Marlow and Kurtz in Heart of DarknessThe main character in Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness is Kurtz. Kurtz no longer obeys the authority of his superiors who believe that he has become too extreme and has come to use “unhealthy methods” (Coppola, 1979; Longman, 2000). Marlow is sent to retrieve Kurtz from the evil influences of the Congo, and a wild journey down a contaminated river ensues. Along the way, Marlow discovers the real Kurtz and finds himself identifying with and becoming dangerously in love with this man. By the time Marlow and Kurtz meet, Marlow is already well aware of the similarities they share. Both are imperialists, and if Marlow hates the treatment reserved for the natives by his employers (the Belgian colonists), he also expresses his horror towards the Africans. On the other hand, Kurtz abandons the pretense of helping the natives achieve civilization, as the Europeans did. Instead, he adopts their customs and becomes their leader in the endless quest for ivory. "He began with the argument that we whites, at the point of development to which we had reached, 'must necessarily appear to them [the savages] in the nature of supernatural beings - we approach them with the power of a divinity » (Longman, 2000, p. 2226). Marlow also admired Kurtz's ingenuity and survival skills, particularly his perseverance in the face of jungle fever. in his veins, consumed his flesh and sealed his soul to his by the inconceivable ceremonies of some diabolical initiation. He was her spoiled and pampered favorite." (Longman, 2000, p. 2225). Before the boat can reach Kurtz's outpost, it is "attacked" by the local natives. M...... middle of paper... ...he of desire, temptation and abandonment during this supreme moment of complete knowledge He cried in a whisper before an image, before a vision, he cried out twice, a cry that? was nothing more than a breath: "The horror! The horror! "(Longman, 2000, p. 2240). This is what distinguishes the two men; Kurtz has abandoned himself and crossed the line, but Marlow is aware of how close he was to becoming what Kurtz was. Works cited and consulted Coppola, Frances Ford. Apocalypse now. Metro Goldwyn Mayer/United Artists. Video: Home video from Prarmount. 1979.Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough. New York: Norton Critical, 1988. Longman. The Longman Anthology of British Literature, vol. B. Damrosch, D. (ed.). NY, LA: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. 2000. Meyers, Jeffrey. Joseph Conrad. New York: Charles Scribner's sons, 1991.