A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s <i>Heart of Darkness</i>

Asma Yasmin

doi:doi:10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14

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A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

Asma Yasmin^*

Published in Humanities and Social Sciences (Volume 12, Issue 6)

Received: 23 September 2024 Accepted: 25 October 2024 Published: 26 November 2024

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Abstract

Joseph Conrad is celebrated for his profound portrayals of postcolonial experiences. His Heart of Darkness reveals how the power dynamics shape the perceptions of enlightenment. This research sheds lights on the binary oppositions inherent in British colonialism which erodes the established norms and enlightening ideals. Colonialism has created a detrimental impact on modern humanity, fostering detachment, loss of faith, existential turmoil, and the disintegration of social structures. Conrad’s depiction of Africa underscores the harsh reality of unconscious fears and deep-seated anxieties projected by English interference which stifles African autonomy. Through the dual lenses of Edward Said’s postcolonial theory and Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, the research, explores the decline of western values critically addressing the colonial mindset and interrogating European civilization’s alleged superiority. The research investigates how the imposition of power dynamics reshapes Europeans’ perceptions of indigenous African population exposing the civilizing mission as a façade for hypocrisy and brutality under the pretense of moral edification. The findings offer significant insights into Conrad’s enduring influence and persistent resonance with contemporary literary enthusiasts.

Published in	Humanities and Social Sciences (Volume 12, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14
Page(s)	210-216
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Power Dynamics, Duality, Civilization, Corruption, Moral Awakening

References

[1]	Achebe, Chinua. (2016). An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. The Massachusetts Review Inc., 57(1),1 4-27. https://doi.org/10.1353/mar.2016.0003
[2]	Ali, M. (2017). "Whiteman’s morality, colonialism and Heart of Darkness”. International Journal of English Research: pp. 12-13. Web
[3]	Brannigan, J. (1998). New historicism and cultural materialism. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
[4]	Clarke, C. (2017). An analysis of Chinua Achebe's an Image of Africa: racism in Conrad's heart of darkness. London: Macat International.
[5]	Conrad, Joseph. (2010). Heart of Darkness. London: Harper Collins Press.
[6]	Freud, Sigmund. (1923). The Ego and The ID. https://www.sigmundfreud.net/the-ego-and-the-id.pdf
[7]	Nietzsche, Friedrich. (2017). The Will to Power. Translated by R. Kevin Hill and Michael A. Scarpitti. London: Penguin Random House UK.
[8]	Ross, C. Murfin. (1989). Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness: A Case Study in Contemporary Criticism. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
[9]	Said, Edward. (1994). Culture and Imperialism. London: Vintage.
[10]	Said, Edward. (1978). Orientalism, New York: Vintage Publications.
[11]	Sarvan, Charles P (1980). “Racism and the Heart of Darkness.” International Fiction Review. 7(1), 6-10.
[12]	Singh, Dr. Renu. (2013). A Study of Dilemma in The Hollow Men of T.S. Eliot. Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research journal, 2(3), 8-9. https://www.galaxyimrj.com/V2/n3/Renu.pdf
[13]	Sun, Shuting. (2019). “Imperialist Ideology and Kurtz in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now”. Canadian Center of Science and Education, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.5539/ells.v9n2p64
[14]	Thorsten, Marie. (2012). Graphic “Heart of Darkness”: Two Visions of Current Affairs Comic. International Political Sociology, 6(3), 221–240. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-5687.2012.00161.x
[15]	Wake, Paul. (2007). Conrad's Marlow. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
[16]	Yeats, W. B. (1991). The Second Coming. In Finneran, Richard J. (Ed) The Collected poems of W. B Yeats.London: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-12509-8
[17]	Young, Robert J.C. (1981). Untying the text: A post-structuralist reader. Law Book Co of Australia.

