Psychological Symbolism in Heart of Darkness By: Molly Shepley and Molly Pantaleoni

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Psychological Symbolism in Heart of DarknessBy
Molly Shepley and Molly Pantaleoni
Knowing your own darkness is the best method for
dealing with the darknesses of other
people. -Carl Gustav Jung
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Jungian Archetypes

• The Anima- inner opposites
• The Shadow- the personification of that part of
  human, psychic possibility that we deny in
  ourselves and project onto others

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Jung Archetypes in Heart of Darkness

• Kurtz himself (the Anima)- His intelligence was
  perfectly clear, concentratedBut his soul was
  madI saw the inconceivable mystery of a soul
  that knew no restraint, no faith, and no fear,
  yet struggled blindly with itself(65-66)
• Site pages 22, 30, 59, 61, 69, 71,

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• Kurtz (Marlows Shadow)- I did not betray Mr.
  Kurtz- it was ordered I should never betray him-
  it was written I should be loyal to the nightmare
  of my choice. I was anxious to deal with this
  shadow by myself alone(64)
• Site pages 2 from p.65, 72
• From the same root that produces wild, untamed,
  blind instinct their grows up the natural laws
  and cultural forms that tame and break its
  pristine power. But when the animal in us is
  split off from consciousness by being repressed,
  it may easily burst out in full force, quite
  unregulated and uncontrolled. An outburst of
  this sort always ends in catastrophe- the animal
  destroys itself.
• Richard Hughs excerpt from Colleen Burke
  essay

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Freud and Heart of Darkness
Id, Ego, Superego

• Levels of Consciousness-
• Anything that is thought perceived or understood
  is in the conscious level.
• Below this level, memories and thoughts which
  threaten to break into the conscious level is the
  preconscious level.
• The unconscious- the wishes, urges, memories, and
  thoughts that represent an individuals personal
  experience. Impulses that threaten to destabilize
  if they break.

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Freud Explained

• The ID- the impulse, the pleasure principle, the
  primitive motivational force
• The EGO- balancing act (services and calms the
  ID), the individual becomes a self instead of
  needs and wants
• The SUPEREGO- authority, guilt, pride (if
  acceptable to SUPEREGO), pushes for right and
  wrong and ideals

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Freudian Psychology in Heart of Darkness

• No. Still, I was curious to see whether this
  man, who had come out equipped with moral ideas
  of some sort, would climb to the top after
  all(37)
• The inner truth is hidden- luckily, luckily
  (42).
• The man presented himself as a voice (58).
• Site pages 27, 43, 2 on p. 44

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THIS IS THE HEART OF DARKNESS
It had ceased to be a blank space of delightful
mystery- a white patch for a boy to dream
gloriously over. It had become a place of
darkness (12).