“We live as we dream–alone….”
― Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
The quote “We live as we dream–alone…” from Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness captures the essence of one of the novel’s central themes: the profound solitude and introspection of the human condition.
Conrad’s work, published in 1899, is a complex exploration of imperialism, colonialism, and the depths of the human psyche.
Through the journey of the protagonist, Marlow, into the heart of the African Congo in search of the enigmatic Kurtz, Conrad delves into the darkness that lies within the human soul and the isolating nature of human existence.
The quote suggests that just as our dreams are intensely personal and solitary experiences, our journey through life, filled with our own thoughts, desires, fears, and aspirations, is similarly solitary.
Despite the presence of others, each person’s internal experience is fundamentally their own, inaccessible and incomprehensible to anyone else. This reflects a broader existential perspective, highlighting the isolation of the individual in their personal journey and the subjective nature of reality.
In Heart of Darkness, Conrad often contrasts the external world of imperial conquest and social interaction with the internal world of individual moral and psychological struggles.
Marlow’s journey is not just through the physical wilderness but also into the psychological wilderness within himself and within the European imperialists he encounters.
The solitude of the dream state in the quote can be seen as a metaphor for the isolating effects of moral ambiguity, the corruption of power, and the incomprehensible depths of evil that Marlow witnesses and reflects upon during his journey.
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