Heart of Darkness describes a steamboat voyage up and down the Congo River by a British sea captain named Charles Marlow, who is, commissioned to fetch a renegade ivory collector called Kurtz. On the trip, Marlow witnesses scenes of shocking abuse, culminating in his encounter with Kurtz. Even while, Africa and its people remain opaque to Marlow, the hunt for Kurtz becomes a haunting journey of self-discovery and a spectacular indictment of European imperialism. This complex meditation on colonialism, civilization, and corruptibility has enthralled readers for more than a hundred years and inspired dozens of adaptations, including Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now (1979)

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