The atmosphere of the passage is dark and grim. Conrad sues many descriptors to set up this lost and doomed feeling, including inexorable, tenebrious, shadowy, haunted, unearthly hate, ghastly, nowhere, grimy, wilderness, and monotonous. This gives the effect of a primitive, unruly, jungle setting.
Marlow seems disappointed that he has become a part of Kurtz’s party, which was not something that he intended, but occurred as he defended Kurtz against the manager. Kurtz’s following is referred to as the party of “unsound method,” referring to Kurtz’s ruthless methods (stealing, lying, cheating) of obtaining ivory. With this “unforeseen partnership” came nightmares forced upon Marlow in a land invaded by “mean and greedy phantoms,” which could refer to the African natives or his own internal struggles caused by what he has observed from enslaved, worked-to-death Africans, and what he knows Kurtz has done to them such as putting rebel heads on posts in front of hte office. The title Heart of Darkness refers to both the African jungle and the darkness and confusion in Marlow’s own heart.
In a fitful sleep, Kurtz cries out intermittently. His voice is described to have “survived his strength” and remained powerful, even when his body and spirit were weak. Even when Kurtz is in this diminished state, Marlow still uses descriptors such as “magnificent folds of eloquence” and “inextinguishable gift of noble and lofty expression” to describe him, which shows that he is still amazed by the corrupted man. With Kurtz’s utterances, “my intended, my station, my career,” he reinforces that he was egocentric and only cared about his work. It also becomes clear that the thought himself supreme and lacked respect for others when “he desired to have Kings meet him at railway stations.” In this passage, much of Kurtz is revealed through his speech, even while he is close to death.
Throughout the passage, repetition is used. For instance, when comparing Kurtz’s life to the current, Conrad writes “ebbing, ebbing,” which gives a calm, gentle feeling, like Kurtz was gradually slipping away. Then when describing Kurtz on the journey, repetition is used with “a voice! A voice!” and also “he struggled! He struggled!” I believe this repetition is related to the duality of both Kurtz and the journey to the heart of darkness. Examples of this theme of two that do not involve repetition are when “the shade of the original Kurtz frequented the bedside of the hollow sham” (because there are two Kurtzes) and when “both the diabolic love and unearthly hate...fought for possession of that soul” (possibly referring to his being torn between good and evil). All of these instances of saying phrases twice or describing two versions of something could actually refer to the difference between surface appearance and truth. Kurtz is supposedly the best agent who acquires more ivory than all of the other agents combined, but he actually acquires the ivory by lying, cheating, stealing, or harming others. Marlow just went to Africa to drive a steamboat, but people think he is there to be the next Kurtz. additionally, others such as Marlow’s aunt think that men go to Africa to bring civilization, when it is actually a cruel institution, as Marlow witnessed with the dying Africans under the tree. Neither side of he duality between truth and appearance is very good regardless.
Eventually, Kurtz begins to show remorse for his misdeeds in teh African wild when he says “close the shutter, I can’t bear to look at this,” which makes readers feel sorry for him. He then says to “the invisible wilderness,” “oh, but I will wring your heart out yet,” which shows that even though he is on his way out of the darkness (literally, via steamboat), the darkness is still battling with him.
Towards the end, Conrad once again brings up the river, saying that “the long reaches were like one and the same reach, monotonous bends that were exactly alike.” Because the river was previously compared to Kurtz, it is possible that Conrad means that there are also other men just like Kurtz who appear one way but are dealing with something much darker under the surface. Conrad could mean that everyone’s life is like this (also “with secular trees looking patiently,” referring to people who are watching you and see you in a false light) although maybe not to the extent as Kurtz.
The passage as a whole describes Kurtz as he is dying, and allows readers to know what he is really thinking (since he is only half conscious) as opposed to just being exposed to what he chooses to disclose. The passage shows that he is not just hardened, but a tortured soul and moving towards remorse for his actions.
