Marlow's Descent Into Hell Author(s): Lillian Feder Source: Nineteenth-Century Fiction, Vol. 9, No. 4 (Mar., 1955), pp.

280-292 Published by: University of California Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3044393 . Accessed: 09/09/2011 02:36
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

University of California Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Nineteenth-Century Fiction.

http://www.jstor.org

Marlow'sDescent intoHell
LILLIAN FEDER

Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" is usuallyinterpreted a study a descent as of intotheunconscious self.Of course,the voyageinto the heartof darkness on one is, level,a symbolic representation an exploration the hidden of of self and therefore man's capacity evil. However,Conrad of for is not merely a he narrating psychological experience; is dealing witha significant moralconflict. thisweresimply story If a concernedwith the two aspectsof the mind of man, the conscious and the unconscious, what would be Conrad'spointin treating so extensively condition the nativesin the Congo? Morethe of over, without studying someof Conrad'smostpowerful most and consistent imagery, is impossible explaintherole of Kurtz's it to "Intended," whichis important thedevelopment thetheme. in of In "Heart of Darkness,"Conradis depicting Marlow'sdiscovery of eviland theresponsibilities himself to others to and whichthis knowledgeplaces upon him. In tellingthe story Marlow'satof tainment self-knowledge, of Conraddoes notuse thelanguageof the of he and psychology. Instead, employs imagery symbolism the intoHades. traditional voyage Marlow's journeywith the descentinto hell, By associating Conrad concretizes hiddenworldof the innerself.Through the he image and symbol, evokesthewell-known voyageof thehero the who, in ancientepic,explores lowerworldand, in so doing, conscience. study A of probesthedepths his own and his nation's
N.Y. in Lillian Federis an instructor English, QueensCollege,Flushing, L2801

M R

ARLOW'S JOURNEY in

281 of "Heartof Darkness" from pointof viewdiscloses this some interesting parallels, more but, important,setting by Conrad's story in relief against background in associations,reveals a it rich the essential ofhispolitical personal unity and themes. such Moreover, a reading shows how Conrad, combining traditional the by imagery theepicdescent realistic of his from ownexperiwith details encein theCongo, created imageof hellcredible modern an to man. recalls epicdescent general, the in ThoughMarlow's journey itis most specifically related thevisit Hadesin thesixth to to book of theAeneid. Vergil's In Aeneas'descent partof his poem, is initiation theroleofleader theRoman for of people. emVergil phasizes fact truth tobefound theheart darkness; is the that in of thus, Sibyl the who,in Vergil's words, "obscuris involvens" vera in (hides truth darkness), guidesAeneas.Moreover, as just Aeneas about enter is to his to Hades,Vergil interrupts narrative askthevery elements hell, of ChaosandPhlegethon,allowhim to toreveal secrets the buried thedarkness depths theearth. in and of Aeneas' voyage Hadesis onemeans which learns the to he of by tragedy implicit theaffairs men;this theprice pays in of is he for his fulfilling duty founder Rome. the as of In lower he world looks both intopastand thefuture having and, observed penalties the for personal crimes, is toldofthebloodshed cruelty he and which areto weigh theconscience hisnation-the ofRome's on of cost imperial power. Aeneas, piousand worthy the man,learns truth through descent darkness. a into The basicsimilarity between Marlow's journey that the and of epichero, descent findlight, obvious. the to is Thereare many closeparallels between twovoyages, the however, which must be demonstrated. At thebeginning thesixth of bookof theAeneid, before just Aeneasdescends Hades,Vergil to creates atmosphere peran of vading He gloom. speaks the"gloomy of woods"(VI, 238),and repeats phrase the "perumbram" (through gloom)(VI, 257, the

