Decoding of Marlow’s Imperial Discourse through Impressionistic Narrative Strategies in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

The present article analyzes the impressionistic narrative strategies in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness to decode Charles Marlow’s imperial discourse. In the light of Jesse Matz’s and John G. Peters’ approaches towards literary impressionism and with special attention to Marlow’s narrative, the researcher examines a set of passages to situate the novella further within the discussions concerning its subverting and / or hailing the imperial discourse. In spite of the existence of a number of critical debates related to Conrad’s reinforcing or undermining the imperial attitudes, his use of literary impressionism as a politically-oriented narrative strategy is a notion that has not been adequately discussed. For many critics, Heart of Darkness vacillates between Conrad’s perpetuation and questioning of imperialist views. The present study joins in this discussion through examination of the use of narrative strategies of literary impressionism in the novella to decode Marlow’s imperial discourse. In fact, the study probes to find out to what extent the obscurity hidden in Marlow’s narrative acts to cover up the visibility of his imperial discourse and attempts to make a shift in the studies of Conrad’s literary impressionism from mere pictorial perspectives to broader political overtones of this field.