Deconstructing the Idea of Civilization in Heart of Darkness: A Postcolonial Critique

Abstract

This research study technically incorporates a postcolonial lens to critically analyze the pervasive notion of civilization in Joseph Conrad's seminal masterpiece in English literature Heart of Darkness. This primarily employs the tool of deconstruction explicitly demystifies the glorified narratives and ideologies lurking in the shadows of the western civilization or enlightenment. This study has masterfully employed a qualitative, postcolonial methodology, intensively focusing on the framework of Orientalism, introduced by Edward W. Said. The central objective inextricably tied to this study is to critically analyze the idea of civilization in Heart of Darkness, highlighting the mechanics behind the Conrad's narratives, challenging the very essence of ravaging evil of colonialism. The findings offer an indispensable insight into the Conrad's narratives technically harnessed to sabotage the dominant Western notion of civilization. This research study concludes that the novella the Heart of Darkness, undoubtedly, demonstrates a complex and refined imagery of civilization, reflecting the ambiguous and oppressed corpus of western civilization.