Women In Heart Of Darkness Analysis English Literature Essay

Women In Heart Of Darkness Analysis position Literature EssayAnother example of this fantasy human being that women outlast in occurs when Marlow tells the think of Kurtzs last words. Like Marlows aunt, the Intended represents women of tight-laced England in that her reality was based on the faith that was in herthat great and conservation illusion that shone with an unearthly glow in the darkness (133). To Marlow, women must know in a perfect world They-the women I mean- be out of it-should be out of it. We must help them to stay in that beautiful world of their own, lest ours get worse (97). Again, women argon shown to be ignorant of reality and are treated in view of that, such as when Kurtz describes the Intended as one item in a list of his property My intended, my ivory, my station, my river, my- (97). Note, however, that only if Marlow and Kurtz make these comments on the ignorance of women, and it is because of this view that Marlow lies to the Intended.In contrast to the Intended, the aboriginal bawd first appearance gives readers an image of a bold and courageous woman. She whole stands on the shore as men fire guns at the primaevals and is set forth as a wild and gorgeous apparition of a womansavage and superb, amatory and magnificent (113). The image she radiates seems unlike that of Marlows aunt or the Intended, in that the native woman has a commanding presence within her tribe. In actuality, condescension the appearance of importance, she is regarded by men as expendable. The Russian says, If she had offered to come along military position I really think I would bewilder tried to gain her (114). Marlow and his men are allowed to help Kurtz, but the native woman is not even allowed to suggest helping.This inferiority of the native mistress in the congo parallels the same role of the Intended in European civilization women are helpless without men. This is evident when the barbarous and superb womanstretched tragically her bare build up after us over the somber and glittering river (122), identical to when the Intended put out her arms as if after a retreating figure, stretching them back and with clasped pale handsresembling in this gesture another one, tragic also, and bedecked with ineffective charms, stretching bare brown arms over the glitter of the doomed stream, the stream of darkness (134). Symbolically, this motion signifies the inexplicable female dependence on men in that both women reached out for Kurtz. Furthermore, the gesture demonstrates a side of women cultured by men, a refusal to accept reality. This is also shown by the native womans apparent unawareness of Kurtzs atrocities.When taking into consideration all the male influences on women in the novel, it is impossible to support the notion that women were in any thought important. In the entire Heart of Darkness, few women are mentioned. Those that are have minor roles and are either regarded as inferior to men or detached from real ity, despite having an artificial sense of value. This view of women is representative of the Victorian era in that women were male property. The importance of this notion, however, is that it is blatantly exemplified in the novel, face lifting the question of whether Conrad also held the same view as the men in the story.This is not only prevalent in Heart of Darkness, but it sight be seen everywhere in history, even today.