Therefore, he chooses to lie to her and that her keep her fantasy.
410202002 英美二 鍾宜臻
Q2 The savage woman, the Kurtz’s mistress in the jungle. We could see that she is a warlike people in the first paragraph from page 1044. On the second paragraph, you could know what she dressed like a solider, such as she draped in striped and fringed clothes, with a slight jingle and flash of barbarous ornaments. Her hair even was done in the shape of a helmet, she had brass leggings to the knee, brass wire gauntlets to the elbow and innumerable necklaces of glass beads on her check. All of these wearing and accessories depicts the brutal and superb image. It’s also symbolize the Kurtz’s position in the jungle. However, Kurtz’s intended is totally different from the savage woman. Whether the personality or the demonstrated wearing. Her external is showed a kind of the clean, white and simple-minded woman. Purposing without violence and threats exist in that situation. You could see that she just like a little woman and an angle. For example, her forehead smooth and white, remained illumined by the un extinguishable light of belief and love. She is a typical woman in the past of the times that our common understanding. In the opposite, mistress broke the original stereotype in our mind. Her mighty personality and attitude derived herself is the purpose behind the Heart of Darkness. In previous times, the men’s’ work is always full of danger and risky on the outside. They both need a secure ownership (like Kurtz’s fiancée). The reason why he did not tell her the truth, because he think the humanity is too dark and ugly at that moment while she was just like an angle trust, protect and admire him. He didn’t want to destroy her naive idea and real appearance.
410102050 英美三 陳炘暘
Q:How is Brussels portrayed in Heart of Darkness? What kinds of imagery define the city? What does the description of the Company's people hint at Marlow's forthcoming journey into the jungle?
A:Brussels is portrayed as a whited sepulchre which means tombs. The city is full of the imagery of the death or something unlucky. For example, a deep shadow, a dead silence is used to describe the street. When Marlow takes a look at the house of the city, he thinks it is as still a house in a city of the dead. Then, all people Marlow meets before he goes to the heart of darkness imply him that he is going to die. For instance, the secretary who is full of desolation and sympathy shows Marlow a compassionate expression, just like the secretary knows that the place Marlow are going to is bad and thinking that what a poor guy he is. After that, the two women who knit black wool feverishly are the symbol of witches, which also means bad luck and death. Besides, the dark door which two women guard is just like a gate of the hell. In addition, one of the women said, "Hail!...Those who are about to die salute you." It is also a hint of death. The last one is the doctor. The dialogue between the doctor and Marlow also shows a hint of death. When Marlow asks the doctor that while the people came back do they need to do it again, the doctor says he never sees them after. All the thing that happens before Marlow goes into the heart of darkness hint that he shouldn't go to there. Otherwise, he would die.
410001005 中文四 黃美嘉
Q1
Joseph Conrad try to describe Brussels and everyone that main role met here to an imagination of death. Brussels is portrayed to a dull, spooky, and quiet feeling. We can find that this city makes the main role think of a white sepulchre (p.1004, paragraph 2). In next paragraph, this city’s streets are said is “A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow, high houses, innumerable windows with Venetian blinds, a dead silence……the first door I came to.” The word use in these sentences, like “deep shadow”, “a dead silence”, “ponderously ajar”, and “desert”, all present the atmosphere of mystery and death.
Those people who main role met in company hint this journey is a way goes to hell. The secretary always shows a compassionate expression to the main role. (p.1005, paragraph 1) Two women in the outer room who knitted black wool feverishly present some evil imagination. “The older one sat on her chair. Her flat cloth……look troubled me.” (p.1005, paragraph 3) These sentences give reader a picture of witch to think of this old woman. Next, the main role met a young man. They drink wine and talk to each other. When main role mention about the journey, the young man said”I am not such a fool as I look……” (p.1005, paragraph 4) After that, main role go to see the doctor. The doctor asks to measure main role’s size of head. And he asks some questions about madness to main role.(p.1006, paragraph 1) These things and people all hint the journey is death way.
謝宜螢 410102013 英美三
Question 1.
