摘 要

《黑暗的心》是一部最有影响的英国现代主义小说,作者是英国现代主义作家约瑟夫·康拉德，通过描述刚果河之行向读者展示殖民地非洲腹地的图景。这篇现代主义小说主要描述非洲原住民遭受欧洲殖民者的残酷待遇，但更深入的去探究背后的意义，康拉德对现代社会下的文明危机、欧洲殖民主义、人性的完整性充满担忧。在这个短篇小说中，象征主义、反讽、比较等其他的写作特点，丰富了小说的内涵和意蕴。戏剧性的安排来揭示主题是另一个塑造这一优秀作品的重要写作特点。

关键词：约瑟夫康拉德；《黑暗的心》；写作手法； 戏剧性的安排

Contents

1. Introduction................................................................................................................1

1.1. A brief introduction to the author and novel...........................................................1

1.2. A brief introduction to two characters, Marlow and Kurtz.....................................2

1.3A brief introduction to the paper…………………………………………………...2

1. Demonstration.............................................................................................................3

2.1. Writing techniques…………………………………………...................................3

2.1.1. Symbolism used in novel.....................................................................................4

2.1.2. Irony and comparison used in novel....................................................................6

2.2. Dramatic ways of the revelation of the theme …………………...........................8

2.2.1. The arrangement of Kurtz’s tragedy and his last words.......................................8

2.2.2. The arrangement of a lie told to Kurtz’s wife by Marlow...................................9

1. Conclusion...............................................................................................................10

Notes ............................................................................................................................11

Works Cited..................................................................................................................12

Bibliography ................................................................................................................13

An Analysis of the Writing Features

of the Novel Heart of Darkness

1. Introduction

1.1. A brief introduction to the author and novel

Joseph Conrad is one of eight greatest modernists in British literature. 13 novels, 28 short stories and two memoirs are written by him in his entire life. Each of these works has its own unique style and a far-reaching influence for many famous writers. Therefore Conrad has a good reputation in British literary history. Conrad was a sailor when he was young. The 20 years of sailing experience accumulates many sources for his later works which are often with a seaboard setting. That’s the reason why Conrad is called “Master of marine novels”. He writes stories and novels, many with a nautical setting, that depict trials of the human spirit in the midst of an impassive, inscrutable universe.¹

Heart of Darkness was completed in Conrad’s forties years old. It is the most outstanding, the most representative modernist and the most insightful fiction among all of his works. To fulfill a wish of his childhood, Conrad commanded a ship to Congo, and soon was in poor physical condition. As a result, Conrad had to come back ahead of time. Joseph Conrad draws heavily from his own personal experiences to write the novel. The experience in Congo provides main material for him to write Heart of Darkness. The main ploy of this story is about a travel to Congo the protagonist Marlow told to the crew who were in a boat anchored on the River Thames, London, England.