blog




  • Essay / Analysis of Figurative Language in "Heart of Darkness"

    Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness presents a thrilling exploration of the vast ethnic and geographic depths of Africa and the Congo River. The short story is the story of a huge conquest of a new territory and a new culture, but at the main plot level it reveals the journey to self-discovery on a distorted road, intertwined with obstacles and riddles. The author uses extremely rich vocabulary and a plethora of varied descriptions to evoke the feeling of being prevented from moving forward in the story. The extensive use of elaborate and convoluted adjectives, which induce a slight sense of confusion in the reader, effectively infuses the text with a disturbing sense of mystique and confusion. In addition to this, Conrad uses a specific choice of words to express the dark and desolate nature of the entire world of the short story. Through the diversity of figurative language and the use of literary devices such as metaphors, gradations, symbolism and imagery, Joseph Conrad illustrates the grim, yet impenetrable and barren landscape of the world in which the characters are forced to to cross. Say no to plagiarism. . Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The short story conveys the feeling of impending doom throughout the story, creating a sense of despair and inevitability , effectively augmented by the calm and resigned embrace. of this danger by the characters. The first bad omen of the trip is presented early on by Marlow's remark upon arriving in Belgium: "I have arrived in a city which always reminds me of a whitened sepulchre" (4). This comparison between the city and the imagery of the “whitened sepulcher”, in fact a tomb, immediately gives the passage a disturbing tone. This crypt-like city, carrying an intrinsic connotation of sorrow and death, sets the evil tone for the journey to come. As the time of departure approaches, the feeling of threat seems to tighten more and more around Marlow, creating an unusual feeling of anxiety, a mood which gradually makes him realize that something is wrong. The protagonist detects this while attending to the business details of the trip in the Company's office, confessing that "[he] began to feel slightly uneasy...and there was something menacing about the atmosphere. It was as if he had been involved in a conspiracy – I don’t know – something that was wrong” (4). Marlow's words reasonably explain what he feels, but what really illuminates his fear of the menacing mood of the impending journey is the stuttering tone of the passage, stylized by breaking up the sentence with em dashes. Additionally, the upward gradation of the sentiments "unease," "ominous atmosphere," and "conspiracy" creates a crescendo in the passage that reflects the overall slow-burning sense of danger present in the short story. The sense of impending peril intensifies as Marlow reflects on the two secretaries, who "seemed to know everything...about [him]...[he] thought of those two, guarding the gate of Darkness, knitting black wool as if for a warm coat, one of them. introducing, continually introducing the unknown, the other scrutinizing the joyful and foolish faces with old indifferent eyes” (4). The mysterious and sinister depth of the passage is evoked through the imagery of women "guarding the gate of Darkness, knitting black." wool as for a warm sheet", which evokes a strong link with death and tragedy, amplified by the symbolism of the color black, traditionally associated with morning, and the comparison "as for a warm sheet", in connection with the mausoleum . representation of thecity. Additionally, the imagery of the two women knitting while deciding people's faith alludes to Greek mythology, and specifically the three Moirai, who control the metaphorical thread of every person's life in the world by actually knitting their destiny. . This mythological reference and the repetition of “present, continually introduce towards the unknown” further underline the already heightened feeling of distrust, palpable in the passage. Conrad incorporates even more symbolism relating to impending doom into Marlow's account of his entry into the office: “I was going into the yellow. Death in the center. And the river was there – fascinating – deadly – ​​like a serpent” (4). The author uses the color yellow as a harbinger, hinting at coming troubles, as the color is important as a symbol of vigilance and danger, and the snake, also as an ominous symbol. The figura etymologica “death” – “mortal” more explicitly reveals the sinister character of the passage, setting the dark tone of the journey early on. While the series of bad premonitions is very easily discernible in the first pages of the novella, these precursory passages continue to manifest themselves, albeit more rarely, but with greater