Intro Paragraph

In Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Kurtz is implied to be dominant and omniscient--a character whose presence commands respect and awe. However, this does not prove to be the case. In Karl's Introduction to the Danse Macabre: Conrad's Heart of Darkness he writes of "a sense of the absurd gap between what we profess to be and what we are." This idea is, indeed, exhibited in Heart of Darkness. Who Kurtz is, is very different from who Kurtz is said to be. Kurtz is not the fortified character he is portrayed as. In actuality, Kurtz is corrupted with the craze of the Congo jungle. He is cruel, vulnerable, and undeserving of any respect he is given. Contrary to his reputation, he is weak. It can be asserted that Kurtz represents the duality of the unconscious human mind that is promoted by Freud.