Who is Marlow?
It is through the narration of Marlow we come across the story of Heart of Darkness. He is the second narrator of the novella after the unnamed one who introduces Marlow to the readers. Marlow is a seaman and takes a fancy to wander into the depths of the seas. His passion leads him to Africa to take the ailing Kurtz away from Congo. He narrates his experience, problems and challenges which were being faced by him during his voyage to the dark continent of Africa. His narration is considered to be the mouthpiece of Joseph Conrad, the author of this novella.
A Mouthpiece of Conrad
Heart of Darkness is based upon the experience of Joseph Conrad during his own voyage to the African continent. Although the story of the darkness is told by Marlow, it is Conrad who is speaking in the guise of Marlow. That is why, Marlow is referred to as the mouthpiece of Conrad. But it must be noted that there are certain differences between Marlow and Conrad. Therefore, Marlow should not be considered as a complete replication of Conrad.
He Brings Kurtz to Life
The character and narration of Marlow is more important than the unnamed narrator because he is the one who brings the character of Kurtz to life as the character of Kurtz is important to highlight the meaning of the novella. At first, he is rather annoyed by the consistent mentions of Kurtz importance in the field of collecting ivory. But as he learns more about Kurtz, his interest in him grows. When he first sees Kurtz, he sees him as the "only white man" among the black Africans. This remark comes out as Marlow's admiration for Kurtz. But it should be noted that Marlow does not "idolize" Kurtz like the Russian and does not hesitate to find faults in Kurtz.
Marlow bluntly gives a sneak peek at the horrible deeds done by Kurtz in exploiting the natives and their property, not to mention the "unspeakable rites". Yet Marlow appears as a controlling force for Kurtz when Marlow drags him back to his tent and he is "not much heavier than a child". [Jeez! ] It is difficult to assess that whether Marlow admires Kurtz or not because his judgement of Kurtz continue to change as he comes by another trait of Kurtz. But Marlow's judgement of Kurtz' last words is significant because according to him,
Kurtz was a remarkable man," Marlow says, because he "had something to say" and simply "said it".
Thus, Marlow not only gives the readers a chance to look into the life of Kurtz but also into his character.
His Experiences in African Congo
Marlow not only gives us a picture of Kurtz but of his experiences in Africa as well. His narration gives an ample amount of life and challenges at work in the African Congo. He vividly describes how Nature exists there and how natives lead their lives remaining uncivilized. Marlow describes the beauty of African Nature as thus,
The edge of a colossal jungle, so dark-green as to be almost black, fringed with white surf, ran straight, like a ruled line.
Marlow's accounts of his confrontation with the natives is also important because it shows the natives' devotion (or fear? ) for Kurtz. For instance, when his steamer arrives and when he is about to take Kurtz away, his boat is attacked by the natives (through arrows). Therefore, Marlow is not only a narrator, but also moves the plot of the novella with his actions.
As a Philosopher and Psychologist
Another notable trait in the character of Marlow is his philosophical and psychological caricaturing of the people he met during his voyage. Marlow's ability to use his psychological and philosophical analysis enables him to see what exactly is in the minds of the characters he meets and to speculate about the inner truth respectively. For instance, when Marlow is knowing about Mr. Kurtz through the brick-maker, he remarks that through the remarks of the brick-maker, he is unable to visualize the true picture of Mr. Kurtz and his personality looks like a dream to him. But, on a philosophical level, Marlow asserts that it is impossible to sense the essence of life at a given moment. [Which is just a fancy way of saying that a person like Kurtz even exists?]
Conclusion
The character of Marlow is marked by his vivid narration about his experiences in Africa, his description of Kurtz' character and his philosophical and psychological analysis of the people he saw. Therefore, it is safe to say that without the narration of Marlow, there would have been no Kurtz.
Sources and Suggested Readings
- Critical Studies of Heart of Darkness - Famous Products - Page 246
- https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/heart-of-darkness/charlie-marlow
