Achebe Racism In Heart Of Darkness

Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness A Critical Response to Achebe’s Essay

Ryan Du Bois

November 15, 2005

Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is considered either a critical appraisal of European racism and ethnocentrism, or a racist novel, supportive of the inhuman view of Africa and its inhabitants. However, Conrad’s intent remains unclear, hidden under layers of “insulation” – making use of a “narrator behind a narrator” – to separate himself from critical reviews of his novella. Achebe makes a good argument in support of the latter view of Heart of Darkness, claiming, with adequate textual support and intelligent analysis, that Conrad’s novella is inherently racist. However, reading Conrad’s 1895 Author’s Note to Almayer’s Folly 1 , one finds that Conrad “[sympathizes] with common mortals, no matter where they live...” In Conrad’s telling of his factual recovery from illness during his Congo experience – not included in his fictitious story – he states he was “lying sick to death in a native hut, tended by an old negress...” We are told that she saved his life when “the white men never came near me,” giving the impression that Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is more the ironic critique of European Imperialism and Ethnocentrism that many believe it is. Conrad unmistakably supports those battling the oppression he depicted in his novella. According to D.C.R.A Goonetilleke in the introduction to the 2nd edition of Heart of Darkness as published by Broadview Literary Texts, Conrad wrote to Roger Casement on 21 December, 1903, stating “There exists in Africa a Congo State, created by the act of European powers where ruthless systematic cruelty towards the blacks is the basis of administration.” The diction used in this excerpt, specifically the words “ruthless” and “cruelty,” would make it seem that Conrad was against this form of administration. Many critics of Conrad state that he never gave us a fully realized alternative to Imperialism, and use that as a basis for their argument that Heart of Darkness is a racist novel. However, by revealing the irony and contradiction inherent in European Imperialism – attempting educate and civilize these “lesser peoples,” as put forth in Kipling’s The White Man’s Burden, by beating, enslaving, and killing them – Conrad is able to subvert the racist beliefs of his time. Achebe’s critique of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness fails to take into account the pertinent background information relating to Conrad’s beliefs. Achebe takes the novella’s text at face value, failing to see the irony and contradiction that is used to subvert the racism of the time. By emphasizing Maslow’s depiction of the Native people, and failing to read into the ironic and ambiguous language, Achebe fails to comprehend how this novel is critical of Imperialism and Racism. 1

Taken from the introduction to Heart of Darkness, 2nd ed., edited by D.C.R.A. Goonetilleke

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