Kurtz Imperialism

The novella ‘Heart of Darkness’ written by Joseph Conrad, is a Victorian novel. Imperialism, whereby a country uses force to extend its power through colonization, is a central theme throughout. This novel shows how the Europeans thought of themselves as a superior race through exercising colonization.

Kurtz’s character is portrayed as a man who used to be articulate and skilled, who by the involvement as a trader of ivory and commander of a trading post has been corrupted. Kurtz is a charismatic man who is very powerful and has a great deal of influence over people. Due to his reputation, Kurtz is known to the reader very early on through the discussions of other characters, but only appears in person towards the end of the novel.

An example that proves Kurtz’s character has a reputation that precedes him, is where he is described as a
This was the supposed responsibility of white colonisers to bring Western civilisation to non-white people who were inhabitants of European colonies. He wanted to help bring progress to Africa. This is shown where in Kurtz’s report for the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs he states that the white people “approach them with the might as of a deity”. The word deity suggests the natives saw Kurtz as a God. He was explaining that it would be easy for them to pass on and exert their knowledge to the African people.

Kurtz becomes corrupted by avarice and lust for control whilst he was chief of the Inner Station. This is evident where we are told Kurtz added a footnote to the end of a report he had written for the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs, in an untidy manner, but at a much later time stating “exterminate all the brutes!”. This shows how Kurtz wanted the natives killed. This greedy and uncaring side had obviously emerged over time, as this report did not reflect these