The Horror "Heart of Darkness"

“The Horror” IP In Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Kurtz is referring to truth itself when he utters his final words. Marlow speaks of Kurtz after his death, “He had summed up – he had judged. ‘The horror!’ He was a remarkable man. After all, this was the expression of some sort of belief; it had candor, it had conviction, it had a vibrating note of revolt in its whisper, it had the appalling face of a glimpsed truth” (Conrad 65). In his last breath, Kurtz reveals to Marlow the terrifying nature of absolute truth and the sum of his maddening experiences in the African wilderness. Marlow’s admiration for Kurtz is evident, and his final words represent the loyalty that Marlow feels to Kurtz. Yet with this admiration lays the burden that has been forced on him as the recipient of a profound, yet menacing, glimpse into human existence. This sudden release of insight comes immediately before Kurtz’ death, which suggests that knowledge and truth are connected to death but exist despite it. In retrospect of the incident, Marlow notes of Kurtz, “He had stepped over the edge, while I had been permitted to draw back my hesitating foot. And perhaps in this is the whole difference” (Conrad 65). Here, Marlow admits that unlike Kurtz, the wilderness did not take him with all its force and so he did not fully confront the evil that lurks in the darkest corners of man’s soul. In this sense, “the horror” represents Kurtz’s willingness to comply with the dehumanizing voice of the wild and Marlow’s admiration for Kurtz for doing so. Marlow does, however, feel shameful for not being able to follow Kurtz’ in his embrace of nature and darkness. Marlow reveals that he is both personally unprepared and an unfit choice to do what Kurtz has done. Marlow also feels that Kurtz’ voice represents a sort of triumph, affirming truth despite death, evil, and every shade of darkness. To Marlow, Kurtz’ final step represents “all”: every bit of wisdom, truth and sincerity that he had himself gained