Marlow'sDescent into Hell

282

Fiction Nineteenth-Century

entrance Hades.Conrad to 268),in setting scene Aeneas' the for Evenbefore Marlow begins his tooestablishes somber this mood. continuously hisdein story, Conrad repeats word"gloom" the together hearthetale.Thus, to scription thefriends of gathered he a in thesecond paragraph thestory mentions "mournful of gloom"(p. 490); "the gloom"(p. 490);1 in thethird, brooding "the in thefourth, gloom thewest"(p. 491); in thefifth, "the to once more"a gloombrooding" 491); and in the seventh, (p. sitting there like an idol, brooding gloom"(p. 493). Marlow, of he seems havebrought himtheatmosphere theworld to with is about recreate hisfriends. for to Just Marlow, looking at the out before beginshis story, he and their conquest England. of Thames, mentions Romans the he "They "Theyweremenenough facethedarkness," says. to were of of conquerors." then He goesontospeak thebrutalitythe murder with aggravated Romans: was justrobbery violence, "It he "is thing.... on a great scale...." Conquest, says, nota pretty An Whatredeems is theidealonly. ideaat thebackofit; nota it belief the in idea; and an unselfish sentimental pretence an but and idea-something cansetup,andbowdownbefore, offer you a sacrifice (pp. 494-496). to" of remarks thetheme theAeneid, is for in Implicit Marlow's the with "idea," heroic as justification goal Vergil concerned this is like forRome's and moreover, Conrad, Vergil, plunder cruelty; ideal. to of dedicated theheroic seesthetragic limitations those the of Thus,at thevery beginning "HeartofDarkness," Roman an in and legend, prophesied justified Hades,provides archetypal and Marlow's of deeds for for discovery himbackground Kurtz's than but terrible Vergil's, no lessenmore self a hellperhaps in lightening. of he into heart darkness, must, Marlow descend the Before may His to duties. visit thecompany certain liketheepichero, perform before fateful rite a office journey. suggestsnecessary performed the
from"Heart of Darkness"are takenfromThe PortableConrad,ed. 'All quotations Morton Dauwen Zabel (New York, 1947), pp. 490-603.

Marlow'sDescent into Hell

283

the The city of itself "makes[him]think a whited sepulcher"; and office in "a narrow deserted is and street deepshadow," in there "a deadsilence" 500). The house is (p. itself "as still a is as house thecity thedead"(p. 502). Thus,Conrad in of creates the deathly gloom theworld of is Marlow about enter. to In thecompany office, womenare knitting two blackwool. Conrad plainly these uses women symbolize fates, to the like who, Aeneas' the guide, Sibyl Cumae, of of knowthesecrets theheart of darkness. Marlow feels uneasy during these "ceremonies" (p. 50I). He describes ofthetwoknitting one women:
. . . a cat reposed herlap. She worea starched on on white affair herhead, had a warton one cheek, and silver-rimmed spectacles hungon thetip of her nose. She glancedat me abovethe glasses. The swift and indifferent placidity that of looktroubled me.

She seems knoweverything. to "An eerie Marlow goeson tosay, feeling cameover Sheseemed me. and uncanny fateful" 50I). (p. Like theCumaean the the Sibyl, twowomen guard wayto hell.
Often awaythere thought these far I of two,guarding doorofdarkness, the blackwool as fora warmpall,one introducing, knitting conintroducing to the and the faces tinuously theunknown, other scrutinizing cheery foolish withunconcerned eyes(pp. 501-502). old

Then MarlowusestheLatinfarewell, and evoking literary its legendary associations: of "Ave!old knitter blackwool.Morituri te salutant" 502). Conrad usesimages death, they but of do (p. actual death much they thelegendary notsuggest so as do world of thedead,where, of the are paradoxically, affairs the living interpreted understood. and Whenhe is finally to ready leave, Marlow that feels though says he as "instead going thecenter of to ofa continent," is "about setoff thecenter theearth" he to for of Butbefore maydescend theheart darkness, he into of Marlow hasanother toperform. Aeneas, must Like he duty attend the to remains someone of who has died.Aeneashas buried Misenus, a former comrade I49-i82), andMarlow (VI, tries recover to the
(P. 504).

