Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness is a novella by Polish-English author Joseph Conrad, first published in 1899 as a serial in Blackwood’s Magazine and then in book form in 1902. It is one of the most widely studied and debated works in English literature.

The story is narrated by Charles Marlow, a sailor who recounts his journey up the Congo River on behalf of a Belgian ivory trading company. As he penetrates deeper into the African interior, Marlow becomes increasingly obsessed with finding Kurtz, a brilliant but mysterious ivory agent who has established himself as a godlike figure among the local population.

A dense and haunting meditation on imperialism, human nature, and the fragility of civilization, Heart of Darkness inspired Francis Ford Coppola’s film Apocalypse Now and continues to provoke critical discussion about colonialism and its legacy.