In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad often uses vague, “muted” descriptions, leaving a mélange of possible meanings in the reader’s lap. One exception to this trend is Conrad’s symbolic use of ivory. Within the frame of the story, his references to ivory can obviously be seen as a representation of the white man’s greed. Towards the end of the book, ivory comes to symbolize the oozing evil that drips from the heart of darkness.
The Greed of the Whites
It isn’t long before Conrad makes a commentary on the greed of the whites. By the thirty-seventh page, Marlow associates them with a “false religion.” He says that the men at the Central Station are “like a lot of faithless pilgrims bewitched inside a rotten fence.” Pilgrims are usually people who travel to a holy place, so why the choice of words? Conrad further explains in the following lines when he says, “The word ‘ivory’ rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it.” In their rapacity, the “pilgrims” have placed ivory as their God, a realization that has greater meaning towards the end of the book.
This depiction is not merely a critique of individual greed but a broader commentary on European colonialism and its devastating effects. The ivory trade symbolizes the insatiable hunger for wealth and the lengths to which people will go to obtain it, including the exploitation and oppression of indigenous peoples. The “false religion” of ivory worship suggests a perversion of values, where material gain is prioritized over human dignity and ethical conduct.
Ivory as a Symbol of Evil
The significance of ivory begins to move away from avarice and takes on a purely evil connotation as Marlow approaches those hearts of darkness: the Inner Station and Kurtz. Kurtz’s relationship with ivory seems to have been reiterated by every company member through the course of the story. Of course, Kurtz “harvested” more ivory than all the other stations combined, and therefore it almost seems appropriate that Conrad would use extensive ivory imagery in describing Kurtz. Earlier, during his digression on Kurtz, Marlow says, “The wilderness had patted him on the head, and, behold, it was like a ball—an ivory ball.” By the time that Kurtz is carried out on a stretcher, the evil has so overtaken him that, “I could see the cage of his ribs all astir, the bones of his arms waving. It was as though an animated image of death carved out of old ivory had been shaking its hand with menaces at a motionless crowd of men made of dark and glittering bronze.”
The evil has now grown to encompass his entire body and soul. Kurtz’s lust for ivory is recounted by the Russian. Once he threatened to shoot the Russian, who was squirreling a small quantity of ivory—”because he could do so, and had a fancy for it, and there was nothing on earth to prevent him from killing whom he jolly well pleased.” The almost god-like power that Kurtz wields is unchecked, save for disease. This unchecked power reflects the broader themes of moral corruption and the dehumanizing effects of colonialism. Kurtz, who begins as an ambitious and idealistic man, becomes a monstrous figure, embodying the darkness that Conrad suggests lies at the heart of human nature when left unchecked by societal norms and ethical considerations.
Dual Role of Ivory
In Heart of Darkness, ivory plays a dual role in significance. On one hand, it is representative of evil and greed, and on the other, it is representative of the measures taken to acquire it in the first place (i.e., mistreatment of blacks). Conrad’s use of ivory to symbolize darkness is also in keeping with his occasional reversal of the colors normally associated with good and evil, white and black. Ivory as a material is one of the purest and whitest found in nature, while Kurtz’s soul is purely black.
The Irony of Ivory’s Purity
The irony of ivory’s purity is central to Conrad’s critique. Ivory, a symbol of wealth and beauty in European culture, is obtained through brutal exploitation and violence. This stark contrast highlights the hypocrisy and moral blindness of colonial endeavors. The purity of ivory masks the dark realities of its acquisition, much like the veneer of civilization conceals the barbarity of imperialism. This duality is reflective of the larger themes in Heart of Darkness, where appearances often deceive, and the true nature of things is revealed to be far more sinister.
Symbolism and Psychological Depth
From a psychological perspective, Conrad’s symbolic use of ivory can be linked to the theories of Carl Jung, particularly the concept of the shadow. The shadow represents the unconscious and darker aspects of the psyche, which individuals often deny or suppress. In Heart of Darkness, ivory symbolizes the shadow side of human nature—the greed, cruelty, and moral corruption that lie beneath the surface. Kurtz’s descent into madness and his obsession with ivory can be seen as the manifestation of his shadow, bringing to light the darkest elements of his character and, by extension, the human condition.
Kurtz’s Transformation
Kurtz’s transformation throughout the novel is marked by his increasing association with ivory. Initially, he is portrayed as a man of great talents and ambitions, but his immersion in the wilderness and the ivory trade reveals his darker impulses. The wilderness “patted him on the head” and turned him into an “ivory ball,” symbolizing how the environment and his unrestrained pursuit of ivory have corrupted him. His eventual physical decay, described as an “animated image of death carved out of old ivory,” underscores the extent to which he has been consumed by his greed and the evil it represents.
The Wilderness and Ivory
The wilderness in Heart of Darkness serves as a backdrop for Kurtz’s moral disintegration. It is a place where the veneer of civilization is stripped away, revealing the raw and primal instincts that drive human behavior. The association of ivory with the wilderness suggests that the pursuit of wealth and power can lead individuals to lose their humanity and become part of the very darkness they sought to conquer. This theme resonates with existentialist ideas, particularly those of Friedrich Nietzsche, who posited that when one gazes long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into them. Kurtz’s descent into madness can be seen as a result of his confrontation with the abyss—the heart of darkness—represented by the ivory and the wilderness.
Conclusion
In Heart of Darkness, ivory serves as a powerful symbol that encapsulates the novel’s central themes of greed, evil, and moral corruption. Initially representing the white man’s insatiable greed, ivory’s significance evolves to embody the pervasive and corrupting influence of this greed. Through Kurtz’s transformation and his ultimate association with ivory, Conrad illustrates the dehumanizing effects of colonialism and the darkness that lies within the human soul. The dual role of ivory—as both a coveted material and a symbol of evil—reflects the complexities and contradictions inherent in the colonial enterprise and the human psyche.