Joseph Conrad

Characterlife

December3,1857,JosephKahnRadwasborninPolandundertheruleofTsaristRussiaandspenthischildhoodinanupper-classfamily.HelaterfledtoFranceattheageof17andstartedhisownsailingcareer,whereheworkedonmanyships.WhenhewasasailoronaBritishship,heonlyknew6Englishwords.Later,heworkedonBritishmerchantshipsfor16years.

JoinedBritishnationalityin1886andbegantoserveascaptain.

In1890,ConradsailedtotheCongoinAfrica.

In1893,inConrad’sfirstvoyageasfirstofficer,oneofthepassengerswastheyoungGalsworthy.Conraddescribedthe"greatstoryteller"andhisHowtospendsleeplessnights.HowdidConradpersuadehimtoreturntothecabinonthelastnight.Theylaterbecamefriendsintheliteraryworld.ThefactsofhumannaturereflectedbyGalsworthycamefromtheupperclasstowhichhebelonged.

In1894,Conradendedhisdriftinglifeandsettleddownonland.Hisfirsttwonovels"TheFollyofOlmeyer"and"WandereronaDesertedIsland"havethesameMalayanbackground.

In1896,Conradgaveupsailingduetophysicalreasonsandturnedtonovelcreation.

In1897,Conradcompletedhisfirstrepresentativework"TheBlackSailorontheNarcissus".

In1900,Conradpublished"LordJim".

In1902,Conradcompletedhismostprestigiousnovel,"HeartofDarkness"describingsailingonthemysteriousCongoRiver.

The"MysteriousParticipant"publishedin1912embodiesthetypicalConradcharacters.Theyarepeoplefightingsingle-handedlyinasomewhatcrazyworld.

OnAugust3,1924,JosephConraddiedattheageof67.

Mainworks

In1889,hebegantocreateamateurnovels.Hewroteatotalof13novels,28shortstories,andtwomemoirs.Amongthemorefamousnovels,"TheBlackSailorontheNarcissus"(1897),"MasterJim"(lateradaptedintothemovieofthesamename"LordJim")(1900),"Nostromo"(1904),"Spy"(1907),"Fate"(1914),"Victory"(1914),novella"Darkness""TheHeart"(lateradaptedintothemovie"ApocalypseNow")(1902),andtheshortstory"Youth"(1902),etc.

Publishingbooks

Seemorebooks

Writingfeatures

JosephConradisamodernBritishPioneerofphilosophicalnovels.HeinheritedtheexperimentsandreformsofEnglishnovelsstartedbyHenryJames.LikeJames,heprovidedatransitionbetweentheoutstandingVictoriannovelandthebestmodernistwriter.Hisworksarenotonlyfamousforimpressionism,butalsoshockpeople'sheartswiththeirtragiccharacteristics.

Tragedy

ThetragedyinConrad'sworksisfirstmanifestedintherelationshipbetweenmanandnature.ForConrad,natureisapersonifiedforce.AsinHardy'snovels,lifeisabattlebetweenmanandtheuniverse.Conradseesthishorrificbattleasatestofhumanity.Thenovel"BlackSailorontheNarcissus"fullyembodiesthecontradictionandstrugglebetweenmanandnature.Thisisanovelwiththethemeofnavigation.Inthiswork,theoceanisatypicalenvironmentfullofsymbolicsignificance.Itisamicrocosmofthecruelforceofnature.Itproposestopeople'smoralconceptsandwillpowerwithitsviolentandruthlessness.challenge.Inthisturbulentsea,thepeopleontheNarcissusaccompanythemomentofdeath.Butthedesiretosurviveoccupiestheirentirespiritualworld,andthedesiretosurvivegivesthemthestrengthtosurvive,makingthemtoughtofacethechallengesofthesea.ConradportraystheimageofanoldsailorSingletoninthenovel.Singletonfoughtagainsttheviolentseaforhalfacentury,neverseriouslyconsideringlifeanddeath.Hehassufferedcountlessstorms.Hehasenduredcountlesssufferings,butheactuallysurvived,asifhewereindestructible.Inthefaceofstormafterstorm,hedidnotflinch,butstoodproudlyinthestorm,calmlyholdingtherudderthatisrelatedtolifeanddeath,andthesailorsworkedtogethertodefeatstormafterstorm.Ofcourse,perhapsthecontendingwiththeuniversewillultimatelyresultinfailure,justasSingletonlaterrealizedwhenhefelldownduetolackofphysicalstrength:"Iamold!Iwillfinallybedefeated."Butthatkindofknowinglyendedinfailure,Butthespiritoffightingagainstfateembodiesthegreatnessofmanandthepowerofman'swill.Evenifthisstrugglefails,thisendingcanonlygivepeoplethefeelingoftragic,notmiserable;itwillgivepeopleuplift,notdepression.Suchworksaretragicworks,andsuchcharactersaretragiccharacters.

