Women Post

In Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad there are 2 women present. The first women mentioned is Kurtz’s “intended” who is living in England. The other woman is a native woman who is present when the steamer takes off for the return trip. There is speculation that the native woman is Kurtz’s lover in Africa. This is because of her actions as Kurtz takes off on the steamer leaving his post. The woman walks up the shore and raises her arms. Also, the woman is ornamentally dressed with much jewelry and fine bracelets, unlike the other natives.

            When it comes to similarities the two women have many. The first is their love for Kurtz. They not only are both in love with him but neither of them truly know him. Also, they are both deeply connected with the culture and customs of the countries they belong to. Thirdly, both the intended and the native woman are used as symbolism. The two of them represent a duality between Africa and Europe.

            Along with this duality comes many differences; just as Europe and Africa are two very different places. The most apparent differences is how each woman’s chapter in the book ends. The native woman loses her life at the hand of the white pilgrims. The intended on the other hand is spared more heartbreak by Marlow when he tells her that Kurtz’s last words where her name. Both women loved Kurtz the same but because the native woman was different from Conrad’s traditional views she was shot by the ship’s ignorant crew.

            Throughout the book the attitude towards woman is very east to understand. Women are to props to society and treated like things. Men believe that the women should be spare from reality as we find in Marlow’s meeting with the intended. Another attitude expressed is that native women are not the same as English women, even though the only difference is in their skin tone. Finally, throughout this book it is easy to see that Marlow was a racist and misogynistic. The way he treats both the natives and the women he encounters shows that he is maybe more in tune than the others around him but he still has these tendencies.