284

Fiction Nineteenth-Century

Marlowfeelscompelledto his remains Fresleven, predecessor. of performthis rite. "Nobody seemed to trouble much about intohis shoes,"he remains, I got out and stepped till Fresleven's says."I couldn'tlet it restthough...." (p. 499). about the Congo, he uses the In Marlow's first observations of imagery hell. Thus, themembers the"chaingang" seemto of into him to have a "deathlike (p. indifference" 509); strolling the intothegloomy "It to shade, says, seemed me thatI had stepped he of circleof some inferno"(p. 5IO). "Inferno," course,suggests but theChristian as well as theLatin "Inferna," Conrad'sdehell of of velopment theimageis so likeVergil'sdescription Hades in the Aeneid thatit seemsto evoke the classicalhell morereadily thantheChristian in of one. His depiction thenatives thejungle shades in Hades: of is like Vergil's description the tormented leaningagainst "Black shapescrouched, sat between trees lay, the at to Hades, thetrunks," and,likethefigures theentrance Vergil's and despair." theirveryattitudes express"pain, abandonment, Like Vergil's"Diseases... Famine... and Poverty shapes (terrible lyingconnothingbut black shadowsof diseaseand starvation, like in shapes," gloom."They are "moribund fusedly thegreenish suffering shadesin hell,"freeas air-and nearlyas thin."Upset Marphantom," of bythesight one ofthesemenand "hisbrother in theshade,"and he "I low says, don'twantanymorelingering surrounded the symbols returns the station, eventhere, but by to books, of civilization, well-dressed agentsand theirwell-kept the of the Conradhas employed associations Hades Up to thispoint, that to to build up suspense, tell the readerindirectly thisis no the the strangeness, mystery, voyage.He has exploited ordinary of hell.Now he usesit with theancient and thepathosof symbol but a new brillianceto suggestnot only mystery evil as well. the he this proportions through symbol, suggests tragic Moreover, While he waitsat thestation, the of his themeand his characters.

are earthly now, tosee)" (VI, 275-277), Conrad's figures "nothing

of he is aware "thegrove death" of (pp. 5I0-5I4).

Marlow'sDescent into Hell

285

wilderness it surrounding seemsto Marlow"greatand invincible, like evil or truth," and when one nighta grassshed containing intoflames, Marlowsaysthatit seemedas calicoand beadsbursts if "theearthhad openedto let an avenging consumeall that fire trash"(p. 520). As Marlow goes deeperand deeperinto the jungle,the image hell ofhell is intensified, finally and theCongo are equated. until Once again there interesting are between comparisons Vergiland Conrad. The ambiguoussign "Approachcautiously"(p. 542), which, use Marlowexplains, little has practical sinceit could only be foundafter one had reachedtheplace whereit is inscribed, is reminiscent the Sibyl'swarning:"facilisdescensus of Averno... Sed revocare gradumsuperasque evaderead auras,/Hocopus,hic laborest" (VI, I26-I29). The descent Avernus easy, into is but to return intotheupperair,thisis thetask,thisthestruggle. enters When Aeneas first Hades, Vergil comparesthe underworldwitha forest To reachthelowestdepths (VI, 270-27I). of Erebus,Aeneas musttake a journey down the riverStyx, which is surrounded marshes. The boat seemsunfit the journey, by for but finally Aeneas stepsout on the mud and sedge of the shore creates atmosphere gloomand ugliness an of like thatwhich very Conradsuggests his extended in accountof Marlow'svoyageinto theheartof darkness. Marlowtoo has a difficult voyageon a boat to He thatis unsuited thejourney. and his companions seemlike and the earthseems "unearthly." "phantoms," The "black and he is incomprehensible frenzy" approaches at once thejungle,the regionof "pre-historic of man,"and thedepths hell whichKurtz has createdand in which he has been destroyed (pp. 537-540). When Marlowhas penetrated jungle,eventhenatural the world seemsunearthly. treesseem to be "changedintostone."He The describes feelings: was notsleep-it seemedunnatural, his "It like a state trance." The mournful ofthenatives reminiscent of cries are of the groansof the shadesin hell. To Marlow,"the restof the

(VI, 4II-4I6).

of Vergil's description this journey brief, he is but

286

Fiction Nineteenth-Century

world was nowhere.... Gone, disappeared;swept off without leavinga whisperor a shadowbehind" (pp. 544-546). When he has almostreachedthe heartof darkness, Marlow loses his helmsman. Here again Conrad seemsto be following Vergil,forAeneas too loses his helmsman, Palinurus, just as his ship is approaching shoreof Cumae. Palinurusloseshis balthe ance and fallsoverboard; whenhe has swumto safety, "barbarous and peopleattack[him] withswords," he is killed, bodyfloathis ing intothesea (VI, 349-362).Marlow'shelmsman killedby a is native'sspear,and he is buriedin the sea. Both die "insontes" (guiltless),loyal to theirleaders.Aeneas,meetingthe shade of for Palinurus Hades, learnsof the tragicsacrifice his mission, in a and Marlowfeelsin the dyinglook of his helmsman profound intimacy whichhe cannotforget, it is a personal withone for tie to of of the victims sacrificed the "emissaries light."Even more the last thanthegroansof thenatives, dyinghelmsman's insight, innocent profound, and suggests tragic the consequences Kurtz's of betrayal. In dealingwithKurtz,Conrad constantly the repeats imagery of hell. Marlow speaksof how thejungle has "sealedhis soul to of ceremonies some devilishinitiaits own by the inconceivable claimedhim tion,"and wonders"how manypowersof darkness fortheir own." Marlowsaysof Kurtz,"He had takena highseat "I amongstthe devilsof the land-" and insists mean literally" evil (p. 559), thususing Kurtz as a symbolforthe triumphant powersof hell. Yet Kurtz,at the same timethathe symbolizes as of thespirit evil,mustkeep his identity a man. It is significant his one with thatat thispointConradshifts imagefrom associated viewof hell to one out of theclassicalHades. Thus, theChristian to he goes on to refer Kurtznotas a devilbutas a shade,and,by wordforthe soul in Hades, he usingtheHomericand Vergilian existence. Marlowsays,"I thatKurtzhas had a previous suggests for-for-Mr. Kurtz-" But even am trying accountto myself to his name seemsthe wrongtitlefor him, and Marlow ends his

