Marlow's Suspected Purpose

Marlow has identified his real purpose on his voyage: to exploit the resources of the land, regardless the means to achieve it. And he does not like it. “It was just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind-as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness.” (pg. 69) He also mentions that he felt his role in the exploration was not what he expected to be and suspected he would end up just like the others. So this dream of discovering the world is replaced with killing and stealing to get ivory.

Imperialism I believe has been well covered for a long time. I remember doing a project on modern imperialism in Global Studies with Mr. O’Connor and how shocked I was at the statistics and facts I had really no idea of. If today’s imperialism is gross I imagine Marlow’s experience of it must have been slaughtering. This novel could, in between lines, be a critic of the reality behind the voyages along African’s rivers. In Marlow’s 100.page story, he constantly reflects upon his own reality and self and his position regarding what he started to realize. Even though he avoids disagreeing explicitly with the traders and pilgrims around him, he definitely opposed their actions.

“The word “ivory” rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it. A taint of imbecile rapacity blew through in all, like a whiff from some corpse. By Jove! I’ve never seen anything so unreal in my life.” (pg 89)

Marlow talks pejoratively to this ambition and greed for ivory. He describes it as an “imbecile rapacity”, like a satisfaction for this stupid greed. I like his subtle but harsh judgment on it. It appears that all the boat’s members and all the people in charge and part of the exploitation were proud of their roles, including Marlow. But Marlow is proud of where he finds himself because of his ambition as a child, not for the monetary reward he could be granted. Conrad manages to takes us along in the journey. I ask myself, will Marlow do something against the imperialism taking place? Or will he simply be indifferent? I guess he will, otherwise he would not be the protagonist, right?