＂AN AIR OF PLOTTING＂: CONSPIRACY AND IMPERIALISM IN JOSEPH CONRAD'S ＂HEART OF DARKNESS＂

「算計的氣氛」：〈黑暗之心〉裏的陰謀與帝國主義

鄧鴻樹(Hong-Shu Teng)

《歐美研究》 30卷4期 (2000/12) Pp. 47-123

摘要

This paper will argue that the manager's conspiracy against Kurtz manifests the same strategy as that employed by real-life colonial explorers in the 1890s. It also argues that Marlow tries to grasp the significance of ＂imperialism＂ as a historical process when he tells the story of Kurtz. This paper will contextualize the conspiracy theme by discussing two historical contexts: the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition, and J. A. Hobson's Imperialism: A Study. It will show that the manager's journey marks similar efforts in territorial annexation to those that characterized the Expedition. Secondly, this paper will tackle ＂imperialism＂ as a contingent historical process. It will discuss Marlow's evaluation of Kurtz in the context of the late 1890s when ＂imperialism＂ meant different things to different European countries.

關鍵字

Joseph Conrad ； conspiracy ； imperialism

並列摘要

本論文將探討〈黑暗之心〉裏的陰謀與帝國主義之關連。本文認為，經理對克爾茲的陰謀呈現了十九世紀帝國主義者的陰謀野心。另外，馬羅眼中的「帝國主義」是詭譎多變的歷史事件。本文將以兩個重要的歷史背景討論〈黑暗之心〉裏的陰謀主題：一八八七年的「艾明拯救探險」；以及哈伯遜的《帝國主義研究》。〈黑暗之心〉中經理的陰謀實際上蘊藏與「艾明拯救探險」相同的陰謀－瓜分土地。本文將探討該陰謀所代表的新帝國主義時代，並以〈黑暗之心〉為例，闡釋「帝國主義」在十九世紀歐洲列強競爭下之多元性。

並列關鍵字

康拉德 ； 陰謀 ； 帝國主義

參考文獻

Allen, Jerry(1967).The Sea Years of Joseph Conrad.London:Methuen.

Anderson, B.(1991).Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism.London:Verso.

Bhabha, Homi(1994).The Location of Culture.London:Routledge.

Bongie, Chris(1991).Macropolitics of Nineteenth-Century Literature: Nationalism, Exoticism, Imperialism.Durham:Duke University Press.

Brantlinger, Patrick(1988).Rule of Darkness: British Literature and Imperialism, 1830-1914.Ithaca:Cornell University Press.