Marlow'sDescent into Hell

287

"This sentence with"forthe shadeof Mr. Kurtz."He continues, fromthe back of Nowherehonoredme withits initiated wraith to He beforeit vanishedaltogether." refers amazing confidence Kurtzor Kurtz'sshadeas "it" (pp. 56o-56i). cereIn Marlow'srefusal hearthedetailsofKurtz'satrocious to again his imageof hell. Marlow says Conrademphasizes monies, thaneventheheads wouldbe more"intolerable" thatthese details for a on the stakes, "thatwas onlya savagesight," sightnot unis whatMarlowfears hisfeeling typical a realjungle.However, of into horrors, regionof subtle of being"transported somelightless was a positive relief, being savagery wherepure,uncomplicated the to thathad a right exist-obviously--in sunshine" something the (p. 574). Thus, Conradcontrasts real junglewiththehabitat is fromthe horrors and the savagery reality a relief of of Kurtz, of Kurtz'shell. aroundhim,seemsto have both Not onlyKurtz,but everyone in one in Hades. an actual existence the Congo and a symbolic as The nativesare described "dark human shapes,"not moving of border theforest"; againstthegloomy indistinctly but "flitting of womanis a "wild and gorgeous apparition a woman" thenative (p. 577). And Kurtz becomes,as the climax of his careerapof moreand morethecreature helL proaches, to Marlowis eagerto deal withKurtz,or as he refers him,with "thisshadow,"and he followshim intothe depthsof the jungle in In rites. thedescription of wherehe is participating his fiendish of their Conrad evokesagain and again the associations meeting, long,pale, Kurtz rises"unsteady, Hades. As Marlow approaches, and swayedslightly, like indistinct, a vaporexhaledby theearth, is with fireslooming mistyand silent."The setting hell itself, of A and a constant murmur voices. "fiend-like" the between trees refers Kurtz as "that to figureappears.At this point Conrad as the Shadow,"thistimecapitalizing initialletter, one does in a name,forKurtz hereis a shadeof hell,"thiswandering and tormented thing."

288

Fiction Nineteenth-Century

Kurtz: the Moreover, Marlow has one means of controlling threat, "youwill be lost, utterly ... lost,"doomedto hell entirely. These words draw Kurtz back, but even so Marlow,regarding I him, says,"I beforehim did not know whether stoodon the groundor floated theair,"forthey in have notlefthell (pp. 583the journeynext day merely reiterates image. the 586). Indeed, The crowd"flowed ofthewoodsagain,"and,likethewretched out stoodon the shadesofVergil'sHades watching Aeneas'boat,they and woman, shoremurmuring gesturing 587). And thenative (p. like Vergil'sshadeswho "tendebant[que] manus" (stretched out theirhands), pleadingto be takenaboard (VI, 314), "stretched tragically bare armsafterus overthe somberand glittering her river"(p. 588). When Kurtz speaks,Marlow feels that some "supernatural power" has forcedthe wordsfromhim, for even on shipboard as Kurtz is described a "shade"; Marlowsaysthatthe "shade"of the the originalKurtz "frequented bedsideof the hollow sham" he had become.Thus he impliesthattheoriginal Kurtz,withall his and his "Intended," his lofty "ideas,"his "station," "career," Now of evenat theheight his career. was buta "shade,"impotent he is reducedto a "hollowsham"of his once nobleideal of himself.Marlow too even as he leaves the Congo is still under its forced "thechoiceofnightmares He upon [him] influence. accepts land invadedby thesemean and greedy in the tenebrous phantoms"(pp. 588-589). "The horror," doesnotindicate thathe has had Kurtz'slastcry, conversion. a last-minute Instead,it is anothermeans by which Conradimpliesthatthislostsoul,thisdark shade,is also a man. to If Kurtz did notretainat leastenoughhumanity be horrified by a last glimpseat his own life,thenwhat meaningcould his betweenthe actual have? As Conraddistinguishes disintegration Kurtz's jungle which has become a hell, so he disjungle and between man Kurtz once was and the creature the he tinguishes to has become,who retainsjust enough humanity cry out in horror.

