Joseph Conrad is celebrated for his profound portrayals of postcolonial experiences. His Heart of Darkness reveals how the power dynamics shape the perceptions of enlightenment. This research sheds lights on the binary oppositions inherent in British colonialism which erodes the established norms and enlightening ideals. Colonialism has created a detrimental impact on modern humanity, fostering detachment, loss of faith, existential turmoil, and the disintegration of social structures. Conrad’s depiction of Africa underscores the harsh reality of unconscious fears and deep-seated anxieties projected by English interference which stifles African autonomy. Through the dual lenses of Edward Said’s postcolonial theory and Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, the research, explores the decline of western values critically addressing the colonial mindset and interrogating European civilization’s alleged superiority. The research investigates how the imposition of power dynamics reshapes Europeans’ perceptions of indigenous African population exposing the civilizing mission as a façade for hypocrisy and brutality under the pretense of moral edification. The findings offer significant insights into Conrad’s enduring influence and persistent resonance with contemporary literary enthusiasts.
| Published in | Humanities and Social Sciences (Volume 12, Issue 6) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14 |
| Page(s) | 210-216 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Power Dynamics, Duality, Civilization, Corruption, Moral Awakening
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APA Style
Yasmin, A. (2024). A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Humanities and Social Sciences, 12(6), 210-216. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14
ACS Style
Yasmin, A. A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2024, 12(6), 210-216. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14
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Download@article{10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14,
author = {Asma Yasmin},
title = {A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
},
journal = {Humanities and Social Sciences},
volume = {12},
number = {6},
pages = {210-216},
doi = {10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.hss.20241206.14},
abstract = {Joseph Conrad is celebrated for his profound portrayals of postcolonial experiences. His Heart of Darkness reveals how the power dynamics shape the perceptions of enlightenment. This research sheds lights on the binary oppositions inherent in British colonialism which erodes the established norms and enlightening ideals. Colonialism has created a detrimental impact on modern humanity, fostering detachment, loss of faith, existential turmoil, and the disintegration of social structures. Conrad’s depiction of Africa underscores the harsh reality of unconscious fears and deep-seated anxieties projected by English interference which stifles African autonomy. Through the dual lenses of Edward Said’s postcolonial theory and Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, the research, explores the decline of western values critically addressing the colonial mindset and interrogating European civilization’s alleged superiority. The research investigates how the imposition of power dynamics reshapes Europeans’ perceptions of indigenous African population exposing the civilizing mission as a façade for hypocrisy and brutality under the pretense of moral edification. The findings offer significant insights into Conrad’s enduring influence and persistent resonance with contemporary literary enthusiasts.
},
year = {2024}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - A Far Cry for Enlightenment: Power Shapes Perception in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness AU - Asma Yasmin Y1 - 2024/11/26 PY - 2024 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14 DO - 10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14 T2 - Humanities and Social Sciences JF - Humanities and Social Sciences JO - Humanities and Social Sciences SP - 210 EP - 216 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2330-8184 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20241206.14 AB - Joseph Conrad is celebrated for his profound portrayals of postcolonial experiences. His Heart of Darkness reveals how the power dynamics shape the perceptions of enlightenment. This research sheds lights on the binary oppositions inherent in British colonialism which erodes the established norms and enlightening ideals. Colonialism has created a detrimental impact on modern humanity, fostering detachment, loss of faith, existential turmoil, and the disintegration of social structures. Conrad’s depiction of Africa underscores the harsh reality of unconscious fears and deep-seated anxieties projected by English interference which stifles African autonomy. Through the dual lenses of Edward Said’s postcolonial theory and Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, the research, explores the decline of western values critically addressing the colonial mindset and interrogating European civilization’s alleged superiority. The research investigates how the imposition of power dynamics reshapes Europeans’ perceptions of indigenous African population exposing the civilizing mission as a façade for hypocrisy and brutality under the pretense of moral edification. The findings offer significant insights into Conrad’s enduring influence and persistent resonance with contemporary literary enthusiasts. VL - 12 IS - 6 ER -
Department of English, Port City International University, Chattogram, Bangladesh
