英国文学经典阅读作品文本研究Unit 14 Heart of Darkness2012级英本6班 曾志颖 122809032014/11/011Introduction to JosephConradSummary of Heart of DarknessTranslation of Heart of DarknessFemale character of Heart of DarknessCONTENTS2Joseph Conrad(1857-1924)Joseph Conrad was a Polish author who wrote in English after settling in England. Conrad is regarded as one of the greatest novelists in English though he did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties (and always with a marked accent). He wrote stories and novels, often with a nautical setting, that depict trials of the human spirit in the midst of an indifferent universe. He was a master prose stylist who brought a distinctly non-English tragic sensibility into English literature. 3In 1878,he signed on an English ship and then he learnt English. In 1890, Conrad took a steamboat up to the Congo River. Joseph Conrad4SUMMARYThis book records a story of Congo river that Marlow told other seamen in a ship docked in London.Thenovelisachillingtaleofhorror,anarrativedonebyCharlieMarlowwhoshareshisexperiencesonthe CongoRiverintheDarkContinentandwhathelearnedabouthumanbehavior,setintheCongoduringthe periodofrapidcolonialexpansioninthe19thcentury.5Translation His very existence was improbable,inexplicable,and altogether bewildering. He was an insoluble problem. It was inconceivable how he had existed.他的存在本来就是不他的存在本来就是不大大可能可能的的，不可思议而且，不可思议而且完全令人迷惑的事，他是个解不开的谜。他是完全令人迷惑的事，他是个解不开的谜。他是如何生存下来的如何生存下来的.是不可理解的。是不可理解的。曾志颖 译6Translation”。But i assure you that never ,never before, did this land, this river, this jungle, the very arch of this blazing sky, appear to me so hopeless, and so dark, so impenetrable to human thought, so pitiless to human weakness.”我敢向你保证，这片土地，这条河流，这带丛林，我敢向你保证，这片土地，这条河流，这带丛林，以及这阳光灿烂的苍穹本身从来没有让我感到如此以及这阳光灿烂的苍穹本身从来没有让我感到如此绝望，如此黑暗，如此让人无法绝望，如此黑暗，如此让人无法领悟领悟，对人类的，对人类的弱弱点如此地毫无怜悯。点如此地毫无怜悯。7Translation.like a passage though some inconceivable world that had no hope in it and on desire.我仿佛穿过了一个不可思议的既无我仿佛穿过了一个不可思议的既无希望也无欲望的世界。希望也无欲望的世界。 8Female character of Heart of Darkness There are only five female characters in heart of darkness: Marlows aunt, the two knitters of black wool, Kurtzs mistress, and Kurtzs “intended”. Marlow mentioned these female character in order to give the literal aspect of his tale more substance. Although they play specific roles in the story, they do not relate with the primary theme of the story. 9Female character of Heart of DarknessThrough marlows voyage he encounters few women and he does not consider any of them to be his equal. He makes it quite clear that women and men are on two totally different levels. In his repeated expressions,he attempts to place women in their own little beautiful world and inferior position,associating them with passivity,silence,absence,delusion,and with something mystifying and fearful.10Marlows opinoin of women is the reflection of the typical 19th century views of women.while the women do play key roles in the plot of the story,they do not influence the main theme of the story.marlows aunt told him that she would be delighted to help him whenever he needed it.however, this incident did not have much to do with the story;it simply served to tell the reader how marlow begun his journey on the congo.on a higher level, it was intended by conrad to illustrate marlows opinion of womens inferior role in society. Conclusion11THANK YOU曾志颖 12级英本6班 122809032014/11/0112