Marlow's Ambiguity

Marlow from Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a morally ambiguous character who cannot be defined as purely evil nor purely good. The story follows Marlow’s tale of his journey down the Congo, or into the heart of darkness. The people he encounters along his quest as well as his deep reflections indirectly characterize him to be a morally unclear. His interactions with and characterization of women, his complex beliefs of imperialism, and his perceptive quest along the Congo River reflect his character as someone who is capable of witnessing and doing both good and evil. Marlow struggles to expound his beliefs, often contradicting his beliefs with his actions. His ambiguous character proves that although man is capable of fighting the temptations of sin, outside the restraints of society, he is bound to return to his evil nature.
The first sign of Marlow’s ambiguity is his interaction with women. He interacts with two women who are essential to the plot. His opinions of them along with his treatment of the women contain indications of his moral uncertainty. The first critical women is Marlow’s aunt. His aunt describes Marlow as an “exceptional and gifted creature” (17) to the
Marlow never explicitly chooses to be evil nor good, however, vaguely acknowledges that both good and evil are evident around him. He travels around the jungle, also referred to as the “heart of darkness” (57) and “center of evil” (36), rather than going straight through it, in contrast to Kurtz. He avoids abrasive confrontation with evil. However, as the distance between Marlow and the restraints of society grow, it is apparent that his temptation to sin grows as well. Moreover, because Conrad describes evil as both an omnipresent, driving force in the plot as well as a vacancy or a lack of good. Kurtz embodies evil and a lack of humanity, the closer Kurtz reaches a lack of self