Kurtz a Christ like Figure in Heart of Darkness

Throughout Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad there are many religious references and symbols. The Character Kurtz in the beginning of the story is talked and praised about and in the end you see the real Kurtz. The reader realizes that Kurtz is actually evil and not a savior as many of the characters in the book believe, even after the story ends. Even though it seems that Kurtz is actually evil, he can be compared to Jesus in the bible, because he went to bring morals to a land that had none, he had men who followed him as disciples, and he died as a symbol.

When Marlow first arrives in the Congo he just wants to be a river boat captain. Upon seeing all the greed, and negro workers being treated horrible Marlow says, "I've seen the devil of violence, and the devil of greed, and the devil of hot desire...(Conrad 63)." Since Marlow has been in the Congo, he has seen more violence and greed then he has ever seen in his life. He sees the devil in the Congo, where ever he looks and is disgusted. Jesus was sent down to Earth by God to save the people from sin. The Congo can be compared to Earth when Jesus was sent down to save the people because Conrad described it as seeing the devil everywhere he looked, and Jesus was sent down to save his people from the Devil and of sin. While Marlow is at the beginning of the river he hears great things of a man named Kurtz and says, "I was curios to see whether this man, who had come out equipped with moral ideas of some sort, would climb to the top after all...(Conrad 83)." Much like Jesus, Kurtz is said to have moral ideas which may be used to change people for the better in a sinful place.

Jesus was such a great preacher whose voice was heard by all. Much like Jesus Kurtz had a voice, and people would listen. When Marlow hears his voice he says, "The volume of tone he emitted without effort, almost without the trouble of moving his lips, amazed me. A voice! A voice (Conrad 127)!" Marlow throughout the story is mesmerized by Kurtz's voice, it's almost as if there is a special power that when Kurtz talked, and people listened. Marlow became obsessed with the voice, so much so that his mission became just to talk to the man. One evening as Marlow's river boat came close to Kurtz's station he wanted to press on through the night to get to Kurtz but the manager urged caution. Marlow cared so much about meeting and hearing Kurtz's voice that, "[He] was annoyed beyond expression at the delay (Conrad 96)." Marlow almost makes it seem like Kurtz can perform and miracle and he can't waste another minute to gt to him. This is much like a story in the bible when a woman is so desperate to talk to Jesus that she places her hand on his cloak to get his attention as he his walking through a huge crowd of people. Marlow is like this woman, he will go to great lengths just to hear Kurtz's great voice. Much like Jesus having such a powerful voice and being able to preach Kurtz was able to get people to follow him, and worship his preaching's. These followers much like the followers and disciples of Jesus would praise him till their death. Marlow even describes one of Kurtz's followers as Kurtz's "last disciple (Conrad 124)", when the man tries to defend Kurtz as Marlow thinks he is crazy.

Lastly Kurtz like Jesus dies as a symbol, as a savior. Jesus died on the cross for the people to save them from sin, so that everyone would have a chance to go to heaven. Jesus may have died on the cross but he came back to life and rose from the dead bringing with him his legacy. Although Kurtz did not rise from the dead his legacy much like Jesus would live on. For one of Kurtz's followers, "Mr. Kurtz was not in his grave; I suspect that for him Mr. Kurtz was one of the immortals (Conrad 130)." When Marlow gets back and talks to Kurtz's Mistress, he thinks to himself, "It would have been too dark too dark altogether...(Conrad 149). Marlow does not tell his mistress the whole story because he wants Kurtz's legacy to live on. He wants people to think that good people really do exist, in such a sinful place. Most people in the story have not actually met Kurtz and marvel at him from stories which have been passed along the river from person to person. This is exactly how the word of Christ was passed along by his disciples.

Kurtz was a Christ like figure in the story Heart of Darkness for bringing moral ideas to a place, having followers who spread his word and lastly for having his word live on after he had died. Kurtz's ideas and image were a light in the darkness for many of the characters in the story.