Imperialism essays

Imperialism is the policy of a country extending its influence by acquiring or controlling other territories. It has been practiced throughout history and can be seen in many forms. One example of imperialism was Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness. Take a look at this imperialism essay to know more about it.

In Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness, Marlow, a sailor who tends to ponder on himself, is assigned to locate Kurtz on the Congo River.

Kurtz is a merchant of ivory in Africa and the head of a trade station. The native Africans have bestowed him with the stature of a god, which he uses to gain financially.

Marlow secures a job as the captain of a vessel belonging to the Company, a large corporate entity that deals in ivory in areas beyond the Congo. As Marlow progresses through the Congo, he discovers that the native people of the area have been coerced into working for the corporation and enduring the horrendous conditions terribly.

The arrival of Europeans in the Congo has cast a pall of despondency over the people living there. In Heart of Darkness, darkness is used to exemplify the concept of imperialism. The Congo, Marlow, and Kurtz are all used to portray the implications of imperialism in a dark light.

The terrible consequences of British colonialism on the Congo are unmistakably depicted in the heart of Darkness. The Congo is used to illustrate the darkness of such an oppressive system. The British were certain that by controlling the Congo, they could offer its inhabitants a much better standard of living. It was thought that if the people of the Congo were brought under the control of another nation, it would lead to their civilizing and enlightening.

Instead of achieving the goal they had set out to accomplish, the Europeans comprehended that the Ivory was not worth much to the native people, so they chose to take it and gain an income. They exploited the Congo for its valuable commodities, such as ivory, and had the locals labor to complete the tasks.

Marlow commented on how numerous individuals had started coming to the Congo; they had set off from Deptford, Greenwich, and Erith – some were adventurers, while the others were settlers. The river had brought forth many great things into the unknown land.

Marlow observed that many people had gone to the Congo to pursue wealth and fame. The misery and despair caused by European colonialism overwhelmingly affected the Congo.

Taking control of the world, which typically involves depriving people with different skin tones or facial features than us, is not a pleasant activity if you examine it closely. Marlow has a negative opinion of the European colonization of the Congo and their rush to occupy it. He pointed out that Europeans had rushed in without thinking, trying to take away and control the possessions of those not of their race.

As Marlow voyaged along the Congo, he uncovered the insidiousness of colonialism, and through the different happenings he experienced, he was subjected to its malevolence. His experiences allow him to understand the devastating consequences of imperialismHe confesses to having a strange feeling while strolling in the Congo, claiming, “I couldn’t make sense of it, yet I had the impression I wasn’t meant to be there.”

It was unusual that I, who would usually jump at the chance to travel anywhere with just a day’s notice, had a moment of shock—not hesitation, but surprise—before this regular occurrence. As Marlow strolled down the avenue, he experienced a sensation of being an outsider who did not fit in the area. Marlow witnesses many of the brutal methods the Europeans employ against the inhabitants of the Congo.

Marlow discovers the dark side of colonialism through Kurtz. This ivory trader is the most successful of all the ivory merchants and is thought of highly. He is initially introduced as “a remarkable individual” and is held in high regard.

When Kurtz ventured to the Congo, he assumed a position of omniscience among the locals, requiring them to comply with his every whim. Kurtz cast a pall over the entire population by seizing control of their resources and asserting himself as a deity.