Heart of Darkness

Marlow continues to talk to the Russian trader, who relates the story of how he met Kurtz and spent a night camping with him in the jungle. After listening to Kurtz speak all night, the Russian nursed Kurtz through two illnesses. Kurtz typically “wandered alone, far in the depths of the forest” (128) gathering ivory. Kurtz has won the adoration of a native tribe, using the men to raid other villages for goods. The relationship between the Russian and Kurtz is unpredictable; Kurtz has threatened to kill the Russian, but the Russian refuses to judge Kurtz by the standards applied to normal men. He has encouraged Kurtz to return down the river, but Kurtz has refused, and now Kurtz has fallen terribly ill once again.

Marlow examines Kurtz’s station from his position on the boat. He notices severed heads placed on stakes, all turned to face Kurtz’s cabin, and Marlow begins to understand the hollowness at the core of Kurtz’s character. The Russian tries to make excuses for the heads; they belonged to rebels who disagreed with Kurtz. Marlow laughs. The Russian believes that Kurtz has been treated “shamefully” (131) by the Company, which has abandoned their best trader. Marlow watches as his crew exits Kurtz’s cabin, carrying Kurtz on a stretcher. The locals react angrily, but Kurtz raises up from his stretcher and puts them at ease. The crew passes by, carrying Kurtz to the boat. He is placed in a cabin and given his mail; one letter mentions Marlow and Kurtz, and he says that he is glad to meet him. Marlow withdraws to the deck; the Manager enters Kurtz’s room. Marlow spots an extravagantly dressed native woman on the shore and the Russian explains that she is Kurtz’s mistress. He believes that she has had a negative effect on Kurtz but is interrupted by an argument coming from Kurtz’s room. Kurtz shouts at the Manager and threatens him for interfering with Kurtz’s plans.

The Manager approaches Marlow and says that they have “done all we could” (134) for Kurtz but the Company’s business is under threat from Kurtz’s unsound methods. Marlow cannot see any method at all and is disgusted by the Manager’s hypocrisy. As a result, he is grouped with Kurtz in the minds of the Company men. The Russian approaches, revealing that Kurtz ordered his men to attack the boat. Kurtz had hoped that it would force the boat to turn back and that the Company would assume that he had died. Marlow promises the Russian that he will protect Kurtz’s reputation. The Russian flees the camp.

That night, Marlow wakes up in the darkness and searches for any threats. The Company has placed armed guards beside the ivory while the locals gather around a fire, beating drums and mourning the loss of Kurtz. Marlow is lulled to sleep by the rhythmic sounds but awakes suddenly, and on checking the cabin, finds that Kurtz is gone. Marlow searches for Kurtz, who has crawled into the jungle on all fours. Marlow finds Kurtz within earshot of the locals; one shout and Kurtz could have Marlow killed. Marlow asks Kurtz whether he knows what he is doing, and Kurtz assures him that he does, “perfectly” (138). Kurtz explains that he was on the threshold of accomplishing great things, and Marlow threatens to hurt him. Marlow warns Kurtz that he will be lost unless he relents, and eventually Kurtz allows himself to be taken back to the ship.

The boat departs the next day. The locals gather on the shore to watch Kurtz leave, their shamans shouting incantations as the boat steams away. Kurtz watches his mistress chase down the shore, calling out to him. The locals begin to shout, and the crew takes up their rifles. The crowd scatters, leaving only Kurtz’s mistress behind. The crew fires and rifle smoke clouds Marlow’s view of the shore.

The return down the river is quicker, the boat speeding along with the current. The Manager is pleased and willfully ignores Marlow, who is mostly left alone with Kurtz. During this time, Kurtz discussing a variety of subjects, and Marlow is both disappointed and impressed by the man’s eloquence. When the boat stalls, repairs take a long time. Marlow also begins to fall ill and struggles to help. Kurtz begins to realize that his illness may kill him, so entrusts Marlow with his papers to protect Kurtz’s legacy. As the illness worsens, Kurtz’s speeches become more deranged and disjointed. One night, Kurtz reveals that he is close to death, and as Marlow draws closer, Kurtz whispers “the horror, the horror” (142). Marlow runs away and sits in the dining quarters, which are suddenly filled with flies. A servant arrives to inform Marlow that Kurtz is dead.

Kurtz is buried. Marlow nearly dies from the illness, realizing when he is near death that he has achieved relatively little. Kurtz, on the other hand, had “something to say” (143) and said it. Marlow’s memory from the time of his illness is vague. Once his condition improves, he leaves the Congo and returns to Europe. There, he begins to resent the smugness and the complacency of the Europeans. He stays with his aunt while still recovering. He refuses to hand over Kurtz’s papers to the Company, only giving them Kurtz’s article from the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs.

However, he has removed Kurtz’s command to exterminate the brutes. The Company threatens legal action. A man claiming to be Kurtz’s cousin takes some of the papers. With Marlow, he discusses Kurtz’s talents as a musician and as a philosopher. A journalist visits, wanting to publish Kurtz’s article. Soon, Marlow is left with very few of Kurtz’s papers. He visits Kurtz’s fiancé, who has been in mourning for a year. They talk about Kurtz, and Marlow is annoyed by her sentimentality. Marlow lies about Kurtz’s last words, saying that he died mumbling his fiancé’s name. Marlow ends his story, looking across the Thames.