Inhumanity in Heart of Darkness

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In the novel Heart of Darkness, the issue of the “nature of man” and what it means to be human or humane is echoed through Marlow’s journey down the dark jungle of the Congo. To be human means to have a mind, to be living, and function as a primate. To be humane on the other hand, means to be tender, compassionate, affectionate, kindhearted, and empathetic. It is often assumed that to be human is to be humane, but as Marlow learns, one has nothing to do with the other. In the novel, there are numerous incidents which depicts the white man’s ruthless behavior toward the natives. This is evident as the white man enslaves, tortures and murders the natives as if they are objects and not humans like themselves.

Throughout the novel, the white man encourages slavery of the natives and uses force to get what he desires. For example, the company’s chief accountant acknowledges that the reason he dresses in such a pleasant way is because he beats the natives whom he enslaves. “I’ve been teaching one of the native women about the station. It was difficult. She had a distaste for the work.” (Conrad 8) He assumes that the only means of getting the native to make his clothes crisp and fresh is by harshly beating her until she got the task done perfectly. Another incident where one sees an atrocious sight of men being treated as savages is when Marlow sees the six man chain gang. They were six black men chained together obviously being treated as inferiors, almost as slaves. Upon seeing this atrocious sight of men being treated as savages, Marlow compares the white man leading these chained up men, to devils. “ They were strong, lusty, red-eyed devils, that swayed and drove men-men I tell you.” (81) Marlow explains that he had never seen men who drove other men like cattle. Men who were no different than themselves, except in the color of their skin. Kurtz is also another good example of the exploitation of the natives. Upon Marlow’s arriving at the inner station, he learns from the Russian Trader that one cannot talk to Kurtz; rather they must listen to him. “You don’t talk with that man-you only listen to him.” (17) This indicates that Kurtz has become so cruel and rapacious in his behavior to the extent that he only gives orders and refuses to take any one’s opinion in the process.

There are countless cruelties and tortures that the natives have to endure as they are being used as scapegoats for the white men. “A nigger was being beaten near by. They said he had caused the fire in some way… I saw him, later, for several days, looking very sick and trying to recover himself… the wilderness without a sound took him into its bosom again.” (0) Marlow goes on to explain that the native was accused of causing the fire, although the general manager knowing he cannot be accountable for the fire; beats the native harshly. Another encounter of cruelty done towards the natives happens when Marlow sees the six chained up men advancing up the hill. “ They walked erect, and slow, balancing small baskets full of earth on their heads, and the clink kept time with their footsteps…every rib, the joints of their limbs were like knots in a robe; each had an iron collar on his neck, and all were connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them, rhythmically clinking.” (80) This displays the torture the black man has to endure. As Marlow then descends down the hill, he spies a big shade tree in the distance and decides to investigate. Marlow goes under the tree and finds many natives moaning and waiting to die. Marlow is stunned at what he sees as “ Black shapes crouched, lay, sat between the trees leaning against the trunks, clinging to the earth, half coming out, half effaced within the dim light within the dim light with all attitudes of pain, abandonment, and despair.” (8)

Many of the natives were murdered by the inhumanity and cruelty of the white man. Marlow brings up a specific inhuman whom is Kurtz. Kurtz was a murderer as he had dried heads of natives he had killed for not following orders or retaliating against him. “They would have been more impressive, these heads on the stakes, if their faces had not been turned to the house… black, dried, sunken, with closed eyelids a head…” (1-1) Kurtz shows his oppression towards the natives by torturing and killing them, and keeping their heads as souvenirs. Kurtz is disturbed and clearly shows his supposed dominance over these feeble natives. Another example of natives abandoned and murdered is when Marlow stumbles upon a body of a native with a bullet hole through the forehead on his way o the inner station. “ …a body of a middle-aged Negro with bullet-hole in the forehead, upon which I stumbled three miles farther on…” (86) There are many incidents in the novel where the natives are abandoned and left to die alone with no kind of comfort. One example is when Marlow is in the groove of death and witnesses a death of a native. “ One of those creatures rose to his hands and knees, and went on all-fours towards the river to drink. He lapped out of his hand, then sat up in the sunlight, crossing his shins in front of him, and after a time let his wooly head fall on his breastbone.” (8) These instances obviously reveal the white men’s ignorance and inhumane treatment.




In conclusion, Marlow is faced with the inhumanity of the white man and his ill treatment towards the natives. This is obvious as the white man acts in a superior manner, which leaves the natives tortured and abandoned to death. In the end Marlow realized that not only did human nature not include the ability to be humane, but also that the natives being discriminated against were kindred with him and all of man. The river gave Marlow the chance to experience the hatred and the truth of the world, by showing him the inhumane white man. Marlow finally found the heart of darkness, but was able to leave the Congo with a renewed light about him and everything he believed true.



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