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Writer’s Defect and Conscience: A New Historical Analysis of Humanity in Heart of Darkness

Author: HuangZhouXia
Tutor: ZhangRuZuo
School: Zhejiang University of Finance
Course: English Language and Literature
Keywords: Kurtz’s degeneration New Historicism Conrad defect conscience
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Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2012
Downloads: 69
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Abstract


Much research has been done on Heart of Darkness from the perspectives of moral criticism, political study, archetypal criticism, feminist criticism, narrative technique, culture and post-colonialism. Little has been discussed in the way of new historicism.This thesis, through the inquiry of Kurtz’s degeneration, is set to expound the duality of Conrad in writing Heart of Darkness from the perspective of new historicism, pointing out that Conrad exhibits both a defect and conscience in the novel. To make this point clear, this thesis firstly refutes two viewpoints about the causes of Kurtz’s degeneration: primitive rites as the scapegoat and Conrad’s idea that Kurtz is a man without faith. In the process of refutation, the author of this thesis puts forward the view that Kurtz’s moral depravity lies deeply in the belief chaos resulting from the expansive imperial ideology. This thesis thinks that Conrad must have known this earlier with the evidence of his subversion to the hypocritical policy of Britain government to cope with the crisis,especially his heavy attack to the two made-up theories advocated by the British government---racial superiority and civilization mission. However, due to certain realistic reasons, in dealing with the problem of Kurtz’s degeneration, Conrad yet holds that Kurtz is degenerated because of his own lack of faith rather than the belief chaos caused by the imperialism and keeps silent toward the imperialism’s vicious impact on humanity, which, reflects in the novel as his blurred and unsaid humanity. This fully shows Conrad’s tolerance of and consolidation to the imperial ideology as well as his defect in writing this novella. Fortranately, Conrad is still a writer with strong social responsibility and a conscience since he regards the rational restraint and constant introspection as the sole solution to overcome mankind’s moral failure after feeling completely disappointed with the British imperialist ideology. This solution is effective and of great significance even today in dealing with moral problems.The main contribution of this thesis rests with applying new historicism in the analysis of the scarcely referred topic---the causes of Kurtz’s degeneration and the proposition that Kurtz’s fall is deeply rooted in the expansive imperial ideology. It overthrows the original two explanations of Kurtz’s degeneration--- the seduction of primitive rites and Kurtz without faith. Meanwhile, this thesis expounds Conrad’s defect and conscience in writing Heart of Darkness and holds that Conrad’s solution of man’s moral fall is still of great realistic significance till today in dealing with moral problems.

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