How is Brussels portrayed in Heart of Darkness? What kinds of imagery define the city? What does the description of the Company's people hint at Marlow's forthcoming journey into the jungle?
My answer:
Joseph Conrad portrayed Brussels as white sepulchre in Heart of Darkness, and it also the center of the origin or center of colonialism. Everybody was eager to expand their territories for their empire and earn money by overseas trade, so few people stayed in Brussels. It seems that no one will greet people they encounter with a hello or a smile. The city became a hollow, empty and dead silence place.
At first, two women knitting black wool gave no great attention on Marlow’s coming. Perhaps they cannot bear to see another young man become the sacrifice for imperialism, but they pretended nothing would happen and, like Heibai Wuchang, send him to Diyu, the underworld in Chinese religious belief. Besides, the black wool they was knitting gives the hint that they would become mourning clothes, and people who not go to Africa are going to wear them for people who went to.
However, the white-haired secretarial head whom Marlow met in the waiting-room treated him with full of desolation and sympathy. Even though the head feel sorry for him, the situation keeps going. Those young men are still leaving and going to the heart of darkness. Furthermore, doctor who Marlow visited showed his doubt about whether Marlow is mad or not, and mentioned that his patients never come back and let him to measure their heads again.
In a word, people who Marlow met in the company imply that Marlow’s decision to Africa is not wise and he is courting death.
陳欣瑩 410102037
Q1: How is Brussels portrayed in Heart of Darkness? What kinds of imagery define the city? What does the description of the Company's people hint at Marlow's forthcoming journey into the jungle?
In Heart of Darkness, Brussels is portrayed as a whited sepulcher, which means a grave. And the city is full of the image of darkness and death by using words like “deserted” and “dead silence” and “a city of the dead”, etc.
Moreover, the people whom Marlow met before his journey into the jungle seemed to hint his forthcoming death. There was something ominous in the atmosphere. For example, he met women, who looked like witches and the guards of the door of Darkness, kitting black wool. They were like knowing all the things, including his fate. “Not many those who she looked at ever saw her again,” this also pointed out the ominous of death.
Later on, the young boy and the doctor he met all thought that people who went to the jungle must be out of their mind. The boy said “I am not such a fool as I look.” It meant that he was not that stupid to go to where one could never come back. The doctor measured Marlow’s head and even suspected there must be any madness in his family. In addition, the doctor told that he never saw them again.
All that happened to Marlow indicate that he should never go into the jungles as a wise man for not dying.
410102065 英美三 張沈婷
In Heart of Darkness, there is an obvious contrast between the two women in kurtz's life. Kurtz's Intended in Belgium is fair, mild-tempered, and draped in black. She is the picture of calmness and patience. "This fair hair, this pale visage, this pure brow, seemed surrounded by an ashy halo from which the dark eyes looked out at me. Their glance was guileless, profound, confident, and trustful". Despite their differences in appearance and temperament, the love they feel for Kurtz is very similar. The black mistress in Africa is very demonstrative, wearing bright clothing and jewelry and acting in a loud, wild manner, clearly displaying strong emotions. The end for these two women in Kurtz's life, however, is a stark contrast. The departing Europeans on board the steamer needlessly gun down the beautiful black mistress in total inhumanity. The white girl, on the other hand, is brought from a seeming deathly existence to life by Marlow's lies about Kurtz. In essence, Marlow has saved her. Conrad was just as critical about the English society's treatment of women, as he was scornful or unimpressed about their treatment of African natives. He uses the stark contrast between Kurtz's African mistress and his European fiance as well as their roles to show that Europe in general was dying, slowly but surely, despite all the damage that the aforementioned Europeans wrought upon their African. Throughout this final scene, Marlow lies about the nature of Kurtz’s final condition. It is possible that Marlow sees The Intended as the last good part of Kurtz, the last thing that he affected in a positive way, and he can't bear to destroy her with the truth about Kurtz.
