Heart%20of%20Darkness%20by%20Joseph%20Conrad

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Heart of Darknessby Joseph Conrad

• Imperialism
• Extending a countrys or nations authority
  through territorial gain
• Double Standards of Imperialism
• Enslavement, torture, and cruelty seen as
  necessary evils
• Justification through helping civilize the
  uncivilized
• Madness due to Imperialism
• Excuses for treatment of others and decisions
• Africa is personified and blamed for decisions of
  maliciousness
• Absurdity of Evil
• Hypocrisy and moral confusion of situations
• Similar treatment of the serious and ordinary
• Meaninglessness of stupidity and life and death
  issues
• The River
• Slow flow, difficult trip upriver toward goal
  of civilizing
• Fast flow, downriver trip back to civilization
• Darkness
• Part of the title!!
• Even in light, the inability for humans to SEE
  people

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West Africa

• Culture History

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Cultural Influences

• Parts of the U.S., Latin America, and the
  Caribbean show African influence.
• Islamic influence in Northern Africa was brought
  to Western African through trade.
• North African sources of salt and goods
• West African sources of gold, ivory, and other
  precious resources
• A variety of ethnic groups still call West Africa
  home, however, ancient Africa was even more
  diverse.

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Mighty Empires

• Ghana (300-1200)
• Empire named after war chief Ghana
• Land of gold dispite no gold production
• Made money on taxing trade
• Weakened by Islamic invasions
• Spread of Islam (800-1900)
• Peaceful trade and violent conquest
• Muslim trades were first converters
• Islamic reformers captured Ghana
• Holy wars began against non-Muslim rulers

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Mighty Empires cont.

• Rise of Mali (1235-1500)
• First great Muslim empire
• Sundiata defeated non-Muslim king
• Grandnephew brought Mali to its height
• Mecca pilgrimage of lavish gold gifts dropped
  price of gold throughout Egypt
• Forest Kingdoms (1170-1900)
• Began to prosper during Malis height
• Yoruba deeply religious people
• Government of ruling families
• Divine leaders
• Edo
• Government and trade similar to Yoruba
• World famous for quality royal sculptures
• 1470s first Portuguese trading ships sailed into
  port
• Opened up contact
• Atlantic Slave Trade

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Atlantic Slave Trade(1518-1870)

• West African cities were the center of trade.
• Small scale
• Prisoners of war and minor criminals
• Over 300 years of slave trade
• Between 10-15 Million African slaves transported
• Began with Muslims and continued with Portuguese
  then other Europeans
• Demand increased for slaves in the Americas and
  Caribbean for mine and plantation work
• Guns were used as a trade for slaves
• Despite violent disruptions, much of cultural
  tradition was passed down.

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Ashanti Empire (1695-1901)

• Small farmers who banded to make a strong union
• Involved in slave trade
• 1870s began war with British that lead to
  colonization
• Scramble for Africa
• 90 colonized by European powers
• Imposed new government, language, faiths

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Classes and Societal Divisions

• Rulers
• Kings, nobles, chiefs
• Controlled the government and wealth
• Wealth in forms of goods and services
• Traders paid taxes
• Fisherman gave portion of catch
• Spiritual leaders
• People receive protection of kings army
• Priests
• Traditional religions
• Presided over shrines and sacrifices
• Islamic teachers
• Instructed from the Koran
• Diviner
• Helped with personal problems and recommended
  solutions
• Understood messages from the spiritual world
• Healers with herbal medicines

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Classes and Societal Divisions cont.

• Craftspeople
• Professionals musicians, singers, poets,
  dancers, storytellers, potters, woodworkers,
  hairdressers, tattoo artists, etc.
• Worked directly for king in most cases
• Freeborn People
• Ordinary people who werent slaves land owners,
  rich merchants, farmers, fisherman, etc.
• In later days, the helped to run the government
• Still, everyone owed to the rulers product or
  service
• Slaves
• War captives and law breakers
• Worked similar jobs as freeborn in most cases
• Used as professional soldiers
• Had fewer rights
• Some could earn freedom through work, loyalty of
  service, or marriage
• Seldom some became chiefs and kings

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Women

• Gave birth to all men chiefs included
• High status particularly for mothers
• Husbands and wives work as economic equals in
  most cases
• Typically did not hold political office
• Some were warrior-queens
• Queen Mother mother or widow of former king
• Gave consent of future king
• Attended political meets as a king advisor
• Acted as judges
• Some rode into battle

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Arts and Culture

• Literature
• Rich in oral tradition
• Epics, proverbs, poems, trickster tales, stories,
  origin myths, etc.
• Basic religious beliefs
• One god who withdrew after creation
• Lesser gods involved in human affairs
• Faith in ancestral spirits influence
• Witches and sorcerers ability to cause misfortune
• Diviners ability to solve problems in both
  worlds
• Music, Dance, and Art
• Social activity games, ceremonies, festivals,
  and work
• Jewelry, pottery, sculpture
• Attract spirits
• Influence on modern art
• Expressionistic influence Picasso

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(No Transcript)
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Readings

• How the world was created from a drop of milk
  pg 624 6, 7, 8
• Heart of Darkness