Heart Of Darkness Heart of Darkness, the Harlequin acts as ...

Anonymous
Sudak
AP Lit Period 7
18 September 2011

Doubling in Heart Of Darkness
In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the Harlequin acts as a double for Marlow,
personifying the part of Marlow that is enamored with Kurtz. Marlow’s disdain for the Harlequin
reveals Marlow’s guilt about his own infatuation with Kurtz. As Kurtz represents Marlow’s
subconscious and savage nature, it can be seen that Marlow is apprehensive to fully embrace the
savage shadows in his heart. Furthermore, Conrad deploys this inner battle to portray man’s
constant battle between the heart’s darkness and society’s moral standards.
The Harlequin’s unabashed love for Kurtz consumes him. Speaking of Kurtz with
“severe exaltation,” (127) he humbly tells Marlow of Kurtz’s wisdom in contrast to his own,
calling himself a ”simple man” (139) in comparison to Kurtz. Likewise, the Harlequin expresses
his gratitude and veneration towards Kurtz for “enlarging his mind,” and declares that he will
“never, never meet such a man again” (140). It seems that all of the Harlequin’s actions revolve
around Kurtz’s wellbeing. The Russian man proudly nurses Kurtz through two illnesses, and it is
noted that Kurtz “filled his life, occupied his thoughts, [and] swayed his emotions” (131). The
Harlequin will do anything to ensure Kurtz’s livelihood, and is unable to comprehend those who
do not share his passion. He appears shocked that Marlow doesn’t speak highly of Kurtz when
Marlow gets off his steamer and questions Kurtz’s grandeur. The man is livid that Kurtz doesn’t
receive the support he needs for his health, proclaiming that Kurtz had been “shamefully

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abandoned” (134). The Harlequin’s abounding adoration of Kurtz is like that of a child:
innocent, stubborn, and unashamed.

Marlow, in turn, scoffs at the Harlequin’s unconditional admiration for Kurtz. Viewing
the man in rags as foolish, Marlow states that he “reminded me of something… funny I had seen
somewhere” (126). When the Harlequin suggests Kurtz’s brilliance or capacity to speak of love,
Marlow replies, to the Russian’s dismay, condescendingly mocking Kurtz. While the Harlequin
is disgraced, Marlow feels “much amused” (132) by his own witty comments. Moreover,
Marlow makes fun of the Harlequin’s pride in nursing Kurtz through sickness, thinking the
Russian’s accomplishment to not be a “risky defeat” (131). He again derides Kurtz and his loyal
servant when he jokingly tells the Harlequin, “Let us hope that the man who can talk so well of
love in general will find some particular reason to spare us this time” (135), pointedly distancing
himself from any compassion or reverence to Kurtz. Marlow calls the Harlequin an “insoluble
problem” whose love for Kurtz “…appeared to be the most dangerous thing in every way he had
come upon so far” (129). It can be seen that Marlow marks his treatment of the Harlequin with
ridicule and judgment, a pronounced attempt to disassociate himself from the Russian man and
his passion for Kurtz.

However, despite Marlow’s mockery of the Harlequin, Marlow is indeed as infatuated
with Kurtz as the Harlequin is. Marlow describes Kurtz as a “pulsating stream of light” (120)
carrying a heart of “magnificent folds of eloquence” (146). Marlow grows completely obedient
to Kurtz, adamant that he will “never betray him [Kurtz]” (141). After Kurtz’s death, Marlow
decides that he remains to “show my loyalty to Kurtz once more” (148). Additionally, Kurtz’s
death overwhelms Marlow. Even a year after Kurtz’s last words, Marlow still feels that the loss
is fresh. “He seemed to have died only yesterday” (154) to Marlow, and this heartbroken sea

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captain tells Kurtz’s Intended that they will “always remember him” (156). Regardless of
Marlow’s disdain for the Harlequin’s love for Kurtz, he himself believes Kurtz to be a
“remarkable man” (149) and remains forever a loyal follower of Kurtz, just as the Harlequin
does.

Consequently, the Harlequin is a double for Marlow. He represents the part of Marlow
that reveres Kurtz, though Marlow tries to deny it. Both the Harlequin and Marlow fervently love
Kurtz, and neither will forget him so long as they live. The Harlequin expresses his eternal
loyalty to Kurtz, and Marlow displays his by hiding Kurtz’ documents from the manager. Only
when Marlow promises the Harlequin, and therefore himself, that he will keep Mr. Kurtz’s
reputation safe on page 139 does he fully envelope his previously subconscious craving for
Kurtz. At this point in the novella, the Russian leaves the story, as a double for Marlow is no
longer necessary since Marlow now takes on the Harlequin’s obsessive role. The doubling of the
Harlequin and Marlow is effective because Marlow’s discovering of the Harlequin leads to his
own self-actualization.

Kurtz is representative for Marlow’s subconscious that houses his savagery. Kurtz is
often referred to as animalistic, “crawling on all fours” (141) like a savage. Marlow describes
Kurtz as an “impenetrable darkness,” and “a precipice where sun never shines” (147). Even his
eyes are claimed to always be “shining darkly,” (135) casting the area around him as “hopeless
and so dark” (130). Often in the novella, Marlow doesn’t know whether to love or despise Kurtz.
Whilst journeying to meet Kurtz, Marlow finds himself thinking, “I couldn’t have been more
disgusted if I had traveled all this way for the sole purpose of talking with Mr. Kurtz” (118), but
within moments he admits that the idea of him not meeting Kurtz brings upon the feeling of
“lonely desolation” and of missing his “destiny in life” (120). Kurtz and Marlow are the only

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named characters in the book, and have parallels in that they are both selected by the same
company, are both are known for their voices, and both detest lies. Through these numerous
parallels, it can be seen that Kurtz is a double for Marlow’s darkness. Henceforth, Marlow’s
resentment of the Harlequin’s love for Kurtz represents Marlow’s reluctance to accept and act on
his primitive side. Marlow himself states, “If anybody ever struggled with a soul, I am the man”
(144). Marlow’s eventual acceptance of the Harlequin’s wishes to respect Kurtz reflects
Marlow’s final decision to act upon his darker nature, as revealed when Marlow chases after
Kurtz and hides with him during the night. Because Kurtz is symbolic for Marlow’s darkness,
the Harlequin is the part of Marlow that is enticed and tempted by his darkness. Accordingly,
Marlow’s internal battle to hate or love Kurtz is symbolic of man’s struggle to cast away or
embrace his internal evils, with the Harlequin acting as the part of man that embraces this
darkness.

Conrad employs the technique of doubling to portray the Harlequin as the side of Marlow
that yearns for Kurtz. Marlow’s scorn for the Harlequin, and therefore that Kurtz-crazed part of
his being symbolizes the fierce battle between humanity’s conscience and its primitive soul, and
may even reflect Conrad’s own struggle in the Congo between his rational mind and savage
unconscious as he immersed himself into nineteenth century imperialism’s impenetrable heart of
darkness (Merriman, C.D.).

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Works Cited
Conrad, Joseph. Heart Of Darkness. New York, New York: Signet Classic, 1983. Book.
Merriman, C.D. “Joseph Conrad.” The Literature Network. Jalic Inc, 2007. Web. 24 Sep. 2011.