《黑暗的心》所体现的康拉德对殖民主义的矛盾态度英语论文

本科生毕业论文（设计）册学院XXX学院专业XX班级XXX班学生XXX指导教师XXXXXXXX大学本科毕业论文（设计）任务书编号：论文（设计）题目：《黑暗的心》所体现的康拉德对殖民主义的矛盾态度学院：XXX学院专业：XX班级：XX班学生姓名：XXX学号：XXXX0指导教师：XX职称：XXX论文（设计）研究目标及主要任务中国曾经作为半殖民地，对中国独立后的文化取向和吸收发展方向有重要意义。在世界范围内，殖民主义是一个重要的文学风格，康拉德《黑暗的心》又是殖民主义的代表作。本文研究的目标是《黑暗的心》所体现的康拉德对后殖民主义的矛盾态度。任务是探究其在小说中对殖民主义的矛盾态度。论文（设计）的主要内容通过对语言运用、人物性格、语言分析分析表明康拉德在《黑暗的心》中对后殖民主义的矛盾态度，说明在帝国主义扩张时期，资本主义及帝国主义的人们不能够完全摆脱时代的烙印和限制，对殖民主义存有一种既反对又拥护的矛盾态度。论文（设计）的基础条件及研究路线在学习过程中对有关问题产生了浓厚的兴趣并总结了相关的知识，对论文写作有一定的帮助。结合已有的对此问题的研究，从语言、人物、表达方式上入手，深入探讨了康拉德在小说中对殖民主义的矛盾心理和态度。主要参考文献[1]AlbertJGuerad.1950.IntroductioninHeartofDarkness[M].NewYork:NewAmericanLibraryEdition,[2]JosephConrad,2010.7.8,HeartofDarkness,CollinsClassics,Harperpress,[3]齐努瓦·阿切比,2001,“非洲的一种形象:论康拉德《黑暗的心》中的种族主义”,杨乃乔等译,《后殖民批评》,北京:北京大学出版社[4]约瑟夫`康拉德(作者),薛诗绮(译者),智量(译者)，2006，世界文学名著典藏·全译本:《黑暗的心》，湖北人民出版社;第1版计划进度阶段起止日期1提出初步论文题目2013.3.10-2013.3.162填写开题报告和任务书2013.3.16-2013.3.303完成初稿和文献综述2013.3.31-2013.4.204交终稿和评议书2013.4.21-2013.5.85论文答辩2013.5.16指导教师：年月日教研室主任：年月日注：一式三份，学院（系）、指导教师、学生各一份XXXX大学本科生毕业论文（设计）开题报告书XXX学院XX专业XXX届学生姓名XXX论文（设计）题目《黑暗的心》所体现的康拉德对殖民主义的矛盾态度指导教师XX专业职称XXX所属教研室商务英语系研究方向20世纪英国文学课题论证：宗主国和殖民地的关系一直是长达几个世纪以来人们关心的问题，殖民主义也是一种流行的思想，这关系到殖民地的解放和人类平等。本文通过对约瑟夫·康拉德的《黑暗的心》中人物、语言及其运用的分析，得出康拉德对殖民主义的矛盾态度，也从一个方面显示出资本主义和帝国主义对殖民行为和殖民主义的既反对又支持的矛盾态度。方案设计：简介第一章小说叙述视角第二章康拉德心中殖民主义的现在与未来第三章康拉德的反殖民主义思想第四章康拉德的亲殖民主义思想第五章康拉德对殖民主义的矛盾态度进度计划：提出初步论文题目2013.3.10-2013.3.16填写开题报告和任务书2013.3.16-2013.3.30完成初稿和文献综述2013.3.31-2013.4.20交终稿和评议书2013.4.21-2013.5.8论文答辩2013.5.16指导教师意见：指导教师签名：年月日教研室意见：教研室主任签名：年月日XXXX大学本科生毕业论文（设计）文献综述LiteratureReviewThisliteraturereviewaimstoprovideageneralintroductionofthenovelHeartofDarknessandsomescholar’sviewaboutConrad’sparadoxicalattitudestowardscolonialism.Colonialismistheestablishment,exploitation,maintenance,acquisitionandexpansionof\o"Colony"coloniesinoneterritorybypeoplefromanotherterritory.Colonialismisasetofunequalrelationshipsbetweenthemetropolisandthecolonyandbetweenthecolonistsandthe\o"Indigenouspeoples"indigenouspopulation.\o"CollinsEnglishDictionary"CollinsEnglishDictionarydefinescolonialismas“thepolicyandpracticeofapowerinextendingcontroloverweakerpeopleorareas.”The\o"Merriam-Webster"Merriam-WebsterDictionaryoffersfourdefinitions,including“somethingcharacteristicofacolony”and“controlbyonepoweroveradependentareaorpeople.”HeartofDarknessisanovel,writtenby\o"JosephConrad"JosephConrad,thatispresentedintheformofa\o"Framenarrative"framenarrative(astorywithinastory).Conradretellsthestoryof\o"CharlesMarlow"Marlow'sjobasan\o"Ivory"ivorytransporterdownthe\o"CongoRiver"CongoRiver.Throughhisjourney,Marlowdevelopsanintenseinterestininvestigating\o"Kurtz(HeartofDarkness)"Kurtz,anivory-procurementagent.HeartofDarknessexploresthedarknesspotentiallyinherentinallhumanhearts,anddealswiththethemesof\o"Colonialism"colonialism,\o"Racism"racism,and\o"Barbarian"savageryversus\o"Civilization"civilization.Abouteightandahalfyearsbeforewritingthebook,ConradhadbeenappointedbyaBelgiantradingcompanytoserveasthecaptainofa\o"Steamboat"steameronthe\o"CongoRiver"CongoRiver.UponarrivalathisstationintheCongo,hefoundthatthesteamerhewastocommandhadbeendamagedandwasinneedofrepair.Yetthenextdayheheadedupriveronadifferentsteamerthatwascaptainedbyanother.WhenthatcaptainbecameillduringthejourneyConradassumedcommand.Atthecompany'sinner-moststationtheypickedupitsagent,\o"Georges-AntoineKlein"Georges-AntoineKlein,whodiedonthereturntrip.ConradhimselfbecameverysickandreturnedtoEuropebeforeservingoutthefullthree-yeartermofhiscontracttothetradingcompany.Thetalewasfirstpublishedasathree-partserial,February,March,andApril1899,in\o"Blackwood'sMagazine"Blackwood'sMagazine(February1899wasthemagazine's1000thissue:specialedition).Thenlater,in1902,HeartofDarknesswasincludedinthebook"\o"s:Youth:aNarrative,andTwoOtherStories"Youth:aNarrative,andTwoOtherStories"(publishedNovember13,1902,by\o"WilliamBlackwood"WilliamBlackwood).Ina\o"Postcolonialism"post-colonialreading,the\o"Nigeria"Nigerianwriter\o"ChinuaAchebe"ChinuaAchebe,authorof\o"ThingsFallApart"ThingsFallApart,famouslycriticizedHeartofDarknessinhis1975lecture\o"AnImageofAfrica:RacisminConrad's\"HeartofDarkness\""AnImageofAfrica:RacisminConrad's"HeartofDarkness",sayingthenovella\o"Dehumanization"de-humanizedAfricans,deniedthemlanguageandcultureandreducedthemtoametaphoricalextensionofthedarkanddangerousjungleintowhichtheEuropeansventure.Sincethemiddle20thcentury,manycolonieshavewontheirindependencefromtheircolonizersthroughfightingandstruggle.Thesecountrieshavemadegreatcontributionstotheemancipationofhumanbeings.Thecultureandcurrentsituationofthoseex-coloniesareofgreatimportancetothedevelopmentoftheworldcivilization.HeartofDarknessasoneofthegreatestworksreflectingthelifeincoloniesprovidespeopleabundantresourcestoinvestigateintothebeingofcolonialismandanti-colonialism.HuangYulan,ascholarfromYichunCollege,holdstheopinionthatHeartofDarknessrevealsthegreedy,hypocrisy,crueltyofthecolonizers.Besides,HuangYulanalsopointsouttheculturalsuperioritythecolonizersbear.Althoughsheagreesthatthenoveltosomeextentdefendforthecolonizersandfortheirdeeds,generallyspeaking,shebelievesthatWangSonghuai,viceprofessorofHubeiNormalUniversity,believesthatHeartofDarknessrevealsanti-colonialismfromtheangleofcapitalismhumanity.Conradsaidinhisbook“Ibecameanewmanwithnewattitudetomorality.”(JosephConrad,1917)Wang,byrecitingConrad’sdescriptionofthemiserablelifeofthenativeincoloniestoshowConradisontheoppositesideofcolonialism,whichisanti-colonialism.ProfessorWangholdsthatConrad’sthoughtiscomplicated.Conrad’snovelpartiallydepictstherealityofthecolonies,buthiscapitaliststatushasunderminedtheeffectofthenovelinanti-colonialism.ZouQuanandZouYan,thinkthatHeartofDarknessbearsasenseofsuperiorityofthecolonizersandtheircountries,particularly,theUntiedKingdom.Theycitethedescriptionsinthenovelasevidence,sayingthoseprimitivepeoplearenothingandtheir(thecolonizers)taskistospreadtheiradvancedtechnologyandculturetothemsoastomakethemmorecivilized.Intheendoftheiressay,ZouQuanandZouYanconcludetheiropinion.