Heart Of Darkness

An oppressor is someone who burdens and expresses harsh exercise of authority or power; a person who burdens another, and abuses them of their morals. In Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Marlow, a sailor, takes the position of a riverboat captain and travels up the Congo River in pursuit of a man with great abilities that goes by the name of Kurtz. Conrad juxtaposes Marlow and Kurtz to show that oppressors end up getting punished for what they do. Marlow and Kurtz lose touch with their souls and are exploited by the company they work for.

Marlow, the oppressor, automatically has power because of his race and position. Being a leader in general, and a riverboat captain, all other sailors are under his command which is one way he oppresses. An example of his oppression is when his boat is under attack. Marlow says "Steer her straight I said to the helmsmanÐ'... keep quiet! I said in a furyÐ'..." (121). This shows how Marlow obtains control of the others. He is seen as a leader on the boat, and uses his power to his advantage. As Marlow took advantage of his leadership, it gained him the reputation of an oppressor.

Kurtz, another oppressor, has a big impact on the people he leads in many ways. He both oppresses the people, but in ways is also oppressed because of the pressure that is put on him to stay on top of his game as a leader. When Marlow arrives at Kurtz, he automatically sees what's going on. "They would have been even more impressive, those heads on the stakes, if their faces had not been turned to the house. Only one, the first I had made out, I was facing my way. I was not so shocked as you may think." (137) This goes to show that Kurtz is obviously an oppressor and those what he does to put fear into the people to stay on top, so its not a surprise, he has killed many of these people.

Karma hits, and hurts Marlow in the way that after Kurtz died, he has to live with a great burden on his back; he has to live with the thoughts of not being able to tell Kurtz beloved Kurtz' last words, when he knew all that happened. After Kurtz had died, Marlow visited his beloved to talk to her about Kurtz, he had to lie to her about his last words and as she was in sorrow about a lie Marlow though "It seemed to me that the house would collapse before I could escape, that the heavens would fall upon my headÐ'... I wonder if I had rendered Kurtz that justice which was his due? Hadn't he said he wanted only justice?