Monday, December 8, 2008
Meaningful Connection!!!
A connection between Heart of Darkness and Waiting for the Barbarians can be seen through the women of both novels. Both Kurtz and the Magistrate have affairs with barbarian/native girls. Although both characters have these relationships, the significance of each is very different.
In Heart of Darkness, Kurtz has a relationship with the "magnificent black woman." This relationship, however, is less about the woman and more about nature. As Douglas Kerr says in his article, Kurtz's real relationship is with nature. It is therefore fitting to say that she represents nature -- a notion that is also discussed by Marianna Torgovnick in her article, "Primitivism and the African Woman in Heart of Darkness." In this novel, Kurtz does not really have a love for the African people or his "magnificent black woman," but instead just enjoys his power over them, his "fantasies" (Torgovnick).
In Waiting for the Barbarians, the Magistrate has a relationship with a captive barbarian girl. During his encounter with the torture of captives and the barbarian girl, he comes to find sympathy for the barbarians. His intitial attraction to the barbarian girl is his need to heal her. He washes her every night (in a very sensual fashion), therefore becoming rather close to her. Whether he comes to truly love her is a very debatable and gray area, however, it is safe to say that on the whole he stands up for the proper treatment of prisoners (barbarians). The Magistrate clearly has a struggle with his attraction to the barbarian girl -- admiring/praising her at times and then going on in disgust about her ugliness. This shows some initial prejudice towards her kind, but he eventually gets over that and invites her back with him. His actions are very different from Kurtz's, and although he may be a slightly annoying, kind of bipolar, bitter about aging (and way too obsessed with his sex life) man (and kind of a man whore), he is definitely a much more thoughtful and genuine man than Kurtz.
While the magistrate found a sympathy for the barbarians and stood up against their mistreatment, Kurtz manipulated the Africans -- took advantage of them. While both are "outlaws" to their people (as Kerr concluded), they have very different roles and emotions. The connection between the two novels is the encounters that men have with barbarians and native peoples (especially through women).
About 400 words
In Heart of Darkness, Kurtz has a relationship with the "magnificent black woman." This relationship, however, is less about the woman and more about nature. As Douglas Kerr says in his article, Kurtz's real relationship is with nature. It is therefore fitting to say that she represents nature -- a notion that is also discussed by Marianna Torgovnick in her article, "Primitivism and the African Woman in Heart of Darkness." In this novel, Kurtz does not really have a love for the African people or his "magnificent black woman," but instead just enjoys his power over them, his "fantasies" (Torgovnick).
In Waiting for the Barbarians, the Magistrate has a relationship with a captive barbarian girl. During his encounter with the torture of captives and the barbarian girl, he comes to find sympathy for the barbarians. His intitial attraction to the barbarian girl is his need to heal her. He washes her every night (in a very sensual fashion), therefore becoming rather close to her. Whether he comes to truly love her is a very debatable and gray area, however, it is safe to say that on the whole he stands up for the proper treatment of prisoners (barbarians). The Magistrate clearly has a struggle with his attraction to the barbarian girl -- admiring/praising her at times and then going on in disgust about her ugliness. This shows some initial prejudice towards her kind, but he eventually gets over that and invites her back with him. His actions are very different from Kurtz's, and although he may be a slightly annoying, kind of bipolar, bitter about aging (and way too obsessed with his sex life) man (and kind of a man whore), he is definitely a much more thoughtful and genuine man than Kurtz.
While the magistrate found a sympathy for the barbarians and stood up against their mistreatment, Kurtz manipulated the Africans -- took advantage of them. While both are "outlaws" to their people (as Kerr concluded), they have very different roles and emotions. The connection between the two novels is the encounters that men have with barbarians and native peoples (especially through women).
About 400 words
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