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Use of Irony in Heart of Darkness

The document discusses the use of irony in Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness. There are several notable ironies discussed. The greatest irony is Kurtz's transformation from a civilized man intent on "taming the cannibals" to becoming a savage himself, worshipped as a god by the local tribe but engaging in brutal raids and rituals. Another irony is Marlow's shift from initially disdaining Kurtz to admiring and befriending him. A further irony is Kurtz's fiancée unwaveringly mourning and praising him despite his descent into savagery.

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821 views2 pages

Use of Irony in Heart of Darkness

The document discusses the use of irony in Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness. There are several notable ironies discussed. The greatest irony is Kurtz's transformation from a civilized man intent on "taming the cannibals" to becoming a savage himself, worshipped as a god by the local tribe but engaging in brutal raids and rituals. Another irony is Marlow's shift from initially disdaining Kurtz to admiring and befriending him. A further irony is Kurtz's fiancée unwaveringly mourning and praising him despite his descent into savagery.

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faisal jahangeer
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Use of Irony in Heart of Darkness

Joseph Conrad has used a figurative device, irony, to cater the hidden meaning in the
novella Heart of Darkness. When there is the contrast between what is said and what
actually is, then the situation is said to be ironic. Whenever the irony is used, it
heightens the degree of effect: sometime the comic effect and sometimes the tragic
effect.

Joseph Conrad (1857-1924)


There are many ironies in the novel, but the greatest and noteworthy irony is the
conversion of Kurtz in the Congo. Kurtz was an intelligent agent of the Company who
once wrote a pamphlet stating the formative role the whites that they can play in the
interior of Africa. As per him, the whites can suppress the savages, their brutal
customs of killing human beings, and their way of living and can civilize the
backward people. Here, he held a very high and progressive concept about taming the
cannibals.
But we see at the end of the novel, “Exterminate all the brutes” written at the
end of the pamphlet. Here lies the irony, that at first what he wrote about the
constructive role of whites contradicts with the statement. Similarly, Kurtz is expected
to civilize the savages because he is thought to be one of the great people having
moral restraint. However, just the opposite happens in the novel, in place of civilizing
the brutes, he himself has become a savage. While dealing with the whites he
behaves normally, but when he returns to the interior, he finds himself one of them and
becomes a savage. Later on, he becomes so powerful, dominating all the savages that
he is worshipped as a god. He starts following the night rituals that ends with the
beheading of many savages and cruel raids for the ivory. Kurtz cannot control his moral
self. He forgets the demarcation line of civilized man and a savage. He went there to
transform the savages, but he himself is transformed. In this way, Kurtz’s
transformation into savage is one great irony of this novel.
Another significant irony is Marlow’s ultimate reactions to Kurtz. At the beginning
of the novel, Marlow gets many information about Kurtz and he forms an attitude of
disdain towards Kurtz. However, afterwards, he becomes his admirer and respects him.
He has developed a strong feeling of friendship with him. He persuades Kurtz to return
back to the city. He begins to cherish the cruel man who has turned into a savage.
Marlow has started to see him as his own kin in terms of the primitiveness. Thus,
another civilized and highly cultured man, Marlow, has also fallen a near prey to
the influences of savagery. We expect Marlow to hold his hatred towards Kurtz till the
end, but happens opposite to our hope.
There is irony in the attitude of Kurtz’s fiancée. She has been a great lover and devoted
to her beloved Kurtz. She feels proud that her lover is in the great mission to civilize the
savages. She has harbored a highest degree of respect for her lover whom she
worships like a god. When she knows about the death of Kurtz, her grief overpowers
her. Marlow goes to see her after one year of Kurtz’s death, and still he finds her in
mourning. She speaks of high words for him. The irony in this case lies in the fact that,
the man she loves and still adores had become a devil in the process of civilizing
the savages. The irony becomes higher when Marlow says that his last words had
been her name which was a white lie. The last words of Kurtz were “Horror, Horror”.  
The adoration of Kurtz by the Russian is very ironical. According to the description
of Marlow, Kurtz has become a devil, living among the savages he has been no less
than them. But for the Russian, he is a hero of great worth. The Russian says that Kurtz
has enlarged his mind and can teach to see the essence of the things in a different way.
As per the Russian, Kurtz possesses a hidden wisdom which enlightens him. It is
so ironical that a man who is by all means a devil can illuminate the Russian.
In this way, the novel Heart of Darkness possesses many ironies to heighten the
degree of feeling, of sorrow when there is an unexpected transformation of Kurtz, when
the white fiancée goes on believing that her lover is noble and praiseworthy and when
we find Marlow praising Kurtz despite his devilish nature.

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