Themes in Heart of Darkness
Views of the Wilderness
There are three basic views of the African wilderness
in Heart of Darkness:
- Some, like Marlow’s Aunt, see Africa as full of
savages that need to be saved. This view is demonstrated in the famous
poem White Man’s Burden.
- To others, like the Belgians in the Outer Station,
Africa represents economic prospects such as free slave labor and ivory.
This is the underlying reasoning of colonialism.
- To those such as Marlow, Africa represents a chance
for adventure and self exploration.