Heart of Darkness: A Study of Framed Narrative and its Significance

This essay provides an analysis of the framed narrative technique employed in Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness.' The essay begins by introducing the novel and its key themes, including imperialism and the blurred lines between civilization and savagery. It then defines and explains the concept of a framed narrative, highlighting its significance in the story's structure. The essay explores how the narrator's perspective, intertwined with Marlow's account, shapes the reader's understanding of the events. It examines the use of this narrative technique to convey themes and explore the relationship between the past and present. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of the framed narrative in enhancing the novel's impact and its enduring appeal to readers. The essay refers to the author's use of the framed narrative technique which is inspired by medieval poets like Chaucer and Boccaccio. It also highlights the importance of the framed narrative in the novel because it allows the author to explain the events from the perspective of the narrator and then shift to the perspective of another character.

Running head: HEART OF DARKNESS BY JOSEPH CONRAD
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1HEART OF DARKNESS BY JOSEPH CONRAD
Heart of Darkness is a well-known novel written by British – Polish author Joseph
Conrad. The novel tells the story of a voyage undertaken by the protagonist and his friends up
the Congo River into the heart of Africa. The novel is known for its accurate description of
the themes of imperialism and racism as well as the fact that there are little differences
between the civilized people and the savages (Conrad:17). The book is also known for its use
of framed narrative in the story.
The thesis of the essay is to analyse the framed narrative in the novel. Heart of
Darkness. It also aims to understand the reasons how the framed narrative has been used by
the author and why the framed narrative is important for the novel.
Framed Narrative is commonly defined as the setting of a story within the original
story. It is a literary technique which is mainly used to discover the unconscious behind the
various repressive narratives presented by the conscious mind. The concept of the framed
narrative plays a very important role in the novel Heart of Darkness. It is through the use of
thus narrative technique that the narrator of the story learns the lies of the European
Imperialism which are wholeheartedly believed by the people.
"The old river in its broad reach rested unruffled at the decline of day, after ages of good
service done to the race that peopled its banks, spread out in the tranquil dignity of a
waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth."
In the novel, The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, the concept of framed
narrative, is seen in the story when the narrator hears Marlowe climbing the boat in The
Thames (Conrad:18). The use of the framed narrative in The Heart of Darkness helps the
readers of the novel follow the journey of Marlowe along with that of the narrator of the
story. The way Marlow starts his story is the best example of the framed narrative technique

2HEART OF DARKNESS BY JOSEPH CONRAD
in the novel. It helps the readers to understand the events that are about to transpire in the
novel.
"Do you see him? Do you see the story? Do you see anything? It seems I am trying to tell
you a dream -- making a vain attempt, because no relation of a dream can convey the
dream-sensation, that commingling of absurdity, surprise, and bewilderment in a tremor of
struggling revolt, that notion of being captured by the incredible which is the very essence
of dreams."
The framed narrative has been used by the author in the novel under the influence of
the medieval poets like Chaucer and Boccaccio. The use of the frame narrative in the novel is
considered to be important because it allowed the author to explain the events from the
perspective of the narrator and then shift to the perspective of another character, namely
Marlowe, and finally the narrator taking control of the narrative at the end of the story. He
has used the framed narrative to introduce the past in order to understand the present and
describe the inter-relationship of the past and the present (Conrad:19).
Thus, from the above discussion, it can be said that the concept of the framed narrative
has been accurately used by the author in The Heart of Darkness. It is the use of the framed
narrative in the novel which makes it one of the well-known novels widely read and enjoyed
by the readers.

3HEART OF DARKNESS BY JOSEPH CONRAD
Reference List
Conrad, Joseph. "Heart of darkness." Heart of Darkness. Palgrave Macmillan, New York,
1996. 17-95.