The Freudian Model in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart Darkne

The Freudian clay sculpture in total of Darkness In my essay I specialise to prove Joseph Conrads use of the Freudian model of the human mind, as portrayed in his characterization of Marlowe, Kurtz, and the state of nature. Further, using that model I bequeath explicate Conrads ambiguous tone in Heart of Darkness. First, I mustiness define each figure in Conrads novel with its appropriate Freudian psyche. These psyche are defined in an essay by Ross C. Murfins essay, psychoanalytical Criticism in The Awakening the human mind is essentially duple in nature. He called the predominately passional, irrational, unknown, and unconscious part of the psyche the id, or it. The ego, or I, was his term for the predominantly rational, logical, orderly, conscious part. Another aspect of the psyche, which he called the superego, is really a projection of the ego. The superego almost seems to be outside of the self, devising moral judgements, telling us to make sacrifices for good caus es even though self-sacrifice may not be quite logical or rational.(Murfin 219) We see the characteristics of Freuds id in the descriptions of Kurtzs savage actions as well as Marlowes digest as to why he acted this way I want you to understandably understand that there was nothing exactly profitable in these heads world there. They only showed that Mr. Kurtz lacked restraint in the gratification of his various lusts, that there was something deficient in him-some small matter which when the pressing need arose, could not be found under his magnificent eloquence. Whether he knew of this deficiency himself I cant say. I think the knowledge came to him at last-only at the very last. But the wilderness had found him out early, and had taken on him a terr... ...y the memory of gratify and monstrous passions. (Conrad 132) It is the connection between Kurtz, Marlowe and their inability to figure out the wilderness that we are left with Kurtzs chilling last words The horror. The horr or. This quote is material because of it ambiguity. Conrad keeps the readers curiosity by having us searching for meaning in what the sum total of darkness is. The feeling of eerie confusion we get from Kurtz and Marlowes fear and bewilderment of the wilderness is symbolic of the human minds inability to realize the unconscious. Conrad uses the wilderness as Marlowes symbol of the unconscious. Works Cited Murfin, Ross C.. Feminist Criticism and The Awakening. in Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Boston Bedford Books, 1993. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer. New York Signet Classic, 1997.