Essay Idea(s)

Something I found very interesting about "Heart of Darkness was the relationship between Marlow and Kurtz on a psychological level. My current idea is investigating the role of Kurtz in Marlow's life and how the reader interprets such a relation. Kurtz represents the "id" of Marlow, for example his raw desires and unrestrained emotions with the absence of the ego or superego. While both characters signify two parts of human psychology, Conrad connects them with the reader by emphasizing the idea that every human being is naturally fascinated by the "id" which they do not realize they are repressing. As Marlow begins to find similarities between himself and Kurtz, he becomes infatuate. As the reader, following the story through Marlow's eyes, starts to connect with Kurtz also.