ThetragicnatureofConrad'sworksisalsoreflectedintherelationshipbetweenmanandsociety.Likeothergreatwriters,Conradtriedtoreflectthespiritofthetimes,showingthepeople'sexperienceanddestiny,emotionallifeandconceptualconsciousnessofthatera.Conradpaysattentiontoanddiscussesthecrisisofmoderncivilization,theintegrityofhumannature,thevalueofhumanexistenceandtheultimatemeaninginthecontextofmodernsociety."DarkHeart"isanovellawrittenbyConradbasedonhisactionsintheCongoin1890.Itisoneofthemostprofoundandpowerfulnovelsofthiscentury.Inthisnovel,Conrad’sspokesperson,Marlowe,witnessedforeigncolonistslike"devilsfullofintensedesire,violence,andgreed".Undertheirplunderandenslavement,thevillagesintheAfricanjunglewerewithered,andhungrytabletswereeverywhere.Eerie.IntheCongolesetradingbase,Kozwasgreedy,lootedfrantically,andamassedalotofwealthintradingpointsdeepinthejungle.Butthismanwhohasbeenlonelyallyearround,drivenmadbygreedandpredation,hasbeencompletelyeroded.Hediedontheshipshortlyafterwards,yelling"terrible,terrible!"beforehedied.Thedarkheartisfullofprofoundsymbolism.ThetriptotheCongodescribedinthenovelisavoyageintothehinterlandofBlackAfrica,andatthesametimeajourneyofexploringoneselfanddiscoveringthedarkworldinpeople'shearts.Kozwasoriginallyayoungmanwithidealsandaspirations.HewasalmostarolemodelforyoungpeopleinWesterncivilization.Itwasthesinfulcolonialismthatdistortedhissoulanddehumanizedhim.Thetragicnatureoftragedystemsfromthedenialanddestructionofacertainidealorvaluethatpeoplemostcherish,yearnfororstrivefor.Koz'scrazywords"terrible,terrible"inthecomaatthelastmomentofhislifeisactuallyhiscondemnationandreflectiononhislife.Herealizedfromthedepthsofhishearttheterribleandcrueltyofallhissins,andhiscryatthelastmomentwasadenialofhislife.Whenheplungedothersintotheabyssofterror,healsofellintoendlesspain.ThetragedyofKotzisalsoareflectionofthetragedyofhumannature.Atthesametime,Conradherealsodeeplyreflectstheblindobedienceandsadnessofpeopleafterbeingalienatedandlosingthemselvescausedbymodernsociety.