Marlow'sDescent into Hell

289

of Even Marlow's memory Kurtz afterhis death is different in of from"the othermemories the dead thataccumulate every of to man'slife."Kurtzreturns Marlowas a remembrance a shade and gloom, "a in hell and as a suggestion eternaltorment of shadowdarker thantheshadowofthenight...." (p. 597). EnterMarlowfeelsthathe carries ing thehome of Kurtz's"Intended," of withhim thegloom and terror theheartof darkness.
the the The vision seemed enter housewithme-the stretcher, phantom to the worshippers, gloomof theforests, bearers, wild crowdof obedient the bends, beat of the drum, the the the glitter the reachbetween murky of of of regular muffled thebeating a heart-theheart a conquering and like darkness 597). (p.

as young is Moreover, Kurtz's"Intended" portrayed no ordinary woman; she too seemspartof the lowerworld.She livesnot in as as thejungleof Kurtz'shell,butin "a street stilland decorous a well-kept in alleyin a cemetery," a room whose windowsare and bedrapedcolumns," whosepiano is and "like three luminous This lady with her "like a somberand polishedsarcophogus." towardMarlow"in thedusk," "pale head,"who comes"floating" from life herbrow"surrounded an ashyhalo,"has withdrawn by of to guard the memory Kurtz (pp. 597-598). She is givenno for "the name excepttheabstraction, Intended," she has no existConrad suggests ence apart fromKurtz. Throughhis imagery her own sectionof Hades, the sectiondevoted thatshe inhabits shadeswho carryon theirown to the patientand disappointed "mysteries" 599). (p. to visit thisladyis thelastlap ofhisjourney Hades. to Marlow's She recallsforhim the "eternaldarkness" despitethe factthat hersis a faith with"an unearthly glow."Speakingto her,Marlow the Kurtz, is certain thathe will remember "eloquentphantom," as long as he lives,and he will remember too,a "tragicand her familiar in gesture the of Shade,resembling," her lasttraditional one, tragicalso, out, longingshade,her armsstretched "another and bedecked bare withpowerless stretching brownarms charms,

290

Fiction Nineteenth-Century

over glitter theinfernal the of stream, stream darkness" the of (p. 602). Through theimage the"infernal of stream," Conrad unites these shades. eachsideofthe two On stream hell, of without understanding, devote they themselvesthe to darkness Kurtz created. has I havedemonstrated extent consistencyConrad's the and of use oftheimagery helltosuggest of Kurtz's world hisinfluence. and Myreading offers newinterpretation story a whole, no ofthe as butrather extension a longaccepted an of view. isfairly It obvious that "Heart Darkness" three of has levels meaning: onelevel of on it is thestory a man'sadventures; another, hisdiscovery of on of of certain political socialinjustices; on a third, is a and and it study his initiation themysteries his ownmind.The of into of samethree of can levels meaning be found thesixth in bookof LikeAeneas, Aeneid. comes understand Marlow to himVergil's his and self, obligations, thetragic in limitations involved any this choicethrough three-fold experience. Kurtz,like Aeneas, starts as an "emissary light," unlike out of but, he Vergil's hero, cannotconquer himself. Through Kurtz'sexperience, Marlow learns a manis defined hiswork: that has by Kurtz's work created a hellin thejungle, of which destroys The symbol thelower him. world union suggests only imaginative between ancient not an the and themodern buta judgment themorality on of world one, modern society. Fromitsbeginning, seems He Marlow's fated. is desjourney tined theneeds hisownspirit, which Conrad in by of concretizes hisresponse the to knitting "fates," understand to himself through that a study theworld lives Byviewing world he in. of indirectly, comes closer to an with thanhe it Marlow through image, grips before ableto. been hasever to Theepicdescent always journey find is a someone knows who before has penetrated he the truth. realizes Marlow long the the of is Kurtzand Congothat realpurpose hisjourney to meet he talkwith him.Whenhe discovers on Kurtz, finds, one level, a manwhohascommitted crimes his unspeakable against fellows.

