A clear similarity exists between The Age of Wonder and Heart Of Darkness. Both have characters searching for something in an unknown and dangerous land. Also, these journeys explore the author's mind. Depicting such hostile environments shows the dangers of knowing a truth about one's self. Meanwhile the marvels that could potentially appear in such voyage represent the everlasting possibility of wonder especially when understanding the human mind: a collection of thoughts and memories so complex it could house an entire continent.
In the case of Conrad, he sought Kurtz: an ideal of himself. After fighting his unconscious, a powerful being represented as the wilderness, he found the truth behind that ideal. Despite all the apparent dangers he experienced while traveling, only finding Kurtz truly devastated him. With this, Conrad proved that finding an undesired truth endangers the explorer's psyche the most.
Richard Holmes one the other hand uses a different style to achieve the same objective. He does not use elements as evident as a meditating Buddha to clarify his intentions. Through the character's description the reader infers the setting surrounding the character and how this setting will help us explore Holmes' mind. Joseph Banks is "cheerful, confident and adventurous: a true child of the Enlightenment." (1) This in combination with his actions helps depict him as a young, energetic and slightly naïve person: a perfect scientific explorer ready to extract the truth from an unyielding wilderness of thought. Still, a key element differentiates him from a typical scientist. He has the "dreaming inwardness of Romanticism". Although we first imagine him as a scientist, only a spark of romanticism and idealism guides him. Through his research of nature and this voyage he seeks himself.
Ultimately, both travelers wish to find themselves. Despite similarities in the stories, both are destined to fin a different reality. The dangers these two characters face must remind us of perils in self discovery. Especially in the case of Conrad, finding the truth does not necessarily mean improving.
No comments:
Post a Comment