GHULAM YASIN

BEGIN IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, VERY KIND AND THE MOST BENEFCIENT

EART OF DARKNESS H

JOSEPH CONARD

18

57

-19

24

3 Dec. 1857- 3 Aug. 1924 Russian citizen as born in Ukraine his

parents suffered from imperialism Poland- British nationality in 1886…

identity crisis Wrote stories and novels After 1874 started career as a navy

merchant first with French ships , later with British merchant marine

Completed in 1892 but published in 1902 serialized in BLACKWOOD MAG. Feb.

April 1892 Novella and author’s experience in Congo Travelogue…. Ancient Mariner by

Coleridge Nellie’s deck.sss Modern Library Award in 1998 67th in top 100 novels of 20th century

NOVELLA

Identity construction self vas othersDominant gaze Psychologist Eric Ericson’s term of

‘Identity Crisis’ Webster’s New World Dictionary “the condition of being uncertain of one’s feelings about oneself” (1979: 696)

Identity crisis

IDENTITY FOR AFRICA

Heart of Darkness symbolizes uncivilization and uneducated…… identity of Africa

A continuous noise of the rapids above hovered over this scene of inhabited devastation. A lot of people, mostly black and naked, moved about

like arts. (p. 15) being negro is a sin…

River Thames (civilization of England) vs Congo River (uncivilized) looks like an immense snake uncoiled.

CONTROVERSY In 1975 the Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe

published an essay, An image of Africa Racism in Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness'", which provoked controversy by calling Conrad a "thoroughgoing racist". Achebe's view was that Heart of Darkness cannot be considered a great work of art because it is "a novel which celebrates... dehumanization, which depersonalizes a portion of the human race." Referring to Conrad as a "talented, tormented man," Achebe notes that Conrad (via the protagonist, Charles Marlow) reduces and degrades Africans The incident of Gandhi

In the novel, there is always a crisis of two identities, Europe is identified with

the civilized culture, rational, educated, superior and intelligent but Africa is

identified with toil, uncivilized, uneducated, uncultured, dull, irrational, Conrad

To me, it is a prison How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable

seem to me all the uses of this world, fie on it ah fie on it, an unweeded graden grows to seed

KURTZ…

All Europe contributed to the making of Kurtz (p.59). a “Universal genius.” the best agent in charge of the humanitarian aid.

international society for the suppression of savage customs to submit report

time is out of joint that ever I was born to set it..

But collecting ivory with a different agenda White’s superiority… single white controls

the thousands of African tribesmen.

‘My intended, my ivory, my station, my river, my-everything (p. 58) (Kurtz and Satan)

better to reign in the hell than to serve in the heaven

A God like figure… the africans worship him (Dr. faustus) aye arsh wale meri tauqeer……

He hangs their heads on the bamboos. Kurtz history… whites must appear to the

natives as supernatural beings… shooting an elephant.

His last words “the horror, the horror, the horror (p. 86) (macbeth out out brief candle)s

Faustus…. O soul be changed into little water drops, fall into ocean and never be found…

Hills and mountains come come and fall on him, hide him from the heavy wrath of God

Racial identity

King or ruler for the savages Desired to be there for ever Representative of imperialism The influence of social Darwinism “

certain group of people were more suitable for survival than others, they can dominate and protect the inferior races”

IDENTITY FOR AFRICAN WOMAN Having no names (misogynist) Wajud e zan se ha tasweer e kainat

mein rang Usi k saaz SE ha zindgi ka soz e

daroon “She was savage and superb, wild-

eyed and magnificent (p. 78) African woman vs European beloved of

kurtz “ o women you even deceive god, he

gave you one face, u make it another” (hamlet)

Aina rakh k samnay ya rab wo fitna saz Termeem kr raha hay tere shahkar

mein

Loyal vas hypocrite Ur name was his last words A mixture of lie doth always add

pleasure A brave towards God, a coward for

men beacon Having torch in her hand……..