The Heart of Darkness

One first sight, Heart of Darkness seems almost welcoming. It's novella length (a bit over 100 pages depending on the copy) pales in comparison to a 200+ pages about etiquette and social structure (Pride and Prejudice), 300 pages battling scientific discovery and human nature (Frankenstein), or 500 pages of murderous musings (Crime and Punishment). Yet, this novella seems more cumbersome than all of them.

Joseph Conrad, a Polish-British writer, wrote Heart of Darkness in his third language (Polish and French being his first two), but the mastery and depth with which he explores imperialism and human nature leave no hint to this. He drew heavily on his own experiences associated with the Belgian company on the Congo River in the 1890s. His experience pushed him to advocate for human rights afterwards and he further supported anti-British policies of Irish Republicanism.