Heart of Darkness Group

Question:

shootingstars
shootingstars
Student
College - Freshman

What are the parallels between Marlow and Kurtz?

What specific instances in the text show that Marlow is in fact very similar to Kurtz?

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Posted by shootingstars on Sunday May 31, 2009 at 11:50 AM and tagged with heart of darkness, marlow kurtz.

Answers:


  1. ivana Student
    College - Sophomore

    Marlow chooses  Kurtz as his "choice of the nightmaree" because he is ultimately more human than the manager and the pilgrims. Marlow and Kurtz both can be contrasted to other Company's employers who are "common traders" with no morals whatsoever. There is some sense of connection in their relationship towards natives. Marlow looks at them at time "as you would a human being..." also he stops the pilgrims form killing the natives, and Kurtz  has a deeper relationship with the natives and even a mistress among them. Kurtz relationship is more complicated. Despite his mistreating and cruelty, the natives adore him and attack the ship because they do not want to see him go. Both Kurtz and Marlow are not "common traders". Kurtz's soul goes mad  when at the end his hunger for ivory gets the better of his less material aspirations. In contrast the greedy Company's manager and the bloodthirsty pilgrims have no conscience and will never be bothered with the inner struggles both Marlow and Kurtz partake in.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/heart-of-darkness-text/notes

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    Posted by ivana on Saturday June 6, 2009 at 5:59 AM