Heart of Darkness Theme of Women and Femininity

Marlow has a very specific and sexist attitude towards women. They play only minor roles in the novel and often live vicariously through their male counterparts. They are rarely given voices of their own and are more often seen than heard. The few exceptions – Marlow’s aunt and the Intended – often confirm Marlow’s assumption that women are naïve and idealistic. That they blind themselves to truths become Marlow’s sole belief, yet he seeks to keep them in their beautiful and idealized world.

1. What is Marlow’s opinion of women’s position in society? Does Conrad seem to agree with this? Which characters demonstrate Marlow’s claim and which dispute it?
2. What characteristics does Marlow associate with women?
3. Compare and contrast the wild warrior woman to the Intended. Both are potential love interests for Kurtz. If the Intended is an embodiment of purity and idealism, what does the warrior woman represent? How do these characteristics reflect on Kurtz?
4. Although men make up the majority of the authority figures in the book, powerful women are not utterly absent. Name at least two powerful women and state how they exercise their power.

Despite Marlow’s disparaging comments about women, a number of women display or exercise a substantial amount of power in Heart of Darkness.

All the women within Heart of Darkness reflect the values of their society and are viewed as nothing more than trophies for men. Even the women who seem at first to have power are in fact powerless upon closer inspection.