fervor as Marlow explores Africa. One of his first impressions of the continent and more particularly of the land itself, is that he "would meet a flabby devil, feigning, with weak eyes, a rapacious and pitiless madness" (7). . The personification of the earth as a scheming devil immediately establishes the entire landscape as an omen of impending peril, and Marlow is keenly aware of this. The juxtaposition of the evildoer's "flabby and feigned" nature and his "rapacious and merciless madness" creates a feeling of perplexity and unease, as these contradictory qualities make the image of the "devil" questionable. This general feeling of anxiety strengthens and becomes more pronounced. louder as Marlow begins to recognize the same ominous atmosphere in the gestures and words of others. As Marlow, the narrator of this story, listens to a conversation between the manager and the manager's uncle, he becomes terrified of the evil nature surrounding him as "the forest, the stream, the mud, the river – seemed to wave with dishonorable brilliance before the sunny face of the country a perfidious appeal to lurking death, to hidden evil, to the deep darkness of one's heart” (15). Through the personification of “the forest, the stream, the mud, the river,” the entire landscape appears as a harbinger of imminent peril. The passage again works through juxtaposition to emphasize the "hidden death" of the journey, creating contrasting images such as "dishonorable blossoming" and "before the sunny face...in deep darkness." Furthermore, the descending gradation of “lurking death”, “badly hidden”, “deep darkness” aims to minimize the importance of the physical peril of the characters as if this destiny was already fixed for them. The short story creates a sense of constant threat through the use of varied language, and the use of this foreboding atmosphere cleverly introduces the motif of uncertain darkness. The inscrutable nature of the world of the short story is conveyed through many bizarre moments during Marlow's telling of the story, with all of these unfathomable events establishing an impenetrable metaphorical darkness, obscuring any possible clarity and judgment about how to act accordingly in this quest. Many aspects of life in and around the Company's stations in Africa evoke feelings of perplexity and estrangement, from the moment Marlow sets foot on the new continent. One of his first encounters with the impenetrable is described in the storyof his first steps in exploration: "I avoided a vast artificial hole that someone had dug on the slope and whose purpose it was impossible for me to guess... It could be that these were linked to the philanthropic desire to give something thing to do to criminals. I don't know. Then I almost fell into a very narrow ravine, almost nothing more than a scar on the hillside” (7). The protagonist's perplexed reaction to this inexplicable new world is conveyed by his absurd explanation of the matter, suggesting that the only real reason for this pit to exist is to provide real work for the captives on earth. The curiosity of the situation is also amplified by the slight irony: while he avoided the larger, more dangerous hole, he almost had an accident with the smaller obstacle, "nothing more than a scar on the hillside ". Furthermore, the "vast artificiality" of the artificial pit is juxtaposed with the natural quality of the ravine, evident by the personification of the earth through the "scar", which further demonstrates the unfathomable character of this realm. , Marlow is intrigued by the strangeness of the land and landscape, but this turns out to be only a small part of all the strangeness of the world. Very quickly, he meets other humans, whose living conditions and appearance arouse in him an even stronger feeling of confusion. As Marlow continues to explore the land, he comes across "black shapes [that] were crouching, lying, sitting among the trees, leaning against the trunks, clinging to the ground, half emerging, half erased in the gloom, in all their attitudes of pain, abandonment and despair... The work continued. Work!" (7). Once again, he is stunned by the juxtaposition of the miserable lives of the workers, which are coming to an end, and the incessant work of the miners, which stops for nothing and no one. The character enigmatic of the whole situation is expressed through the metaphorical degradation of the workers as "forms", incomplete human beings and the symbolism of the color black, synonymous with darkness and the unknown Marlow reinforces this sensation by l. The vivid and rapid enumeration of the actions of the workers, which creates a chaotic and perplexed feeling in the reader, and also evokes the feeling of dismay through the exclamation point at the end of the passage In this incomprehensible world, Marlow does not consider. truly Africans as full human beings; instead, his