Underneath Imperialism

In our class’s study of reviews for Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, I have noticed a significant trend in the idea that Conrad’s sole purpose in writing the novel was to portray the evil nature of imperialism. While this is a valid argument, I would argue that Conrad’s purpose was less about imperialism itself and more about how the materialism of the people of England in the 19th century allowed for imperialism to prosper. Conrad shows the materialistic nature of multiple characters: the Swede captain discussing a man who hanged himself as if it's a common occurrence rather than a tragedy, the Doctor who exams Marlow making light of men being changed from the inside rather than the outside when "going out there", the two men plotting to hang a man for the purpose of keeping their positions. For the sake of length, let’s take a closer look at the two main characters, Marlow and Mr. Kurtz.

Materialism: a way of thinking that gives too much importance to material possessions.
Obviously, Dr. Pepper is more important to me than a friendship with my roommate.

As the main character and narrator of Heart of Darkness, Marlow begins his story by speaking of how he came to acquire his position as captain of a steamboat traveling down the Congo. He states that his desire to be captain was so great that he sought the influential help of his aunt in finding the position. When he received news that a position was open – because the previous captain was killed in a fight with a native – he showed no empathy toward the previous captain, but was instead excited to accept the captainship. In his conceit he even states, “I got my appointment – of course. I got it very quick.” Marlow was so enthralled with the mystery and adventure that awaited him in the Congo that he even ignored the conspiratorial feeling that began to pervade his mind when he signed the contract to not reveal “trade secrets”. Marlow’s materialism lands him in the Congo unprepared to witness the terrible on goings that occur.

Mr. Kurtz is a mystery to Marlow and the reader for most of the novel, but eventually we learn that he is a trader that has set himself as a leader over the natives by brutal force. Kurtz’ greed for ivory lead him to act in this uncivilized manner and eventually consumed Kurtz to the point where he suffered death by illness. His materialism is directly linked to imperialism because he becomes the worst sort of man in the “heart” of the Congo by mistreating the natives. Even when Kurtz was dying he said to Marlow, “this lot of ivory now is really mine. The Company did not pay for it. I collected it myself at a very great personal risk.” He spoke as a possessed soul – possessed with the greed for ivory and not a care for how he got it.


When Marlow returns from the Congo, he is a changed man due to the suffering he witnessed. Through Marlow, Conrad expresses his disdain for the materialism of the common people by stating that he (Marlow/Conrad) “[resented] the sight of people hurrying through the streets to filch a little money from each other, to devour their infamous cookery, to gulp their unwholesome beer, to dream their insignificant and silly dreams.”

Through the examples of Marlow and Kurtz as well as several minor characters, Conrad teaches the ways materialism possessed by individuals feeds into imperialism.

Many readers of Heart of Darkness take a Marxist Critic stance – meaning, they look at the prominent economic issue being portrayed – and claim that Conrad’s novel is about imperialism and its negative affect as a whole. It is important to note this issue throughout the novel, but more pressing is what is underneath – materialism is the driving force of imperialism. I agree with the Marxist Critic stance, but I also feel that as readers, we must take a Reader-Response Critic stance and find what’s beneath the obvious message, the hidden message. Then as a moral being, I can take that hidden message and apply it to my life. For example, Heart of Darkness taught me that imperialism is terrible, and to change imperialism we must change our individual nature. After reading Heart of Darkness with this mindset of materialism being the “bad guy” created by each of us, I am lead to ask myself what some of the materialistic things are in my life and how those things are affecting my behavior toward the whole of society.

But, really, I'm a nice person.