"Heart of Darkness" as a Hero's Journey.
Certain themes can easily be picked out of Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness", such as the evils of man, and the destructive nature of imperialism; however, the strongest recurring motif in this novel is that of the Heroic Journey. The main character, Marlow, is the embodiment of the archetypal Hero figure, and he undergoes stages that are similar to the "Rrites of Passage"(Harris 1) that form a common pattern in much of western literature. The basis for the novel is that Marlow feels called to his own, personal journey' to discover something that he's not quite sure of when he is summoned to work on the Congo in Africa. Before he departs, he comes to the stereotypical Threshold at the company's headquarters, where he is about to depart for the unknown. Down the Congo, on the journey itself, Marlow faces many different Challenges which test his physical, psychological, and moral capabilities. Once Marlow has proven himself worthy, he then comes to the final confrontation- he faces death and the true nature of humanity- which is the classic depiction of the Abyss part of the Hero's Journey. Marlow overcomes the ultimate challenge, and undergoes a transformation, where he gains knowledge of himself and of life. When he returns to his ordinary life, he finds that he perceives things differently, and behaves differently because of what he has learned; this portion is characteristic of the Return in the Rites of Passage. It is evident right at the beginning of the novel that Marlow is regarded as an enlightened individual, and that accounts for his Atonement. As it is evident, "Heart of Darkness" epitomizes the concept of the Hero's Journey in every aspect.
Marlow's Call to the journey starts out with his yearning to travel to the heart of Africa as a child, which he finally realizes as an adult. Conrad shows how Marlow is charmed by the Congo River: ".