Hegelsaidthatatragiccharactermustembodyacertainhumannature,acertainessentialpowerbeyondtheindividual,inhischaracterandwill.Thispowerispreciselythepowerofmorality.Thiskindofpowerisfloodedfrombeginningtoendin"LordJim".WhatConradwantstoexpressisakindof"senseoflosingdignity",whichisastrongconflictbetweenpeople'sheartandself.ThisshockingmoralforceispreciselytheessentialforceofartthatConraddeliberatelypursuedinhislife.AsConradsaid,"moraldiscoveryshouldbethegoalofeverystory."Conraddoesnotpursueasensationalgrandscene,hisfirstconcernistheconflictbetweenpeople'sdesiresandemotions,andbetweenpeople'sambitionsandactuallife.Hedescribeshumanbehavioritselfinordertoshowthespiritualchangesthatleadtosuchbehavior.Jim'sdeepreflectionistoseek"moraldiscovery".Conraduseswisesymbolismtomakereaderstrulyfeelthisarduousjourneyofmoraldiscoveryandpersonalperfection.SovietestheticianBolevbelievedthatthelawoftragedyisthetransitionfromdeathtorebirth.Theprocessofabandonment~confession~atonementthatJimtookispreciselytheprocessofpainfulresurrection.Hisactionsaretragicandhaveprofoundsocialandhistoricalconnotations.Thisprocessrealizestheself-denialofman,andrebuildsthenoblespiritofmanintheprocessoftendingtodestruction,fullydemonstratingthestrengthandcharmofman.Peopleareordinary.Theyareborn,suffer,anddie,silentlywalkingthroughtheshortlifecourse.However,inthisshortcourse,itwasfullofcountlessstoriesofheroicstruggles,whichconstitutedscenesofgreattragedies.AndallofConrad'sworksarefulloftheshockofthistragedy.ItisthisshockingforcethatmakesConradoccupyanimportantplaceinthehistoryofmodernBritishliterature.InConrad'sview,tragedyisnotabadthing,butapleasingforcefullofvitality,tragedyisthesourceofgreatpower.Peoplewillgetmorefromthetragedy,whichwillbethejoyofvictory,butalsothedesireandconfidenceoflife.

Impressionism

Impressionistsarealsopsychologists."LordJim"isamodelofConrad'suseofpsychologicalmethodstoexpresssensoryimpressions.Oneofthecharacteristicsofhisimpressionisttechniqueisthediscontinuityofexpression,theloosenessofnarrationandthecontingencyofevents,sothatatfirstglance,thereisnomethodtofollowinhisnovels,butonlybythispersonorthatperson.Thenauticalstorytoldisjustasynthesis.Thenarrativesofdifferentwitnessesaredifficulttoreconcile.Thisisexactlythedifficultythattheinvestigativecommitteein"JimLord"facedwhenitunderstoodtheoriginoftheaccidentandthereasonwhythePatnawasabandoned.Readershavetospendalotofbrainstounderstandtheprotagonist'sexperience.ConradissimilartoSteynintworespects:Theyarebothimpressionists,andtheyarebothinterestedinthefactthatpeople’sheartsaredifficulttocommunicate.Ordinarynovelistsseetheinherentlogicofthingsandshowthecausalityofevents:thisisrealismdominatedbyacceptance.Impressionistsignorethelogicofthings.Whatheshowsusistheinstantreactionofcharacterstotheoutsideworldandtheeffectofthingsonthesenses,ratherthanareasonabledescriptionofwhatisfelt,seenorheard.Butthroughthevividandpowerfuleffectsoftheseimpressions,itconveysourfeelingswhenweareindirectcontactwithevents.Conradsaid,"Alltheartofcreationismagic.Hehimselfdoesoftenevokethisillusion-thisistheonlywayhetellsastory.Thistypeofimpressionismisricherthanrealism,whichfocusesontheobjectiverepresentationofordinarythings.Thesenseofmotivation,itseffectismorelikeanunprocessedfeeling,likearawstateofpsychologicaltestmaterials.Intheimpressionist’sview,authenticitydoesnotnecessarilyexistineasy-to-understandstories;suchstoriesgenerallyfollowTheorderofimpressionsissortedout,anditisshownasasimplifiedandunderstandablerelationship.However,whenourcomprehensionimmediatelycapturesthecollectedthingsandunderstandsthem,ourunderstandingofthingsismuchmorevividandlively.Thegraspisalsomuchstronger,sothenovelisclosertolife.Thecompletemeaningemergesimmediatelyorgraduallyfromthecollectiveimpression;atthesametimewecanseetheorderfromthechaos,andtheintricatefantasyoflife,orasConradsaid"Thewholeillusionofnatureisthusaroused.

