In her naivety, she seems to be living in a dream world. She is certain that Kurtz loved her faithfully, never realizing that he has an African lover.Īt the end of the tale, Kurtz finds her so pathetic he attempts to lie to her about Kurtz’s last words. She cherishes the thought that Kurtz is a man dedicated to saving the Africans. The African woman represents how Kurtz has formed an alliance with the natives.Ĭonrad’s own belief that women are far removed from the reality of men is reinforced through his portrayal of Kurtz’s Intended. When Marlow meets him he no longer cares for the principles of society, and is cheating on his fiancé with the African woman. Kurtz’s mistress and his Intended also help us gain insight into his decline into madness. His intended, a white woman who waits faithfully for him in Europe, and his fiery African mistress help to reinforce the themes and ideas in the story. A striking contrast in the story “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad is the differences between the two women that Kurtz is involved with. There is nothing evil about her, only naïve good-intentions and unquestioning loyalty. She is the ideal woman, who will uphold the memory of Kurtz and be faithful, not passionate. Unlike the African woman, she hangs her head in sorrow. Kurtz’s intended, who he leaves in Europe, she has “fair hair, this pale visage, this pure brow, seemed surrounded by an ashy halo from which the dark eyes looked out at me.” (Conrad 143)

Her aloofness and savage nature add to the portrayal of her as evil. She is dark-skinned, haughty, and unwavering. About Kurtz’s mistress it is told that “She was savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent there was something ominous and stately in her deliberate progress.” (Conrad 125) She embodies the wild, untamed land of Africa. The two main female characters can be seen as symbols of the contrast between light and darkness.

Women in heart of darkness