By Jove! Who is Mr. Kurtz?

While reading Heart of Darkness I felt as I had taken on the amazingly descriptive and symbolic journey written by Joseph Conrad. The main character Marlow is anxious to get sailing into what becomes quite a dark expedition as depicted in the title. He ventures into the African Congo unknowingly on a quest to merely converse with the infamous Mr. Kurtz that everyone seems to idolize and respect.

Marlow initially shows his interest in Kurtz by saying, “Tell me, pray, said I, who is this Mr. Kurtz?” to which it is uncovered that “He is a prodigy, he is an emissary of pity, and science, and progress, and devil knows what else.” 

Marlow presses forward through undesirable events during the voyage to speak with Kurtz and he ponders what it will be like to finally talk to him. At some points claiming he absolutely dislikes him and other times idolizing him and therefore, often contradicting himself.

In one unfortunate event the natives of the land attack his steamboat by the command of Kurtz, but Marlow not knowing the reasoning of the attack fears the loss of Mr. Kurtz. His distressed reaction to his possible death shows his devotion to him. Marlow like all the rest is devoutly loyal to Mr. Kurtz.

Finally the Marlow’s crew arrives to get Mr. Kurtz, and he comes across yet another fanatic for Kurtz, a Russian man. Marlow is not impressed with Kurtz fan club and thinks to himself, “I suppose it did not occur to him Mr. Kurtz was no idol of mine.”

Marlow continues to uncover the cunningness of Kurtz ironically as the Russian man praises him. Marlow gathered that “the man filled his life, occupied his thoughts, swayed his emotions,” but he had not realized that he had the same exact impact on himself.

Kurtz encompasses what the heart of darkness is, egoistic, selfish, and inhumane. So many were loyal to the nightmare that is Mr. Kurtz who was only governed by his “monstrous passions.” In the end we uncover that Mr. Kurtz is nothing more than a calculating leader with high dreams to get rich and will take out anyone in the way. As it is stated in the novel, “your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others” such as the strength of Mr. Kurtz. Kurtz’s strength in eloquent speech made him feared and honored leading him to his power and also his death. His followers in unwavering loyalty glorified his strengths and looked upon his weaknesses as strengths as well for as they believed, “You can’t judge Mr. Kurtz as you would an ordinary man.”

I feel as the social media platform is becoming just as persuasive and cunning as Mr. Kurtz although it won’t shoot you for “rebellion” it could lead to bullying and also a loss of a few “friends.” I am sure there is a symbolic Mr. Kurtz in almost all of our friend lists or in what is now trending, and just may even be receiving recognition they may not deserve. Just as Mr. Kurtz they are adorned with titles and praises from those surrounding them, and we may feel like we must accept them. Thus defying our own personal identity turning us into a Marlow, we become trapped in all the opinions, our own opinion varying too frequently. We may often find ourselves in the mix of social media in Marlow’s shoes in that “I (we) had been striving after something altogether without a substance.”