Brussels is portrayed like a whited sepulchre, which means a hypocrite. Leoppld ll, the Belgian king, who used to spoke rhetorically about the civilizing benefits of colonialism. However, he amassed huge wealth by exploiting the natural resources of the Congo, and practice was the bloodiest and most inhumane between European countries. Marlow describes the colony of Belgian as “dead in the centre,” I think that he knows something terrifying is happening at there. The city is dead silence, everything is heavy and gloomy. Everyone Marlow meets is full of the company, they are going to run an over-sea empire, and make no end of coin by there. (p. 1004 paragraph 2) The people in the company all feel sad to Marlow because they know the darkness in Congo and think that he won’t come back. Such as the old woman who sit on the chair and looks like a witch. She glanced at Marlow seems to know all about him. Another woman and her is knit black wool as for a pall. And also the old doctor who have a simple examine to Marlow. Everyone who measured the crania by the doctor never come back; hint that all of the people go to Congo died at there. All of the people Marlow met at the company hint him that the future of the journey into the jungle is darkness and hopelessness. However, he is totally fascinated by the river, like a snack in the depth of the island makes him want to go to there even though the forthcoming future is dark.
曾可嘉 610288111 課程設計與潛能開發教育學系 碩二
2.
Congo mistress had an image of a tough, sexy and wildness woman. The way she walked and the step she treaded were so proudly. The shape of hair as helmet, the brass legging was like a warrior’s armor. She was the kind of woman that made everybody feel nervous, she was not that kind of girl who always wear smile on her face. Kurtz’s wife in London was just like the angle in the house, she just like ignorance woman, all the things in her mind was so purely and wonderful. In the conversation between Marlow and Kurtz’s wife, she was thought Kurtz was that kind of man who was so wonderful and everybody love him, admired him. As worship, Kurtz’s wife has endless belief and love so Marlow couldn’t tell her the truth. If Marlow tell her the truth, she won’t believe him though. Compare these two women, the Congo one showed much more attraction to men, the fecund body and the strength was more stronger than the tradition woman. The Kurtz’s intended for his wife was loyalty no matter how long they separate from two places she always showed her best trust of him. The intended for Congo mistress was as the feature of Congo, the desire of power the greedy thought and conquer with the tough woman or the horrible forest.
610288204 多元所 崔珮芸
Q2:
In the Heart of Darkness, Kurtz’s African mistress is described as a warrior with savage, superb and magnificent. Her accessories, wearing and appearance implies she is powerful and splendid. In page 1044, the narrator presents Kurtz’s African mistress seems like the heart of darkness. He combines the mistress with the wilderness. The description of African mistress is fecund, mysterious and sexy. To Kurtz’s fiancée in England, it is an extremely comparison.
In contrast to The African mistress, Kurtz’s intended is a totally different woman. According to the page of 1054, “she had a mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering”, we can found Kurtz’s intended is described as a conservative woman. “Her glance was guileless, profound, confident, and trustful. She carried her sorrowful head as though she were proud of that sorrow.” The narrator presents that she was innocent, loyal, independent and living in her own perfect image.
I think the reason why Marlow lies to Kurtz’s fiancée is he wants to keep her belief and image because she seems like his reflection before this trip. He doesn’t want to make her suffer as himself suffered when reaching darkness, so he decides not to tell her the truth. She loved Kurtz too much to be able to discern his evil nature. By disregarding this reality, Marlow chooses to make her live a fake light and an illusion, which he finds better than living in true darkness.
610202610 英碩二 黃絜巾
2.Compare the description of Kurtz's "Intended" (1054-7) with the description of his African mistress (1044). What role does each woman serve in the narrative? Why does Marlow lie to Kurtz's "Intended" and tell her that "The last word [Kurtz] pronounced was--your name"?
