What is the cause of Kurtz madness?

Marlow suggests that the loneliness and unfamiliarity of the African environment induces Kurtz’s madness, and that his mind weakens the deeper he travels into the heart of darkness. As Marlow describes it: Being alone in the wilderness…

What does Kurtz represent?

Kurtz represents a normalif ambitiousman who realizes that to thrive in the Interior, he has to act like a god, someone who can lead these “primitive” people to the proverbial light and civilization. But then greed gets in the way.

What horror is Kurtz talking about?

The horror! During his time spent in Africa, Kurtz becomes corrupt and writes the words Exterminate all the brutes! Here he refers to his own and his comrade’s brutality in Africa, which was carried out in the name of progress and civilization.

What is Kurtz doing in the Congo?

1) What is Kurtz doing in the Congo? Kurtz goes to the Congo as an emissary for the Company, a Belgian operation that has set up stations along the Congo River to facilitate the export of ivory. Kurtz runs the innermost station, and he proves to be the Company’s most efficient exporter.

Why did Kurtz kill chef?

The most humane character, Chef, who has a career he is passionate about, is made to die because Willard doesn’t take the threat of Kurtz’s power seriously enough. This plot point is meant to show the randomness and the unfairness of war.

What do the cannibals eat in Heart of Darkness?

The cannibals initially take a large piece of hippo meat with them on the trip, which quickly rots and becomes inedible. Despite the fact that the cannibals cannot eat the rotting hippo meat, they do not attack and eat Marlow and the white pilgrims on the steamboat.

How are the cannibals paid in Heart of Darkness?

They were each paid three pieces of brass wire every week, the idea being that they would go ashore and trade that for food in the villages we passed.

Why does Marlow throw his shoes overboard?

Marlow throws the bloodied pair of shoes overboard in disappointment and frustration. “Marlow is disheartened because he expects Kurtz to be dead too.

Why does Marlow miss the helmsman?

On pg 50-51 of the Norton Critical Edition (4th edition) he says he “missed [his] late helmsman awfully” because “he had done something, he had steered; for months I had him at my back–a help–an instrument. …

Why is it ironic that Marlow needs his aunt’s help to secure his appointment?

Why is it ironic that Marlow needs his aunt’s help to secure his appointment? It is ironic that Marlow needs his aunt’s help because she is a woman in a male-dominated world, the sea. What happened to Fresleven, one of the Company’s captains? Fresleven was murdered by a native in a quarrel over black hens.

How does the helmsman die in Heart of Darkness?

How does Marlow’s helmsman die? He is killed and eaten by the cannibals. He is shot by an angry pilgrim. He is impaled on a spear thrown from the riverbank.

Why does Marlow fascinated by Kurtz?

In the end of the story, when Marlow meets Kurtz’s wife, he has realized that Kurtz was a sort of universal genius, because he had read Kurtz texts and was really fascinated.