Heart of Darkness

by Joseph Conrad TEACHERS PREFER PRINT COPIES ONLY! English IV AP Heart of Darkness is a novella written in 1899 by Anglo-Polish novelist Joseph Conrad.  It a tale about a voyage up the Congo River into the Congo Free State, in the heart of Africa, by the story's narrator Marlow. Marlow tells his story to friends aboard a boat anchored on the River Thames, London, England. This setting provides the frame for Marlow's story of his obsession with the ivory trader Kurtz, which enables Conrad to create a parallel between London and Africa as places of darkness. Central to Conrad's work is the idea that there is little difference between so-called civilized people and those described as savages; Heart of Darkness raises important questions about imperialism and racism. ***Novels are for Brother Rice students and are only available for Bookstore pick up or local shipping!