A: To begin with the narrator describes Kurtz’s African mistress just like a warrior. Her individual characteristics is very impressive “her hair was done in the shape of a helmet” (P.1044 line 9) “brass leggings to the knee,brass wire gauntle to the elbow” (P.1044 line 10) And later she is covered in bangles and other “barbarous ornaments.” According to the above description that we can know her aspect has both ferocity and attractiveness. Thus,she is lavished with material goods, both to keep her in her place and to display his success and wealth.On the contrary, the Kurtz’s fiancée is different from the African mistress. Marlow frequently claims Kurtz’s fiancée is a keepers of naïve illusions.He praises her for her “mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering,” suggesting that the most valuable traits in a woman are passive. She is a repository of conservative ideas about what it means to be white and European.When Marlow lied to Kurtz’s fiancée telling that the last word Kurtz pronounced was --'your name'. Because Kurtz’s fiancée said “with a deep catch of the breath-- ‘I have survived’ ”, (P.1054 line 42) he could not tell her the truth; he could not make her suffer as he himself suffered when reaching darkness. She is pure and lives in a dream world built around who she believes Kurtz is. By disregarding this reality, Marlow chooses to make her live a fake light an illusion which he finds better than living in true darkness. “only her forehead ,smooth and white ,remained illumined by the unextinguishable light of belief and love”(P.1055 line10)This is how his journey of darkness changes into one of light.He chooses to escape the horror physically; however, he is tainted by the memory of darkness that cannot be translated into the insignificance of reality. In short, Marlow attains a complete understanding of his identity through Kurtzs reflection upon himself.
610202606 英美碩二 曾勤華
Q2: Compare the description of Kurtz's "Intended" (1054-7) with the description of his African mistress (1044). What role does each woman serve in the narrative? Why does Marlow lie to Kurtz's "Intended" and tell her that "The last word [Kurtz] pronounced was--your name"?
There's a marked contrast between Kurtz's African mistress and his Intended (fiancée) in “The Heart of Darkness”. Both of them were born in different countries, so they had culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds and personalities. Kurtz's African mistress who was a fiercely beautiful woman with fringed clothes and barbarous ornaments had a powerful presence in the novel. She was savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent. She exerted an undue influence over both Kurtz and the natives around the station, and was also able to create fear in others, as seen when the Russian discusses her. Like Kurtz, she was an enigma. Neither Marlow nor the reader could learn anything about her since she did not speak. We just could know the image of her own tenebrous and passionate soul from the descriptions. She contrasted sharply with the fiancée who Kurtz had left back home.
Kurtz’s fiancée was a naïve and long-suffering woman. Marlow went to visit her after Kurtz was. She seemed to exemplify Marlow’s earlier statement that women live in their own world. She was very naïve to the extreme about Kurtz and about his activities in Africa. Her version of her fiancé had little to do with the reality that Marlow had witnessed, yet he could not bring himself to shatter her illusions. Therefore, he decided to lie to her and told her that the last thing Kurtz said before he died was her name. Her unshakable certainty about Kurtz’s love for her reinforces Marlow’s belief that women live in a dream world, well insulated from reality.
In my opinion, I think the reason why Marlow told Kurtz’s fiancée the last word Kurtz pronounced was your name is that he didn’t want to destroy the intended’s mental and her beautiful dream. Also, Kurtz’s fiancée said “I have survived” so that Marlow got a reason to survive her and lie to her for retaining her belief and love.
410102049 英美三 林士傑
Brussels is portrayed like the “white sepulcher”, which is a white tomb in Heart of Darkness. The city is not a prosperous one with animation, but the one with the death and silence. This gives the creepy and stressful feelings to the readers. The author wrote “A narrow and desert street in deep shadow, high house, innumerable windows with Venetian blinds, a dead silence grass sprouting between the stones, imposing carriage archways right and left, immense double doors standing ponderously ajar.” This creates a gray and hopeless image of the city.
Marlow meets with two women in the company. These two women are knitting the black wool on the chairs without saying any words. Black symbolizes death and these two women are the guards sitting next to the door of the darkness. What’s more, he meets with the white-haired secretary, full of desolation and sympathy in the waiting-room. He says “Bon voyage” to Marlow, which means “Goodbye” in English. Then Marlow meets with the doctor, measuring his head. And the doctor says his patients going into the Congo River would never come back for him to measure their heads again. These sentences and plots are all forming the fate of death in front of Marlow’s journey.