“Fromtheanalysisabove,wecandrawsuchaconclusion.SinceConradlivedinthelaterageofVictoria,hewasinevitablyinfluencedbyhislivingenvironment,acultureofWesterncolonialism.Influencedbyhislivingenvironment,Conradhadtoobservethecoloniesfromanangleofthecolonizers.Conradhimselfcouldnotgetridofthethoughtofcolonialismandcolonizers.Thus,whileConradwasrevealingandcriticizingthecrimeswhichthecolonizerscommitted,hecouldn’tcompletelygetridofthesuperiorityofcolonizersinhiswritingXuPing,fromTeachersCollegeQingdaoUniversity,andZhangXuan,fromNanjingUniversity,generallyholdtheopinionthatThemainstreamoftheacademiacommentingonHeartofDarknessisfromtheanti-colonialism.However,theseopinionsdonothaveacomprehensivegraspofthemeaningwhichConradwantstoexpress.Thefeaturesinthenovelhavebothconnotativeanddenotativemeanings.Adeepandcarefulreadingwilldoalotinhelpingtounderstandthenovelbetter.Conradhimselfhasaparadoxicalviewtocolonialism.HisworkHeartofDarkness(1899),writtenby\o"JosephConrad"JosephConradisinitselfanambivalentnovelregardstoitsmotif.Ononeaspect,thenovel,bycriticizingthecrimesthosecolonizerscommittedincoloniesaswellasitshypocrisy,showedtheprogressinanti-postcolonialism.Ontheother,thelanguageofthisnovelmanifesteditsculturalhegemony.Thisthesis,byanalyzingtheambivalenceofthelanguageinthenovel,revealstheambivalentviewofJosephConradtowardcolonialism.Toconclude,throughouthistory,manyscholarsandcriticshavecommentedonConrad’swork,HeartofDarkness.Therearethreebasicviews.ThefirstisthatConradapprovescolonialism.ThesecondisConradopposescolonialism.ThelastisConradhashisparadoxicalviewtowardscolonialism.ThisthesisaimstofurtherdiscussConrad’sparadoxicalattitudebyanalyzingthenovelHeartofDarknessandhislifeexperience.XXXX大学本科生毕业论文（设计）评议书姓名XXX学院XXX专业XX年级（班）XX级笔译X班论文题目《黑暗的心》所体现的康拉德对殖民主义的矛盾态度完成时间XXX.5.8论文内容摘要殖民主义是随着西方资本主义不断发展而产生的，它来源于资本主义自身的发展和对财富及发展的需求。近代最大规模、影响力最大的殖民主义是欧洲的殖民主义。十七世纪时，英国、法国和荷兰继续建立更多殖民地，建立起一个海外大帝国—并取代了葡萄牙和西班牙的地位。到了十九世纪，英国的殖民扩张达到顶峰，统治的领土包括北美、澳洲、南亚等等，地球上五分之一的土地也在大英帝国的占领和统治之下。殖民主义为殖民帝国提供了市场和资源的供给，很大程度促进了这些帝国本身的发展。殖民主义国家通常会控制该地区的自然资源，人力和市场。殖民主义国家亦会强加自身的社会文化，宗教和语言于被征服的民族身上。所以殖民主义实质上是一个比较强大的国家直接干预比较弱小的国家的政治、经济和文化的系统。虽然殖民主义一词常与帝国主义交换使用，但帝国主义一词较常被使用，因为该词包括到非正式的对该地区的控制，以及正式的军事控制或经济杠杆作用。本文通过西方殖民主义文学作品中的代表作《黑暗的心》中人物、语言、思想的分析，说明得出小说作者约瑟夫·康拉德对殖民主义的既反对又支持的矛盾态度。说明在西方帝国主义的环境中，人们难免会受其影响，影响人们的思想和取向。一方面，小说通过人物、语言表现出殖民主义给殖民地人民带来的灾难，但另一方面，又摆脱不了资本主义和帝国主义对思想意识的束缚。康拉德的《黑暗的心》具有代表性，代表资本主义、帝国主义对殖民主义的矛盾心理。