Du calme…
“Du calme, du calme. Adieu.” (pg. 11)
In French, the doctor is saying “calm, calm.” He has encouraged Marlow that he needs to be calm while in the Congo. Surprisingly, Marlow is able to keep composure in the face of much insanity while traveling into the jungle. It is hard to tell whether Marlow is simply a hard man or just remarkably serene in the face of danger and calamity.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Alienist
Alienist
“Are you an alienist?” (pg. 11)
An alienist is defined as a doctor who is accepted by a court as an expert on mental capability and competence who is called on to testify as to the sanity of a defendant. It makes sense for Marlow to ask the doctor this question because it would be the responsibility of the doctor to make sure that Marlow wasn’t crazy before he left for the Congo.
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/alienists
“Are you an alienist?” (pg. 11)
An alienist is defined as a doctor who is accepted by a court as an expert on mental capability and competence who is called on to testify as to the sanity of a defendant. It makes sense for Marlow to ask the doctor this question because it would be the responsibility of the doctor to make sure that Marlow wasn’t crazy before he left for the Congo.
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/alienists
Africa, Madness and Futility
Africa and Madness 2
“…and moreover, the changes take place inside, you know.” (pg. 11)
Again, Conrad hints to the fact that Africa changes the men, but it is an internal change that takes place. Yes, the men may fall sick or even die out in the jungle, but it is what changes within their mind that really matters. In addition, the Company doctor represents the futility of the company and colonization in general, much like the man attempting to put the fire out using a bucket that had a hole in it or the French boat shooting at nothing along the banks of the Congo River.
“…and moreover, the changes take place inside, you know.” (pg. 11)
Again, Conrad hints to the fact that Africa changes the men, but it is an internal change that takes place. Yes, the men may fall sick or even die out in the jungle, but it is what changes within their mind that really matters. In addition, the Company doctor represents the futility of the company and colonization in general, much like the man attempting to put the fire out using a bucket that had a hole in it or the French boat shooting at nothing along the banks of the Congo River.
Plato
Plato
“’I am not such a fool as I look, quoth Plato to his disciples’…” (pg. 11)
Plato was a famous Greek philosopher and teacher who lived during the fourth century BCE (Before Common Era). Once a student of Socrates, Plato eventually left and started his own school to teach students, in keeping with the Socratic Method while diverting into his own method of teaching.
http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/plat.htm
Morituri te salutant
Morituri te salutant
“Ave!… Morituri te salutant…”
In Latin, morituri te salutant means “we who are about to die salute you.” While it has been widely regarded as a traditional salute given by gladiators to their emperor (Ave means “hail”), it was only uttered once by a group of slaves being forced to take part in a mock battle by Roman emperor Claudius. Marlow uses this bit of Latin in discussing the two women who received people into the Company’s waiting room but would probably never see them again.
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/games/qt/morituritesalut.htm
“Ave!… Morituri te salutant…”
In Latin, morituri te salutant means “we who are about to die salute you.” While it has been widely regarded as a traditional salute given by gladiators to their emperor (Ave means “hail”), it was only uttered once by a group of slaves being forced to take part in a mock battle by Roman emperor Claudius. Marlow uses this bit of Latin in discussing the two women who received people into the Company’s waiting room but would probably never see them again.
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/games/qt/morituritesalut.htm
Somnambulism
Somnambulist
“…only just as I began to think of getting out of her way, as you would for a somnambulist…” (pg. 9)
A somnambulist is simply a sleepwalker. Sleep walking occurs when someone is falling asleep but has not reached REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. They are not aware of their actions and will often not realize they are a sleepwalker until someone wakes up them while they are in the act. Sleepwalking is usually attributed to high levels of stress in the sleepwalkers.
EDIT: Conrad uses somnambulism as a kind of metaphor in Heart of Darkness. It could be said that Marlow (at one point) and many of the Company members (especially the pilgrims) are all sleepwalking-- they're going through the motions of life but seem to have no emotion or real depth to them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somnambulism
“…only just as I began to think of getting out of her way, as you would for a somnambulist…” (pg. 9)
A somnambulist is simply a sleepwalker. Sleep walking occurs when someone is falling asleep but has not reached REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. They are not aware of their actions and will often not realize they are a sleepwalker until someone wakes up them while they are in the act. Sleepwalking is usually attributed to high levels of stress in the sleepwalkers.
EDIT: Conrad uses somnambulism as a kind of metaphor in Heart of Darkness. It could be said that Marlow (at one point) and many of the Company members (especially the pilgrims) are all sleepwalking-- they're going through the motions of life but seem to have no emotion or real depth to them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somnambulism
Whited Sepulcher
Whited Sepulcher
“…I arrived in a city that always makes me think of a whited sepulcher.” (pg. 9)
A sepulcher is defined as being a tomb or a place of burial. It is fitting that Marlow sees the Belgian town (probably Brussels) where the Company is located as reminiscent of a tomb. While it is light and promising on the outside, much like a stone tomb may look, but within it contains horrors and darkness. In addition to a sepulcher being defined as a tomb, the phrase ‘whited sepulcher’ has now grown to mean a person who is inwardly wicked and devious but puts forth a visage of being holy or virtuous. This new meaning comes from a passage of the Bible concerning hypocrisy, one of the major themes in Heart of Darkness. The Company is a prime example of a whited sepulcher-- they pretend that they want to make the world a better place and helpfully colonize the Congo when all they really care for is finding (or taking by force) enough ivory to keep the money coming in.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary
“…I arrived in a city that always makes me think of a whited sepulcher.” (pg. 9)
A sepulcher is defined as being a tomb or a place of burial. It is fitting that Marlow sees the Belgian town (probably Brussels) where the Company is located as reminiscent of a tomb. While it is light and promising on the outside, much like a stone tomb may look, but within it contains horrors and darkness. In addition to a sepulcher being defined as a tomb, the phrase ‘whited sepulcher’ has now grown to mean a person who is inwardly wicked and devious but puts forth a visage of being holy or virtuous. This new meaning comes from a passage of the Bible concerning hypocrisy, one of the major themes in Heart of Darkness. The Company is a prime example of a whited sepulcher-- they pretend that they want to make the world a better place and helpfully colonize the Congo when all they really care for is finding (or taking by force) enough ivory to keep the money coming in.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary
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