Q2:Compare the description of Kurtz's "Intended" (1054-7) with the description of his African mistress (1044).
What role does each woman serve in the narrative?
Why does Marlow lie to Kurtz's "Intended" and tell her that "The last word [Kurtz] pronounced was--your name"?
The description of Kurtz's mistress are “a wild and gorgeous apparition of a woman”, “her hair was done in the shape of a helmet” and “she was savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent”. On the other hand, the description of Kurtz's “Intended” are “all in black with a pale head”, “the sound of her low voice seemed to have the accompaniment of all the other sounds, full of mystery, desolation, and sorrow”, and also “she had a mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering”. Kurtz's “Intended” serves an angel full of fantasy in the house in London while his African mistress serves an attractive warrior in the jungle in Heart of Darkness.
The reason why Marlow lies to Kurtz's “Intended” is because he does not want to break the peaceful and stable order of the modern civilization where Kurtz's “Intended” has been from ages of child to no more a girl. He feels the sense of helplessness toward changing the life style in either white people’s world or the Heart of Darkness. Marlow experiences the idea of bringing the torch of civilization to the Heart of Darkness is useless. On the other hand, people might be changed like Kurtz. He declared being violent is the worst behavior in London; however, he cannot help the lure of sex, power, money and especially cruelty in the Heart of Darkness. Consequently, no one is sure about what one is going to be like in an upside down world. Uncertainty and unreliability make it is impossible to revere the Heart of Darkness. In conclusion, even if Kurtz's “Intended” knew the real last word of Kurtz, these two separate worlds still exist. Only the angle in the house is going to be trapped in deeper confusion and sorrow.
In Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”, the two female roles, Kurtz’s intended and his African mistress, serve as a strong contrast of two extremes in the narrative.
Kurtz’s intended is described as “all in black, with a pale head, …in mourning…as though she would remember and mourn forever…not very young…not girlish…had a mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering…Their glance was guileless, profound, confident, and trustful…as though she were proud of that sorrow…” (Pg. 1054, line 23-33) This depicts a typical feminine image in the Victorian era, in which a woman is seen as her man’s object, and she is deemed as weak, naïve, unrealistic and “the Angel in the House”.
On the flip side, Kurtz’s African mistress has a vivid contrast: an image of a powerful and noble queen and, at the same time, a wild warrior.
“She walked with measured steps, draped in striped and fringed cloths, treading the earth proudly…carried her head high…her hair was done in the shape of a helmet.. brass leggings to the knee, brass wire gauntlets to the elbow…innumerable necklaces of glass beads on her neck; bizarre things, charms, gifts of witch-men…She was savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent…something ominous and stately in her deliberate progress.” (Pg. 1044, line 7-16)
Yet, there is something in common between these two woman figures –reflecting a man’s mental status. One represents Kurtz’s civilized and pure-hearted side, and the other, the barbarian and the greedy side.
Instead of telling the truth, Marlow lies to Kurtz’s fiancée that his last word was her name. There could be a variety of different explanations for Marlow’s decision. The most direct one is his compassion for her being ignorant for Kurtz’s real character – brutal, greedy and not being loyal to their relationship. He considers that it is best to save Kurtz’s noble image in her heart to prevent her from further sufferings.
41003A035 吳冠儒
2. Compare the description of Kurtz's "Intended" (1054-7) with the description of his African mistress (1044). What role does each woman serve in the narrative?
“She carried her head high; her hair was done in the shape of a helmet…She must have had the value of several elephants tusks upon her.” It could be seen that the African mistress was a sexy, charming, attractive woman who was so high up that others could not reach. “She was savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent; there was something ominous and stately in her deliberate progress…as though it had been looking at the image of its own tenebrous and passionate soul.” It represented by contrast way, the mistress symbolized power, fortune, something people chased whole life. However, it would make people possessed by the Devil.
