Decay and Decomposition of Western Ideals and Values in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

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Decay and Decomposition of Western Ideals and Values in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

Journal Title: Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları - Year 2018, Vol 17, Issue 17

Abstract

The turn of the twentieth century was a time of tremendous progress in several different fields. Yet, this progression brought about the destruction of established norms and systems without offering a feasible alternative. It created a devastating effect on modern man causing a sense of dislocation, a loss of faith, a chaotic and meaningless life, and total disorder throughout Europe. Joseph Conrad explored this decay and decomposition of values and ideals in his novella Heart of Darkness. A thorough analytical examination of this work can provide valuable insight into its revolutionary contribution to literature. The purpose of the present paper is to bring an analytical approach to the gradual decay and decomposition of Western Society in Conrad’s fiction. The novel will bring the alienation and dehumanization into the open. Therefore, as will be seen, Conrad’s literary work suggests that western ideals and values are deceptive. The study also argues that, as an attempt to bring morality, the “civilizing mission” brutalizes both colonizers and colonized alike due to its essential hypocrisy.

Authors and Affiliations

Fikret GÜVEN

Keywords

EP ID EP543873
DOI 10.30767/diledeara.417670
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