Heart of Darkness centers around Marlow, an introspective sailor, and his trip up the Congo River to meet Kurtz, reputed to be a idealistic man of great abilities. Marlow takes a job as a riverboat captain with the company, a Belgian concern organized to trade in the Congo. As he travels to Africa and then up the Congo, Marlow encounters widespread inefficiency and brutality in the company's stations. The native residents of the region have been forced into the Company's service, and they suffer terribly from overwork and ill treatment at the hands of the company's agents. The cruelty and squalor of imperial enterprise contrasts sharply with the impassive and majestic jungle that surrounds the white man's settlements, making them appear to be a small dark island.
Marlow arrives at the Central Station, run by the general manager, an unwholesome, conspiratorial character. He finds that his steamship has been sunk and spends His interest in Kurtz grows during this period. The manager and his favorite, the brickmaker, seems to fear Kurtz as a threat to his position. Kurtz is rumored to be ill, making the delay in repairing the ship all the more expensive. Marlow finally gets the parts he needs to repair his ship, and he and the manager set out with some agents (whom Marlow calls pilgrims because of their strange habit of carrying long, wooden staves wherever they go) and a crew of cannibals on a long, difficult passage The dense jungle and the oppressive silence make everyone aboard a little jumpy, and the occasional glimpse of a native village or the sound of drums works in the pilgrims in a frenzy.
Marlow and his crew came across a hut with stacked firewood, together with a note saying that the wood is for them but that they should approach cautiously Shortly after the steamer has taken the firewood, it is surrounded by a dense fog. When the fog clears, the ship is attacked by an unseen band of natives, who fire the arrows from the safety of the forest. The African helmsman is killed before Marlow frightens the natives away with the ship's steam whistle. Not long after, Marlow and his companions arrive at Kurtz's Inner Station, expecting to find him dead, but a half-crazed Russian businessman, who meets them as they come ashore, assures them that everything is fine and informs them that he is one who left the wood The Russian claims that Kurtz has enlarged his mind and can not be subjected to the same ethical judgment. Apparently, Kurtz has established herself as a god with the natives and has gone on brutal raids in the surrounding area in search of isvory. The collection of severed heads in the parking lot around the station, the station attests to his "methods." The pilgrims bring Kurtz out of the station-house on a stretcher, and a large group of native warriors pours out of the forest and surrounds them. Kurtz speaks to them, and the natives disappear in the woods.
The manager brings Kurtz, who is quite ill, aboard the steamer. A beautiful native woman, apparently Kurtz's mistress, appears on the shore and stares out at the ship. The Russian implies that he is somehow involved with Kurtz and has caused trouble before him. The Russian reveals to Marlow, after swearing him to secrecy, that Kurtz had ordered the attack on the steamer to make them believe that he would turn back and leave him to his plans. The Russians Kurtz disappears in the night, and Marlow goes out of the camp in the search for him. Marlow stops him and convinces him to return to the ship. They set off the river the next morning, but Kurtz's health is failing fast.
Marlow listens to Kurtz talk while he is a pilot the ship, and Kurtz entrusts Marlow with a document of personal documents, including an eloquent pamphlet on civilization the savages which ends with a scrawled message that says "Exterminate all the brutes!" The steamer breaks down , and they have stopped for repairs. Kurtz dies, uttering his last words- "The horror! The horror! "- In the presence of the confused Marlow. Marlow falls ill soon after and barely survives Eventually he returns to Europe and goes to see Kurtz's Intended (his fiancée). She is still in mourning, even though she has over over a year since Kurtz's death, and she praises him as a paragon of virtue and achievement. She asks for what her words were, but Marlow can not bring itself to the truth. Instead, he tells her.
Thank you !
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