“She came forward, all in black, with a pale head, floating towards me in the dusk…”Kurtz’s “intended” was a normal traditional woman who plays important part in daily stuffs. It’s a contrast impression to the African mistress. In another part, I would say that almost all powerful men desire two kinds of women in their life, one is charming, sexual, wild, and another is innocent, gentle, taking care of whole family.
Why does Marlow lie to Kurtz's "Intended" and tell her that "The last word [Kurtz] pronounced was--your name"?
He cheated her because she was too kind, weak to accept the truth. Needless to say, she was still believed that Krutz was a great gentleman who is like an angel. Marlow could not bear to break the fantasy of her.
410102042 英美三 劉宜婷
Brussels is portrayed as a city of the dead. The most important symbol is “the whited sepulcher” which is Marlow’s impression to the company in the downtown. When he walks through the narrow street with a dead silence, he describes the arid scene is just like a desert. Also, when Marlow is about to head for the jungle, he feels he is not going to the centre of a continent, but to the centre of the earth.
In forthcoming journey, Marlow meets two sinister women, the compassionate secretary, and the doctor. All of these characters strongly express the journey of death. First, Marlow repeats the secretary’s expression and his sympathy for three times. The document Marlow signs has complicated ceremonies, it makes him feel creepy and something ominous in the air. As there were conspiracies in the trade secrets, which foreshadows the framing to Kurtz. Second, he meets the two women knitting black wool. They seem to look thorough Marlow with indifference and wisdom. Marlow thinks of them as guarding the door of Darkness, knitting black wool as for a warm pall. They are like crafty witches that resemble the old woman’s cat. Also, they seem to be fateful, constantly sending out prophecies of death. “Ave!… Morituri te salutant.” Last, Marlow meets the doctor. The doctor feels his pulse and measures head, murmuring good for there. Then he asks offensive questions like “Ever any madness in your family?” His meaning sounds like people going to the jungle tend to have mental problems. His last words are warning sentences: “Du calme, du calme. Adieu.” All the creepy scenes Marlow encounters reveal that going to the jungle is like a journey to death.
610102605 英教三 陳亞帆
In my point of view, both Kurtz’s African mistress and fiancée are the representatives of the two very opposite cultures, the primitive Congo and the “civilized” Brussels. What is more interesting to me is the consistency between the two women in their appearance and action.
Take the African mistress for example, without saying a word, she shows up and catches people’s eyes with not only her valuable ornaments, but also her mysterious and tempting characteristic. Furthermore, people on the boat directly sense her threat on their first sight not only because she is fully armored like a warrior, but also acts like one. Being described as the essence Congo, the African mistress is in fact the avatar of heart of the darkness, which makes people like Marlow dying for.
On the other hand, when Marlow meets Kurtz’s fiancée for the first time, “I noticed she was not very young – I mean not girlish. She had a mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering.” However, due to her blindness and ignorance, her reaction toward Kurtz’s death does not match her appearance, which somehow reminds me of the description of Brussels – a rotten interior beneath a fine exterior; both the woman and the city are dead inside.
410002061 英美四 申傳勝
How is Brussels portrayed in Heart of Darkness?
What kinds of imagery define the city?
What does the description of the Company's people hint at Marlow's forthcoming journey into the jungle?
The “whited sepulchre” is the image of Brussels, where the Company’s office is located. A sepulchre is truly a creepy symbol of death and dark. I think it is also the power the white colonists have, which would bring death and chaos to the living of the colony, but unfortunately, it is unstoppable for the locals. On my search, the word “whited sepulchre” comes from the biblical Book of Matthew. Due to the information, it says it is as something beautiful outside but horrible inside; I would like to describe it as a death spirit, with seemingly complete surface but truly corrupt flesh. The horrible image is represented for Brussels.
Darkness in the title of the book is so important that it shows the corrupt essence of something we think brightly. In the book, Africa, England, and Brussels are all described as gloomy and dark, and no way to get rid of the heavy atmosphere.
Darkness described metaphorically and rather than specifically. Especially in Africa, the wild, the river, the ivory, the nature things are covered by the colonization darkness.
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