heart-of-darkness《黑暗之心》

HeartofDarknessJosephConradOutlineAuthorBackgroundMainContentUnderstandingofMineAuthorJosephConrad(3Dec.1857-3Aug.1924)wasaPolish-bornEnglishnovelist.Heisregardedasoneofthegreatestnovelistsinthe20thcenturyoftheU.K.Hewrotestoriesandnovels,predominantlywithanautical(航海的)setting,thatdepict(描述)trialsofthehumanspiritbythedemandsofdutyandhonor.TheRoidesBelges,theBelgianriverboatConradcommandedontheupperCongo,1889BackgroundThestoryisbasedonConrad’svoyagetoCongoin1890.Hekeptadiaryduringthevoyage.Thediaryprovidedthefirsthandinformationforthisbook.That’swhymanydetailsinthebookstruckmeasreal.OldBelgianriverstationontheCongoRiver,1889MainContentThestorycentresonCharlesMarlow,whonarratesmostofthebook.HeisanEnglishmanwhotakesaforeignassignmentfromaBelgiantradingcompanyasariver-boatcaptaininAfrica.HeartofDarknessexposesthedarksideofBelgiancolonization(殖民化)whileexploringthethreelevelsofdarknessthattheprotagonist(主角),Marlow,encounters(遭遇):thedarknessoftheCongowilderness,thedarknessoftheBelgian’scrueltreatmentoftheAfricannatives,andtheunfathomable(深不可测的)darknesswithineveryhumanbeingforcommittingheinous(可憎的)actsofevil.UnderstandingofMineHisphilosophyoflifeAwarningto“civilized”humanbeingsAnexplorationofhumannature