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Yasmin, A. (2024). A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Humanities and Social Sciences, 12(6), 210-216. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14

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Yasmin, A. A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2024, 12(6), 210-216. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14

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Yasmin A. A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Humanit Soc Sci. 2024;12(6):210-216. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14

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@article{10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14,
  author = {Asma Yasmin},
  title = {A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
},
  journal = {Humanities and Social Sciences},
  volume = {12},
  number = {6},
  pages = {210-216},
  doi = {10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.hss.20241206.14},
  abstract = {Joseph Conrad is celebrated for his profound portrayals of postcolonial experiences. His Heart of Darkness reveals how the power dynamics shape the perceptions of enlightenment. This research sheds lights on the binary oppositions inherent in British colonialism which erodes the established norms and enlightening ideals. Colonialism has created a detrimental impact on modern humanity, fostering detachment, loss of faith, existential turmoil, and the disintegration of social structures. Conrad’s depiction of Africa underscores the harsh reality of unconscious fears and deep-seated anxieties projected by English interference which stifles African autonomy. Through the dual lenses of Edward Said’s postcolonial theory and Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, the research, explores the decline of western values critically addressing the colonial mindset and interrogating European civilization’s alleged superiority. The research investigates how the imposition of power dynamics reshapes Europeans’ perceptions of indigenous African population exposing the civilizing mission as a façade for hypocrisy and brutality under the pretense of moral edification. The findings offer significant insights into Conrad’s enduring influence and persistent resonance with contemporary literary enthusiasts.
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 year = {2024}
}

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Author Information

Asma Yasmin

Department of English, Port City International University, Chattogram, Bangladesh

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0002-6937-9939

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APA Style

Yasmin, A. (2024). A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Humanities and Social Sciences, 12(6), 210-216. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14

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ACS Style

Yasmin, A. A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2024, 12(6), 210-216. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Yasmin A. A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Humanit Soc Sci. 2024;12(6):210-216. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14,
  author = {Asma Yasmin},
  title = {A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
},
  journal = {Humanities and Social Sciences},
  volume = {12},
  number = {6},
  pages = {210-216},
  doi = {10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.hss.20241206.14},
  abstract = {Joseph Conrad is celebrated for his profound portrayals of postcolonial experiences. His Heart of Darkness reveals how the power dynamics shape the perceptions of enlightenment. This research sheds lights on the binary oppositions inherent in British colonialism which erodes the established norms and enlightening ideals. Colonialism has created a detrimental impact on modern humanity, fostering detachment, loss of faith, existential turmoil, and the disintegration of social structures. Conrad’s depiction of Africa underscores the harsh reality of unconscious fears and deep-seated anxieties projected by English interference which stifles African autonomy. Through the dual lenses of Edward Said’s postcolonial theory and Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, the research, explores the decline of western values critically addressing the colonial mindset and interrogating European civilization’s alleged superiority. The research investigates how the imposition of power dynamics reshapes Europeans’ perceptions of indigenous African population exposing the civilizing mission as a façade for hypocrisy and brutality under the pretense of moral edification. The findings offer significant insights into Conrad’s enduring influence and persistent resonance with contemporary literary enthusiasts.
},
 year = {2024}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

AU  - Asma Yasmin
Y1  - 2024/11/26
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14
T2  - Humanities and Social Sciences
JF  - Humanities and Social Sciences
JO  - Humanities and Social Sciences
SP  - 210
EP  - 216
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8184
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14
AB  - Joseph Conrad is celebrated for his profound portrayals of postcolonial experiences. His Heart of Darkness reveals how the power dynamics shape the perceptions of enlightenment. This research sheds lights on the binary oppositions inherent in British colonialism which erodes the established norms and enlightening ideals. Colonialism has created a detrimental impact on modern humanity, fostering detachment, loss of faith, existential turmoil, and the disintegration of social structures. Conrad’s depiction of Africa underscores the harsh reality of unconscious fears and deep-seated anxieties projected by English interference which stifles African autonomy. Through the dual lenses of Edward Said’s postcolonial theory and Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, the research, explores the decline of western values critically addressing the colonial mindset and interrogating European civilization’s alleged superiority. The research investigates how the imposition of power dynamics reshapes Europeans’ perceptions of indigenous African population exposing the civilizing mission as a façade for hypocrisy and brutality under the pretense of moral edification. The findings offer significant insights into Conrad’s enduring influence and persistent resonance with contemporary literary enthusiasts.

VL  - 12
IS  - 6
ER  -

Copy | Download