Analysis of Joseph Conrad’s syntax, diction, and imagery in “The Heart of Darkness”
Joseph Conrad had written several works from 1900 to 1907. One of his most impactful is The Heart of Darkness, written in 1902. This short story describes the main character Marlow, a seaman, recounting a story of imperialism suffered by Africa in detail. Conrad’s writing style is uncommon, using particularly dark diction and imagery along with unique syntax.
Conrad’s diction is described by many as being melancholy. At the beginning of the story, Marlow and his shipmates are stuck on a flooded river. They were condemned to wait and examine their surroundings. On page two, Conrad writes, “The air was dark above Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth.” Conrad’s description of the air as being dark, condensing into a mournful gloom further away, and his use of the word brooding to describe the air sitting over Gravesend is an example of the melancholy nature of his diction that is used throughout the novel. His diction is highlighted by parallelism; in this instance, Conrad informs the reader that Gravesend is a great town or was at some point, but it was changed over time.
Conrad’s diction and imagery are consistent. The pictures put in a reader’s mind resemble darkness and a reality of the era in which the novel is written. This is also established early in the novel. On page 3, Conrad describes Marlow:
“Marlow sat cross-legged right aft, leaning against the mizzen-mast. He had sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and, with his arms dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol.”
Readers can easily infer that Conrad is lugubrious and very straightforward when developing his imagery. These characteristics heavily contribute to the realistic and honest nature of Conrad’s frame story.
Conrad employs a complex style of syntax in The Heart of Darkness. Many of his sentences are structured in a poetic form, frequently using periodic sentences. This allows the reader to disassociate the novel with reality. Conrad parallels his syntax with his diction and imagery in order to make the novel impactful, but not so much as to cause the novel to be overwhelming to the reader.