Essay about Joseph Conrads The Women of Heart of Darkness

Joseph Conrads The Women of Heart of Darkness The novella Heart of Darkness illustrates readers with three different types of depictions that men had of women during the late 1800’s; also known as the imperialistic era. These depictions were as follows; the naive woman, the mistress, and the wealthy widow. The naà ¯ve woman was personified by Kurtz intended. The mistress was personified by the native African woman. The wealthy widow is personified by Marlow’s aunt. This assumption can be made on various levels. The most obvious level is how Joseph Conrad never gave these characters names. Also when they are mentioned it is very brief. Kurtz’s intended is the naà ¯ve character. She is alone and waiting for Kurtz for as long†¦show more content†¦The small part that she has in this novella she manages to sound like a naà ¯ve woman. The second character that we are introduced to is Kurtz’s African mistress. The mistress is a beautiful woman who seems to evoke some sort of control over the men. Whenever she is mentioned the men just stand there as if in awe. She never speaks in the novella. During the late 1800’s it was acceptable for men to have mistress’, I believe that is what Conrad tried to show. That’s why Kurtz’s intended never questioned why he was taking so long. She probably knew he had a mistress and couldn’t really say anything against it. The mistress managed to gain some type of control over Kurtz, and that is why he hadn’t left yet. Even Marlow was in awe when he saw the beautiful native woman with jewelry on. Perhaps she was a wealthy woman, and that’s why the people respected her. The last female character that I will examine is Marlow’s aunt. She is perhaps a wealthy widow, who also has nothing better to do with her money. She believes strongly on the topic of imperialism. She thinks that it helps people progress. She was the one who got Marlow this opportunity. Marlow’s aunt is the combination of both characters. She was naà ¯ve and controlling at the same time. Conrad probably used this character to show readers how older women were in the past. Its amazing to see how men stereotyped women in the past it hasn’tShow MoreRelatedThe Significant Role of Women in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness1986 Words   |  8 PagesIn the 1900s novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, the protagonist often encounters women at landmarks of his life. Charlie Marlow is a sailor and imperialist who sets out along the Congo River to â€Å"civilize† the â€Å"savages.† The novella begins with a crew on the Thames waiting for the tides to change. During their wait, a character named Marlow tells of his exploits on the African continent. 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