Marlow'sDescent into Hell

291

Buton another moreimportant he finds manwho and a level, has allowed himself sinkto thelowest to of possible depths evil, and,byobserving Kurtz, Marlow realizes in all menthere that is thispossibility. other In words, discovers potential in he the hell theheart every of man. In theCongo, all there no supernatural are beings; is credible on a purely realistic level. However, imagery hell, the of with its suggestion thesupernatural, of implies terror violent the and suffering which Kurtz, betrayer light, the of must face. And,through theimagery hell,Conrad in of makes Kurtz's struggle theCongo symbolic an inner of defeat. Kurtz, theonehand, betrayed on has thenatives reduced and them poverty subservience, he to and but has also betrayed humanity himself. has reduced the in He the natives tormented to shades, he has robbed for them a living of willanddignity in so doing, hashimself a he become shade; and, hiswillis thevictim servant hisownhellish and of whims. he Marlow hasfaced terrors hell, too the of and,though escapes, he learns wisdom a price. owesa debtto Kurtz, Kurtz at He for has beenman enough facethehell within to him.Unlikethe agents turn who awayfrom challenge hell, the of Kurtz gone has all too farin his weirdexploration. Through Kurtz'sfailure, learns Marlow about owncapacity evilandhiscapacity his for to resist He realizes without it. that involvement, isnorestraint, there and he makes choice "nightmares." is evenwilling his of He to experiencekindof spiritual a deathin thesacrifice lying of for Kurtz. Ironically, reward hisvictory theelements the of over of hellis hisknowledge human of limitation; while repudithus, he atesKurtz, remains he loyalto him.In thisloyalty there an is ofthe existence thehellwithin, be of acknowledgment eternal to metand conquered againand againby every man; moreover, there thetragic is of acceptance theeternal of possibilitydefeat. I havesaidthat Kurtz's is "Intended" as much shade Kurtz a as is. Indeed,Conradcalls her by thatname and identifies her, hisimagery, theworldof thedead.She,likethe through with

292

Fiction Nineteenth-Century

natives, sacrificed thatis livingin order believe Kurtz. has all to in Marlowrefers herat onepointironically sucha "thunderingly to as exaltedcreature to be altogether as deaf and blind to anything butheavenly sights and sounds." For sucha person, "earth the ... is only a standing place." By contrast, says,formostpeople, he theearth"is a place to live in,wherewe mustputup withsights, withsounds, withsmells, by Jove!-breathe too, dead hippo,so to speak, and not be contaminated" 560). Kurtz's "Intended" (p. sacrifices to a dead ideal. She has notbreathed life "dead hoppo"; she has notfacedthedarkness. Like Kurtz,she has chosendeath. He has beenconquered hisinhuman by guilt;shebyherinhuman innocence, herunwillingness paythepriceoflife, acceptby to the ance of a knowledgeof uglinessand evil. Marlow does not disillusionher,in partbecauseof his loyalty Kurtz,and in part to becauseof the futility tellingthe truth, of brutaland ugly,like the "dead hippo" or the sights, sounds,and smellsof the world, to to a woman who, becauseof her unwillingness face life,has become a shade. Thus, when she asks Marlow for Kurtz's last "The horror," Marlow word,instead repeating of Kurtz'sremark, saysthatthe lastword he pronounced was her name. This is his For finaltribute theworldofthedead,his last"ceremony." this to for reasonthelie has a taintof mortality him. of Conradsaysthat"he mustdescend within Speaking theartist, and in that lonelyregionof stress if he be and strife, himself, And and fortunate, findsthe terms his appeal."2 he of deserving he in Victory, says,"It is not poetsalone who dare descendinto or the abyssof infernal regions, even who dreamof such a deand scent."'In "Heart of Darkness" Conrad used the imagery formless of symbolism Hades to createthatotherwise regioninto man mustdescend he wishes if but whichnotonlytheartist every the imagery hell, of to understand himself. Moreover, through the is withits timeless associations, private struggle unitedwith and man's publicdeeds,his responsibilities, his history.
2 3

The Portable Conrad, 706. p. ed. Victory, ModernLibrary (New York,n.d.), p. 207. The