In Joseph Conrad's classic short story, Heart of Darkness, Kurtz's identity is unknown for most of the story. For most of the story, Marlow's image of Kurtz is based solely on hearsay from other Europeans. He is a seemingly extraordinary man who wants to civilize the natives of the region. Once he is finally introduced to Kurtz, Marlow is surprised by his actions. Marlow finds him sick, perhaps mad, and not at all as he expected. The accounts given later by those who knew Kurtz all seem to paint a different picture of him, unknown to Marlow. This calls into question Kurtz's real identity. The accounts given by those who knew him could be correct or simply constructed by their own delusional minds. Alternatively, perhaps the "darkness" of the Congo changed Kurtz's very essence while he worked there. There must be a reason for the discrepancies between the Kurtz legend and the man himself. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. Kurtz undoubtedly affected different people in different ways. The Russian trader Marlow meets holds Kurtz in high regard. He says that Kurtz's grandiose ideas "expanded his mind" (Conrad p. 48). When Kurtz later confides in Marlow, his plans to become famous and rich seem immature and ridiculous. This could be due to differences in the perception of the trader and Marlow. What one man considers genius, another might find ridiculous. Conrad may be commenting on human perceptions in this case. There are other accounts of Kurtz that also radically go against the image that is shown to readers. Conrad reveals little about Kurtz's character through the action of the book. Rather, his role is a series of images constructed by others. Kurtz's cousin tells Marlow that Kurtz was a great musician and humanitarian and concludes that he was just a genius in every way. The Belgian journalist offers another image of Kurtz. For him, Kurtz was a brilliant politician and leader of men. Everyone seems to have taken something different from Kurtz and it has affected their lives differently. Kurtz's Intended considered him a loving, devoted, humanitarian and all-round guru. She obviously had no idea that he was having an affair with a native African woman. The Receiver's perception of Kurtz is wrong, but is it her fault or has Kurtz projected onto her the image of himself he wanted her to see? Marlow even supports the Addressee's false recollection of Kurtz by telling him that his last words were his name. It is unclear why Marlow did this, but perhaps he did it in order to protect Kurtz's reputation and memory. Either way, it seems like all of these people have different memories of Kurtz. This is either due to differences in perception, or Kurtz was a master at giving people what they wanted or needed to see. It's interesting that everyone thought they knew Kurtz so well. His intended exclaimed: “He knew him best” (Conrad p. 73). It seems that none of them really know him. He touched everyone because he represents for everyone what they would like to see in themselves. It is also possible that Kurtz changed while working in the Congo. The nature of the jungle itself must have played a role in Kurtz's change in mentality. Marlow seemed to lose his feelings on the river. There is no evidence that Marlow was an insensitive man, but rather a curious and caring one. The reason he wanted to surrenderin Congo is to explore the white areas of the map of Africa. So it's surprising that when his helmsman is killed by natives, he simply pushes him away. He immediately changes his socks and shoes and instead of lamenting the death, he is upset that he has lost a new pair of shoes. Perhaps the darkness of the jungle has a similar effect on everyone. by KurtzA long stay in the jungle was more than enough for him to lose whatever senses he may have once had. Freud's analysis of the human psyche attempts to explain Kurtz's mentality. Freud says that the “id” is the part of the unconscious that humans are born with; it serves to control the desires we are born with. The “me” develops from the “id” in an attempt to rationalize these innate desires. The “superego,” Freud explains, controls the “ego” and develops through external controls such as social awareness. Therefore, the “superego” of people who grow up in different societies would not be the same due to the different external forces that shaped their “superego”. This should explain the vast differences between the natives of the Congo and the Europeans who attempted to “civilize” them. Freud tends to believe that the “superego” is formed in adulthood and cannot be changed. Freud could be wrong. Kurtz apparently went mad in the "darkness" of Africa. He posts the rebel leaders on pikes outside his office and has somehow, we don't know how, convinced the native tribes to worship him as if he were a god. This implies that he does not live according to European standards or does not respect his "superego" of European origin. Kurtz's European "superego" would not have benefited him in the jungle, however. He may have lost his old “superego” and adapted to his new environment. Perhaps Kurtz has even completely overcome his “superego”. Freud may or may not agree that this is possible. The darkness in Heart of Darkness could be the "id" without the "superego" to control it, thus allowing all innate and animal desires to surface. (Freud pp. 12-17) It is difficult to understand how Kurtz, who seems so insular and isolated from the rest of society, was able to connect with so many people. The reason may be because he didn't really let anyone really know him. He let people see what they wanted. So these people used what they knew about Kurtz for their own use and developed an image of him that may or may not be accurate. To Destiny, Kurtz was an object of affection and someone who cared for her. For the Russian trader, he was a source of inspiration. Marlow somehow found his purpose through his short relationship with Kurtz. He was intrigued by what he heard about Kurtz and this is what helped him overcome the oppression of the Congo. Kurtz was an alternative to the emptiness and laziness of the other Europeans Marlow encountered. Kurtz did his job. He found more ivory than all the other managers combined. He was also open about his methods: he took other people's ivory by force. He resorted to repression and extermination to get what he wanted and he had no qualms admitting it. Kurtz was open about his tactics, but it was what he needed the natives of the area to see for them to fear him. Kurtz didn't get the ivory by being nice to people. This is just another example of Kurtz redefining himself to fit an image that is useful to him or others. Kurtz played an important role in Marlow's life despite barely knowing him. Marlow reflects on the idea that he has no role in the world. After Kurtz's death, he was given the role of perpetuating his.