"LordJim"isaproductofsuchimpressionismfrombeginningtoend.Thenovelisfullofaccidentalevents(suchastheaccidentonthePatna),andeverythingcomesfromthis.Thestoryconsistsofaseriesofaccidentalevents;theseeventsareonlyoccasionallyrelated,ratherthanunfoldingascloselyconnectedevents.Alltheunrelatedscenes,personalspeculations,independentreports,andaccidentalobservationsgraduallycometogetherforreaderstoconnecttheseepisodesbythemselves.Conradcreatesaformthatallowsreaderstoexplaineveryfactwithhim,sothatreadersfeelthateverymomentistense.Conradisanimpressionistnomatterfromthedescriptionofthesceneryortheextraordinarywhitephenomenon,orfromthewaythestoryisarranged,althoughinhislaterworks,hehasnotoftenusedthatin"JimLord".Acomplicatedmigrationmethod.Onthesurface,thetechniquesofConradandJamesarequitesimilar.Forexample,theybothseethecomplexityofmotivationandobservethesituationfromdifferentangles.However,similaritydoesnotmeanconsistency.ConradlearnedfromJamesjusttomakehimselfmoreperfect.Manynovelistspayattentiontotheeffectsofvisualandface-to-faceperformance,andHardyisarepresentativewriter.ButtherehasneverbeenawritercompletelydependentonsensoryimpressionslikeConrad,healmostruledouttheroleofreason.

Ifin"LordJim",Conradtellswhathesaworspeculated,thenin"BlackSailorontheNarcissus"(1897),"Youth"(1902)),"DarkHeart"(1902),"Typhoon"(1903)andothernovels,hedetailedhisownexperience.Conradsaidthatinhisnauticalnovelsandessaysonnauticalwork"TheMirroroftheSea"(1906),he"sincerelytriedtodescribethelifeintheoceanworldandthesimplepeoplewhohavelivedinsolitudeformostoftheirlives."Thewavesintheinnerworldandtryingtodescribeacertainkindofemotionthatseemstooccuronlyonboard..."Accordingtotraditionalconcepts,novelsmusthaveacertainlengthanddescriptionbreadth,andtheymusthaveplots,basicconcepts,topics,andemotions.Aclearending,properinternalconnectionandcompleteness.ItisindeedabitoutrageoustotestConrad'snovelsbythisstandard.Butmostofhisworksarewell-roundedandsolid;eachhasitsownunity.Theyarelikeepics,composedofaseriesofepisodesdetailingthehero'sperseveranceandpatience;oceanstoriesshowthelivesofseafarers,showingtheircoldvinegar,solemnity,despicabilityandeccentricity."BlackSailorontheNarcissus"isthefirstnoveltobringConrad'sreputation.Itssubjectmatterisnotnew.Itisjustthatthesubjectofashipnamed"WhiteNarcissus"sailingbackandfortharoundtheCapeofGoodHopeisoutstanding.Itsnoveltyisthatitusesimpressionismtodepicttheroughlifeontheshipbecauseoftheconflictbetweenthesailorsandthesupermanoftheexternalforces,whichisnobleandenergetic,andbecauseofthearrivalofablackman.Thesituationonboardtransformedintoaterribletragicomedy.Theblackmandiedunexpectedly,andhisdeathhadaprofoundimpactonthepeopleonboard.

ForConrad,natureisakindofpersonifiedpower,justlikeinHardy'snovel;lifeisafiercebattlewiththepoweroftheuniverse.ButConradseesthisbattleasatestofmankind.Inhisview,lifeoftentestspeople;anyaccidentalthingmaybecomeanopportunitytotestone'sownpersonality.

Characterinfluence

ConradhasaprominentandimportantpositioninthehistoryofEnglishliterature.HeisknownasoneoftheeightmodernBritishwriters.Heisbestatwritingmarineadventurenovels.Knownasthe"MasterofNovel".TheChinesewriterLaoShecalledhim"thegreatestcreatorofmodernrealmandpersonality."

Conrad’screationcombinestraditionandmodernity.Hiswritingtechniquecombinesrealismandromanticism.Heisgoodatdetailedpsychologicaldescription,andhisworksaremostlypessimisticandmysterious.Heisarepresentativefigureinthetransitionfromtraditionalrealismtomodernism,andhasinfluencedmanyfamous20thcenturywriterssuchasFaulknerandHemingway.

