Heart of Darkness is a novella by Joseph Conrad, first published in 1899. It tells the story of Marlow, an Englishman who travels up the Congo River in search of the mysterious Mr. Kurtz, a European trader who has become a powerful figure in the African interior. Along the way, Marlow encounters the dark realities of colonialism and the human capacity for evil. He eventually discovers Kurtz, who has become a god-like figure among the natives, and is forced to confront his own inner darkness. The novella is a powerful exploration of the human psyche and the effects of imperialism.
By Joseph Conrad · First published 1899 · Genre: Adventure Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Historical Fiction · 3 chapters