Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a novella that explores European imperialism in Africa, particularly the Congo under Belgian rule.
Reading and Writing Workshop: Imperialism and the Darkness of Civilization
General Instructions:
Begin by reading the work either in groups or as a class. If group reading, divide the work into sections and assign each group a section. As groups, they will read their section, write a summary of each chapter, and then each group reports on their chapters sequentially. As students read, they should complete the Historical Thinking Guide. After reading and reporting on the entire novel, the workshop might consist of a single session or more. The goal is to engage participants in an exploration of life in an American religious colony through primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of concepts such as migration, cultural exchange, conflict, and resilience.
Objective:
This workshop integrates public domain sources to help participants engage critically with history and literature while developing creative writing skills.
Session 1: Introduction to Imperialism and Heart of Darkness
Reading:
How do the themes of Heart of Darkness relate to present-day global issues (e.g., corporate exploitation, resource wars, and modern colonialism)?
Session 2: The Congo Free State and European Atrocities
Primary Source Readings (Public Domain):
Casement Report (1904) - Firsthand accounts of the brutality in the Congo Free State
https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1904congo.asp
Edmund Morel’s The Black Man’s Burden (1903)
https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.40277
Writing Prompt:
Write a first-person account of a European traveler entering Africa for the first time in the late 19th century.
Session 3: The Role of Trading Companies and the Ivory Trade
Primary Source Readings:
Excerpts from British Parliamentary Debates on Imperialism (Late 19th Century)
https://hansard.parliament.uk/
Joseph Conrad’s Essays on the Congo
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/219
Writing Prompt:
Imagine you are an African laborer working under King Leopold’s rule. Write a letter describing your experience to a family member.
Session 4: Disease and Environmental Consequences of Colonialism
Primary Source Readings:
David Livingstone’s Writings on Tropical Diseases in Africa
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13261
Excerpts from The History of Malaria in Africa
https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/history/index.html
Writing Prompt:
Write a newspaper article from the 1890s exposing the horrors of the ivory trade.
Session 5: Creative Adaptations and Final Writing Project
Creative Writing Task:
Write a short story inspired by Heart of Darkness but set in a modern context, such as corporate exploitation of natural resources.
Writing Prompt:
Imagine you are a doctor in the Congo Free State. Write a journal entry about the health conditions you witness.
Historical Events Referenced in Heart of DarknessJoseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a novella that explores European imperialism in Africa, particularly the Congo under Belgian rule. The novel references several key historical events and themes, including:
General Instructions:
Begin by reading the work either in groups or as a class. If group reading, divide the work into sections and assign each group a section. As groups, they will read their section, write a summary of each chapter, and then each group reports on their chapters sequentially. As students read, they should complete the Historical Thinking Guide. After reading and reporting on the entire novel, the workshop might consist of a single session or more. The goal is to engage participants in an exploration of life in an American religious colony through primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of concepts such as migration, cultural exchange, conflict, and resilience.
Objective:
This workshop integrates public domain sources to help participants engage critically with history and literature while developing creative writing skills.
Session 1: Introduction to Imperialism and Heart of Darkness
Reading:
- Excerpts from Heart of Darkness
- Excerpts from King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild (nonfiction)
How do the themes of Heart of Darkness relate to present-day global issues (e.g., corporate exploitation, resource wars, and modern colonialism)?
Session 2: The Congo Free State and European Atrocities
Primary Source Readings (Public Domain):
Casement Report (1904) - Firsthand accounts of the brutality in the Congo Free State
https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1904congo.asp
Edmund Morel’s The Black Man’s Burden (1903)
https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.40277
Writing Prompt:
Write a first-person account of a European traveler entering Africa for the first time in the late 19th century.
Session 3: The Role of Trading Companies and the Ivory Trade
Primary Source Readings:
Excerpts from British Parliamentary Debates on Imperialism (Late 19th Century)
https://hansard.parliament.uk/
Joseph Conrad’s Essays on the Congo
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/219
Writing Prompt:
Imagine you are an African laborer working under King Leopold’s rule. Write a letter describing your experience to a family member.
Session 4: Disease and Environmental Consequences of Colonialism
Primary Source Readings:
David Livingstone’s Writings on Tropical Diseases in Africa
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13261
Excerpts from The History of Malaria in Africa
https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/history/index.html
Writing Prompt:
Write a newspaper article from the 1890s exposing the horrors of the ivory trade.
Session 5: Creative Adaptations and Final Writing Project
Creative Writing Task:
Write a short story inspired by Heart of Darkness but set in a modern context, such as corporate exploitation of natural resources.
Writing Prompt:
Imagine you are a doctor in the Congo Free State. Write a journal entry about the health conditions you witness.
Historical Events Referenced in Heart of DarknessJoseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a novella that explores European imperialism in Africa, particularly the Congo under Belgian rule. The novel references several key historical events and themes, including:
- Roman Colonization of Britain (43 AD – 410 AD)
- The opening of the novel compares the British Empire’s conquest of Africa to Rome’s conquest of Britain, highlighting the brutality and exploitation involved in both.
- European Imperialism in Africa (19th Century)
- The novel critiques European colonialism, particularly the Scramble for Africa (1880s-1914), where European powers divided and occupied African territories for economic and political gain.
- The Congo Free State (1885-1908)
- The setting of the novel closely resembles King Leopold II’s private colony, where forced labor, extreme violence, and mass atrocities were committed in the name of ivory and rubber extraction.
- The Role of Trading Companies in Colonization
- Conrad references European trading companies that controlled large portions of Africa, including the British East India Company and the French Congo trading enterprises.
- The Use of Forced Labor and Exploitation of Indigenous People
- The novel depicts African laborers in chains and forced to work under brutal conditions, mirroring real-life abuses in the Congo Free State.
- Missionary and "Civilizing" Efforts by Europeans
- The novel satirizes the European claim of bringing "light" to Africa, as seen in the European mission to "civilize" indigenous populations through religion and Western institutions.
- The Ivory Trade and Resource Exploitation
- The book details the destructive ivory trade, which led to environmental destruction and the near extinction of African elephants.
- Tropical Diseases in Africa
- The novel highlights malaria, yellow fever, and other diseases that affected European traders, missionaries, and military personnel in Africa.