CharacterThoughts

ConradwasaRomanCatholicsincehewasachild,buthedidnotrecognizeanyreligion.Hewrotearticlesaboutthesupernatural,whichheonlyregardedasakindofsuperstition.Hehasbeenasailoronamerchantshipfor20years,andthefirstthinghecameintocontactwithwasthenaturalworld,sohedidn'tbelieveinthemysteryofnature.HehatesthesentimentalsentimentofAmericanwriterHermanMelville,andhismastersareFlaubert,TurgenevandHenryJames.Hisheartasanartistoncewroteintheprefaceofthebook"BlackSailorontheNarcissus".Hecalledonreaderstochangetheirtemperament,becausethebooksofthesemasters"makeyouhearandmakeyoufeelTo...sothatyoucansee."Butheisapassionatemoralist,aphilosophicalwriter,themainobjectistheindividual,andtherelationshipbetweenthisindividualandhumansociety.

InConrad'sview,tragedyisnotabadthing,butapleasing,vitalityandimpetusthing.Inshort,thisisavictory.IsthisavictoryforLianyun?No,pitycontainscontempt.Thisisthevictoryofhumancharacter.Thegracefultragedydoesnotfilltheonlookerwithinfinitedisappointment,butmakeshimcherishasenseofsurpriseandjoyatthegloriousaccomplishment.Weareproudoftheendingpeacefullybecausethespiritualpowerofhumanityhasovercomeallevilandmoraldisasters.Althoughhotfateseemstohavetheupperhand,itisafalseappearance;thespiritismorenobleandnoblethanfate.

Conraddoesnotcondemntheuniverse,nordoeshecursefatelikeHardy.Hebelievesthattheworstevilintheworldisone'sownweakness,thatis,one'sweakwill.Inhiseyes,thereisnodestinytohelppeoplegetoutoftrouble,andhumanbeingscanrelyontheirownstrengthtocontroltheirowndestiny.In"TheBlackSailorontheNarcissus",ConradportraysanimageofablackmannamedJamesWaite.Helookedcalm,calm,burly,andaggressive,butaftertheshipsetsail,heclaimedthathewasseriouslyillandwasabouttodieatanytime.Notonlydidhenotwork,buthealsogroaned,lettingothersrushforhimandcauseinthehandsofthesailors.Therewasapanic.ItcanbesaidthatWaiteisanincarnationofevil.Heishypocritical,cowardly,andlacksthespiritualsupportforsurvival.Conradusedthischaractertoshowpeoplehiscontemptforevil.HeusedSingletontoexpresshisfeelings:"Hey,ifyoudie,youwilldie.Don'tmakeeveryonefussaboutthis.Wecan'thelpyou."ConradthinksWetter's.Longsighsandsighsdirtyingpeople'sworkdayandnight,whichisamanifestationofcowardice.Thissighwilleventuallybereplacedbysilentpainandlabor,bythesilentcourageofpeoplewhoareobscuredandpersevering.Conradadvocatestheunyieldingspiritofman.Hebelievesthatthelossofspiritwillresultinthedeathofthesoul,andthedeathofthesoulwillinevitablyleadtothedestructionofmankind.

ConradseemsnotveryinterestedinJochaEliotorHardy.Heignorestheformer'sdoctrine,buthistragicinterpretationofthefateofmankindissimilartothebestinsightsofthesetwonovelists.TheendingofmostofhisstoriesissimilartothatofHardy's"TheForestDweller",anditissimilartothedisasterinGeorgeEliot's"TheMillontheFloss"thatbroughtTomandMaggietomutualunderstanding.LikeGeorgeEliot,Conradsometimesuseslivelyscenesandplotstoexpresssuchcrises.Healsoexploredtheabstractmoralissuesofpatienceandpatience.Herealizedwithsadnessthatevilwasinadominantposition,sothathehimself,whetheranyethicaloutlookontheuniversewasunreasonable.ItshouldbeunderstoodthathegrewupundertheinfluenceofRomanCatholicism,butheabandonedanysupernaturalcreed.Hisreligionisbasedonthedivinityofman.Obviously,inhisview,manisaconsciouselementintheentireuniverse.Reflectingtheindifferentandincrediblenatureofhumanbeingsandlonelinessintheuniverse,akeensenseofhumandignityandhumanself-responsibility,andakeensenseofhumandignityandself-responsibility,andanequallysharpandprofoundsenseofjustice,notjustabstractjustice,butbrave,firm,andloyalThepartner'spersonhasasenseofincomparablevalue-theseconstituteConrad'sreligion.