指导教师评语年月日指导教师职称初评成绩答辩小组姓名职称教研室组长成员答辩记录：记录人签字：年月日答辩小组意见：组长签字：年月日学院意见：评定成绩：签章年月日本科生毕业论文设计题目《黑暗的心》所体现的康拉德对后殖民主义的矛盾态度作者姓名XXX指导教师XX所在学院XXX学院专业（系）XX班级（届）XXXX完成日期XXXX年5月8日JosephConrad’sAmbivalenceTowardsPost-colonialismInHeartofDarknessByXXXXProfessorXXXTutorAThesisSubmittedtoDepartmentofEnglishLanguageandLiteratureinPartialFulfillmentoftheRequirementsfortheDegreeofB.A.inEnglishAtXXXXUniversity摘要约瑟夫·康拉德所著的《黑暗的心》是一个矛盾体。一方面它抨击了殖民者在殖民地犯下的暴行，罪恶和殖民活动的虚伪性,表现了反殖民主义的进步性。另一方面,它自己的语言使用也正好体现了殖民主义的文化霸权,表明康拉德也难以摆脱自身的帝国文化。本文主要通过分析《黑暗的心》中的矛盾性，从而揭示康拉德对殖民主义的矛盾态度。一方面他在小说中揭露了欧洲殖民者的虚伪、残忍和贪婪，另一方面他又在一定程度上捍卫了支撑殖民侵略的西方意识形态。关键词：《黑暗的心》矛盾性殖民主义反殖民主义AbstractHeartofDarkness(1899),writtenby\o"JosephConrad"JosephConradisinitselfanambivalentnovelwithregardstoitsmotif.Ononeaspect,thenovel,bycriticizingthecirmesthosecolonizerscommittedincoloniesaswellasitshypocrisy,showstheprogressinanti-postcolonialism.Ontheother,thelanguageofthisnovelmanifestsitsculturalhegemony.Thisthesis,byanalyzingtheambivalenceofthelanguageinthenovel,revealstheambivalentviewofJosephConradtowardcolonialism.KeywordsHeartofDarknessambivalencecolonialsimpostcolonialsimContents

Introduction…………..1ChapterⅠTheAngleofNarration…………...……....4ChapterⅡThePresentandFutureofColonialisminConrad’sMind........................7ATheMiseryPresentShowedbytheWord“Sea”………………...BTheWaytoFutureShowedbytheWords“Boat”and“Captain”…..……....7CTheFutureofColonialismShowedbytheWord“Horror”……..……….....8ChapterⅢTheAnti-colonialismView……..………..9ASympathytotheNativePeople………...........9BTheDisappearanceofHumanism……….…..9ChapterⅣTheApprovalofColonialism………………...………....12ATheSuperiorityofColonizers……………...12BTheUseofLanguage……….12CTheEagernessforFortune…………..……...13DTheSpreadingofEliteCultureofColonizers………...……13ChapterⅤConrad’sAmbivalencetowardsColonialism…………...15AAReviewoftheGeneralThemeofHeartofDarkness.................................15BConrad—anOffenderofColonialism………...…..………15CConrad—aDefenderofColonialism………..………...…..16Conculsion…………...17Notes………………….18Bibliography…...…………………….19IntroductionHeartofDarkness(1899),writtenby\o"JosephConrad"JosephConrad,isashortnovel,presentedasa\o"Framenarrative"framenarrative,about\o"CharlesMarlow"CharlesMarlow’sjobasan\o"Ivory"ivorytransporteralongthe\o"CongoRiver"CongoRiver.Duringtheperiodofhiscommercial-agentworkinthe\o"CongoFreeState"CongoFreeState(1885–1908),theseamanMarlowbecomesveryinterestedinandinvestigatesMr\o"Kurtz(HeartofDarkness)"Kurtz,anivory-procurementagent,amanofestablishednotorietyamongthenativeAfricansandtheEuropeancolonies.Thestoryisathematicexplorationofthe\o"Barbarian"savageryvs\o"Civilization"civilizationrelationship,andofthe\o"Colonialism"colonialismandthe\o"Racism"racismthatmake\o"Imperialism"imperialismpossible.Itwasfirstpublishedasathree-partserialstory;in‘Blackwood’sMagazine’andthe\o"Novella"novellaHeartofDarknesshasbeenvariouslypublishedandtranslatedintomanylanguages.In1998,theModernLibraryrankedHeartofDarknessasthesixty-seventhtop-novelofthehundred-best-novelsinEnglishofthetwentiethcentury;andiscategorizedintothe\o"Westerncanon"Westerncanon.Aboutmorethaneightyearsbeforewritingthebook,ConradhadbeenappointedbyaBelgiantradingcompanytoworkasthecaptainofa\o"Steamboat"steameronthe\o"CongoRiver"CongoRiver.WhenhearrivedinandsettledinCongo,hefoundthatthesteamerhewastocommandhadbeendamagedandneedrepair.Yetthenextdayheheadedupriveronadifferentsteamerthatwascaptainedbyanother.WhenthatcaptainbecameillduringthejourneyConradassumedhiscommand.Atthecompany’sinner-moststationtheypickedupitsagent,\o"Georges-AntoineKlein"Georges-AntoineKlein,whodiedonthetripreturntotheirstation.ConradhimselfbecameveryillandreturnedtoEuropebeforeservingoutthefullthree-yeartermofhiscontracttothetradingcompany.Thenovelalsohasacontrastingnature.\o"T.S.Eliot"T.S.Eliot’suseofaquotationfromHeartofDarkness—“MistahKurtz,hedead”—asan\o"Epigraph(literature)"epigraphtotheoriginalmanuscriptofhispoem\o"TheHollowMen"TheHollowMencontrasteditsdarkhorrorwiththepresumed“lightofcivilization,”andrevealedtheambiguityofboththeevilmotivesoftheWesterncivilizationandthefreedomofbarbarism,aswellasthe“\o"Spirituality"spiritualdarkness”ofmanycharactersinHeartofDarkness.Thissenseofdarknessalsolendsitselftoarelevantmainthemeof\o"Obscurity"obscurity—again,invarioussenses,reflectingtheambiguitiesintheso-calledgreatwork.Moralityis,byitsverynature,ambiguous:thatwhichistraditionallyplacedonthesideof“light”isindarkness,andvice-versa.Inthe\o"VictorianEra"VictorianEra,Africawasknownas“\o"Africa"TheDarkContinent”andEuropeansattributedmanynegativeconnotationstoAfricans.\o"HenryMortonStanley"HenryMortonStanleywaspossiblyinfluencedbyKurtzforthe“Dr.Livingstone,Ipresume”fame,sincehewasaprincipalexplorerof“TheDarkHeartofAfrica”,especiallytheCongo.StanleywassupposedlyinfamousforhisviolenceagainsthisporterswhileinAfrica,althoughrecordsindicatethiswasperhapsanexaggerationandhewaslaterhonoredwithaknighthood.AnagentConradmetwhentravelingintheCongo,Georges-AntoineKlein,couldalsohaveservedasamodelforKurtz(inGermankleinmeans“small”andkurtzmeans“short”).KleindiedonConrad’ssteamerandwasinterredalongtheCongoRiver,moreorlesslikeKurtzinthenovel.AmongthepeopleConradmayhaveencounteredonhisjourneywasatradercalled\o"LeonRom"LeonRom,whowaslaternamedchiefoftheStanleyFallsStation.In1895,aBritishtravelerreportedthatRomhaddecoratedhisflower-bedwiththeskullsofsometwenty-onevictimsofhisdispleasure(includingwomenandchildren)resemblingthepostsofKurtz’sStation.Inordertoemphasistheinnerdarknessofmankind,Marlow’snarrationoccursona\o"Yawl"yawlinthe\o"Thames"Thames\o"Tidalestuary"estuarywhentidescomes.Inthebeginningofthenovella,MarlowrecountshowLondon,thelargest,mostpopulousandprosperousandwealthiestcityintheworld,wasadarkplacein\o"AncientRome"Romantimes.TheideathattheRomansconqueredthesavage\o"Britons(historic)"BritonsparallelsConrad’staleoftheBelgiansconqueringthesavageAfricans.Thethemeofdarknesstemptingunderthesurfaceoftheevenso-called“civilized”peopleappearsprominentlyandisexploredbythecharacterofKurtzandthroughMarlow’schangingsenseofunderstandingwiththeAfricanswiththetimepassesby.Kurtzembodiesallformsofanurgetobemoreorlessthanhuman.HiswritingsshowinMarlow’sviewan“exoticImmensityruledbyanaugustBenevolence”andtheyappealto“everyaltruisticsentiment”.Hispredispositionforbenevolenceisclearinthestatement“Wewhites...mustnecessarilyappeartothem(savages)inthenatureofsupernaturalbeings....Bythesimpleexerciseofourwillwecanexertapowerforgoodpracticallyunbounded”.1TheCentralStationmanagerquotesKurtz,theexemplar:“Eachstationshouldbelikeabeaconontheroadtowardsbetterthings,acentrefortradeofcourse,butalsoforhumanizing,improving,instructing”.2Kurtz’sinexperienced,scientificselfinthefieryreportisalivewiththepossibilityofthecultivationandconversionofthesavages.HewouldhavesubscribedtoMoreau’spropositionthat“apigmaybeeducated”.Themescontinuetodevelopinthelaterpartofthenovel.TheseincludethenaïvetéofEuropeans(particularlywomen)regardingthevariousformsofdarknessalongtheCongoriver;theBritishtradersandBelgian\o"Colonialist"colonialists’abuseofthe\o"Indigenouspeople"nativesandman’spotentialabilityanddesireforduplicity.Thesymbolisminthebookexpandsontheseasafightbetween\o"Goodnessandvaluetheory"goodand\o"Evil"evil(lightanddarkness),notlikethefightbetweenthedarknessandgoodinman’sheart.Ina\o"Postcolonialism"post-colonialreading,the\o"Nigeria"Nigerianwriter\o"ChinuaAchebe"ChinuaAchebe,authorof\o"ThingsFallApart"ThingsFallApart,sharplycriticizedHeartofDarknessinhislecture\o"AnImageofAfrica:RacisminConrad's\"HeartofDarkness\""AnImageofAfricawhichwaspublishedin1975:RacisminConrad’s“HeartofDarkness”,sayingthenovella\o"Dehumanization"de-humanizedAfricans,deniedthenativelanguageaswellastheircultureandreducedthemtoabroadextensionofthedarkgloomanddangerousjungleintowhichtheEuropeancolonistsventure.Achebe’slectureraisedavividdebate,reactionsatthetimerangedfromdismayandoutrage—AcheberecountedaProfessorEmerituswhocamefromUniversityofMassachusettssayingtoAchebeafterthelecture,“Howdareyouupseteverythingwehavetaught,everythingweteach?HeartofDarknessisthemostwidelytaughttextintheuniversityinthiscountry.Sohowdareyousayit’sdifferent?”—tosupportforAchebe’sview—”InowrealizethatIhadneverreallyreadHeartofDarknessalthoughIhavetaughtitforyears,”oneprofessortoldAchebe.Thereareothercritics,includingHughCurtler’sAchebeonConrad:RacismandGreatnessinHeartofDarkness(1997).In\o"KingLeopold'sGhost"KingLeopold’sGhost(1998),\o"AdamHochschild"AdamHochschildsaysthatsomanyscholarshavemadetoomuchofthepsychologyanalysisofHeartofDarknesswhiledwindlingthehorrorofConrad’saccuratenarrationofthemethodsandeffectsofcolonialism.HequotesConradassaying,“HeartofDarknessisexperience...pushedalittle(andonlyverylittle)beyondtheactualfactsofthecase.”HeartofDarkness(1899),\o"JosephConrad"JosephConradbothexpressedhisapprovaltotheexpansionandsavageofthenativeAfricans,butontheotherhand,JosephConradalsoshowedhisdisapprovaltothedeedsofthecolonizers.Theambivalentviewiswhatthisarticleisgoingtotalkabout.ChapterⅠtheAngleofNarrationThespiritualworldofConradisfullofcontradictoryfactors,makinghisliteraryworksalsofullofcontradictions.Amonghisnovels,HeartofDarknessisanoutstandingandaparagonrepresentinghisspiritualandwritingcharacteristics.ThecontentofHeartofDarknessisbasedonJosephConrad’striptoCongo.Sinceitcameintobeingin1902,ithasarousedattentionfrombothreadersandcritics.Eventhough,itisoneofthebestnovelsinEnglishliterature.ScholarsrepresentedbyChinuaAchebeheldtheopinionthatConradisaracistfromthebeginningtotheend,whilecriticsrepresentedbyWattsheldtheoppositeview.JosephConradtriedtoabandonracismandcolonialismtotheendthathewastorevealorunveilthoseEuropeanswhowereravagingtheAfricancontinentdisguisedbythesocalledsaintandgloriouscourse.However,asawriterwholivedintheprimetimeoftheUnitedKingdom,JosephConradcouldnottotallygetridofthecolonialism,thoughhetriedtogetridofsuchthought.Incomparison,likemostoftheWesternwriters,hesawthecoloniesfromtheviewpointofaWesterner.Hence,HeartofDarknessisnotanovelwiththeideaofanti-colonialism,butalsoanovelfullofracialsuperiority.ThenovelHeartofDarknessdepictsanadventurousstoryof\o"CharlesMarlow"CharlesMarlow.Marlow,asthecaptainofasteamer,reachestothebushinAfricaalongtheCongoRiver.Alonghisjourney,hisearsarefullofwordsfromothersaboutawhiteagentnamedMistahKurtz,whowasconsecratedasasageandleaderbythosenativeAfricans.Marlow,withgreatcuriosity,followsKurtzandeventuallyfindshimthroughnumerousdifficulties.However,whenMarlowfindsKurtz,Kurtzisonthebrinkofhisdeath.Marlowseeshimdying,hearshimsaying“HorrorHorror”untilhislastbreath.Conrad,bydescribingthestoryofKurtz,deepensthecontentsandthought.Inthenovel,MarlowisdescribedasapersonwhobelievesinBuddhism,tellingreadersthemysteryoflife,inordertoreveala“Horrorsome”fact.ThethoughtofBuddhismcanbeseeninConrad’sworksduetohisextraordinarylifeexperiencewhichmakeshimpossibletohavecontactwithmanyreligionsandculturalthoughtsfromvariousethnicgroups.BorninPoland,ConradlivedhischildhoodinRussia.Inhisadolescence,hestartedhiscareerasaseamaninFrance.Whenhewas21,hewenttoBritainandbecameasailor.Sincethen,hewenttomanyplaceswithship,namelySouthAmerica,IslandsinSouthPacificOcean,AustraliaandAfrica.EuropeansviewsConradEuropeanwriterinsteadofBritishwriter.Someotherpeoplesayhimaworldwriter.Onepointworthnotice,inthe19thcentury,thethoughtofArthurSchopenhauer(aGermanphilosopher)waspopularinEurope.ArthurSchopenhauerthinksthatallhumanactivitiesaretheactivitiesofhumanmind,togetherwithboring,mis