Fascination with the Unknown

Fascination with the Unknown
700 words

After reading Heart of Darkness and Waiting for the Barbarians, I have come to a conclusion that both exhibit fascination with the unknown. The Magistrate’s overwhelming curiosity with the barbarians seemingly parallels Marlowe’s curiosity in relation to Kurtz and the Congo.

From the first chapter in Waiting for the Barbarians, the Magistrate was immediately intrigued by the “two little discs of glass suspended in front of his eyes in loops of wire” (1). This demonstrates that the Magistrate has a strong sense of curiosity with unfamiliar aspects of life. His intrigue is further developed and understood by the reader as he begins to become enthralled by the Barbarians. Because he knows nothing about these people who “live on the other side,” he sets out to learn about their ways of life. As a result, we see the Magistrate persistently asking questions to prisoners, such as when he continued to ask the boy, “who beat you?” (3). Likewise, the Magistrate’s relationship with the Barbarian woman demonstrates his interest in a woman he does not understand. The Magistrate tries to figure her out when she says, “ I cast my mind back, trying to recover an image of her as she was before. I must believe that I saw her on the day she brought in by the soldiers roped neck to neck with the other barbarian prisoners” (33). The Magistrate’s thought process demonstrates his need and authentic desire to truly understand her.

Similar to the Magistrate, Marlowe is attracted to the unfamiliar. In this case, Marlowe is fascinated by Kurtz, a man believed to have brilliant abilities. Marlowe also appears to be an introspective and curious individual from the beginning of the book. His descriptions of the others on the ship demonstrate how he is very aware. For example, he notes that the Director of Companies resembled a pilot, “which to a seaman is trustworthiness personified” (5). Thus, Marlowe appears to be in-tune with others from the beginning. Likewise, Marlowe began to question Kurtz’s seemingly “divine” attributes when the Russian said that Kurtz can not be held to the same moral standards as others. This came after the fact that Kurtz had brainwashed natives and taken ivory to bring back home. Marlowe is able to recognize and see Kurtz for what he is as the novel continues. Lastly, Marlowe is fascinated by the vast darkness within the novel. The dense jungle brings uncertainty and unfamiliarity as Marlowe and the Company travel down the river. The jungle, just like the barbarian territory, are subjects of intrigue in the novels.


Marlowe and the Magistrate’s fascination both turn into a quest for something greater. The two start of curious but then become overwhelmed by the brutality and unjust occurrences that happen in the Congo with slaves and in the Empire with the barbarians. The Magistrate continuously refers to the “tone of truth” (5) just as Marlowe unveils the negative aspects of imperialism- he too finds truth. When observing human nature, I believe that a quest for truth is a product of enchantment and inquisitiveness. If Marlowe and the Magistrate had not been fascinated by their surroundings and took time to explore the miseries of their surroundings, they would have never been able to actually find the brutalities and understand the corrupt nature of European imperialism and the Empire. This idea is further shown when the gossip and stories travel around the town about the barbarians. We can see how the majority of people think when the Magistrate says, the “children in their dreams see the shutters part and the fierce barbarian faces leer through, the barbarians are here!” (120) However, the Magistrate is able to see past what most people think because of his intense curiosity to explore and find truth. Marlowe is the same: A man he conversed with said that he would kill himself in Kurtz’s name; however; Marlowe can see that Kurtz is just part of the brutal European imperialism. Finding truth takes a devotion to both going again the “norm” and truly wanting to dig deep to unveil desired questions.