fragmented descriptions show how inconceivable he finds his entire environment. The people he encounters are "bundles of sharp angles [who] sat, legs folded. One... looked at nothing, in an intolerable and terrible way: his ghost brother rested his forehead, as if overcome by great weariness; and all others were scattered in every pose of contorted collapse..." (8). Marlow's lack of understanding of this world is evident by his misinterpretation of the looks of these people, dismissing them as "looking at nothing" and being "overwhelmed by great weariness" without any knowledge of them His frustration with the unfathomable permeates his "intolerance and horror" towards the person, who seems to look towards nothingness. The impenetrable character of the continent is again conveyed. through the descriptions of the black inhabitants as "sharp angles", "ghosts" and "positions [in] a contorted collapse", all of which illustrate a bizarre image, characteristic of this strange world. news, as the crew departs, Marlow finds the physical and human manifestation of this curious world in Mr. Kurtz himself, remarking that "his [life] was an impenetrable darkness" (32). never to decipherthe confusing nature of life, but learns to accept things as they are. He reflects: “Life is a funny thing – this mysterious arrangement of ruthless logic for a futile purpose” (33). The metaphorical "mysterious arrangement" cleverly synthesizes the notion of an impenetrable world, but Marlow's rejection of the "futile goal" reveals that this world is nothing to worry about. The short story depicts Marlow's story as a journey into a mysterious and unfathomable world where nothing makes sense, a notion which, through his embracing attitude at the end, is rendered trivial. This world is not only insignificant in its inscrutable order and law, but also very desolate and empty. The barren landscapes and the characters' inner reflection and reflection create a sense of isolation and isolation in the short story, effectively establishing the idea that every person in this world is perpetually alone, first physically and subsequently, mentally and spiritually. Although Marlow does not see him at the beginning of the novella, his personality has changed significantly due to the trip to Africa. He has become extremely moody, often internalizing and analyzing every emotion he feels, choosing only to share his ideas rather than engage in real conversation. His transformation begins during the journey itself when he speaks of the terrible feeling of isolation, first present in nature: “no noise of any kind could be heard. You looked in astonishment and began to suspect yourself of being deaf – then the night came suddenly and made you blind too… right there, standing all around you like something solid” (18). The serenity of the landscape inhibits Marlow's senses, which triggers the internal process of feeling isolated, evoked by the notion of "suspecting oneself" in Marlow's own words. The comparison “standing all around you like something solid” further reinforces the overwhelming quality of this new nudity. The change is gradual, with Marlow beginning to relate everything to this imposed isolation, often amplified in his internal exploration of real world, physical matters. As the helmsman lies dying, Marlow contemplates that "as if in response to a sign we could not see, to a whisper we could not hear, he frowned sharply...the glare of the questioning gaze quickly vanished into an empty window” (21). The isolation he feels is twofold, because he feels the helmsman's misery of not being able to respond adequately to the sign that only he can perceive, and at the same time he feels isolated because he cannot understand who is the recipient of the dying person's message. the reaction is. The anaphoric repetition of “we couldn't see…we couldn't hear” creates a feeling of complete deprivation of meaning, and coupled with the dark connotation of “vacant window pane,” it establishes the extreme desolation of the world on humans. Marlow became so affected by this notion that he finds no refuge in the idea of ​​death, but instead objectifies it as the ultimate symbol of desolation, "unfolding in an impalpable grayness, with nothing underfoot , with nothing around, with nothing.” spectators, without clamor, without glory, without great desire for victory, without great fear of defeat... without great confidence in your own right, and even less in that of your adversary” (33). The irrevocable effect of death's solitude is corroborated by the enumeration of its qualities with the constantly recurring "outside" and the notion of "impalpable grayness", which contribute to creating a feeling of perpetual isolation. This morbid feeling of an endlessly lonely life continues to haunt Marlow upon his return to Europe. He constantly feels misunderstood, rejecting people.