Darwinian Influences and Colonizers’ Views: A Postcolonial Study of Heart of Darkness and The Journey to the East

Abstract

This paper explores the influence of Darwinian ideology on the colonial mind-set, particularly in shaping imperial ambitions during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Focusing on Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (1899) and Hesse’s The Journey to the East (1932), the study examines how Africa and Asia are portrayed in colonial literature. By analyzing characters, motifs, and events within these novels, the research highlights metaphorical significance of their representations. Using Edward Said’s Postcolonial theory of Orientalism, the study investigates the colonial politics of self and othering, stereotypes, and the binary oppositions of superiority and inferiority. Furthermore, it critiques Social Darwinism’s role in preserving racial hierarchies, echoing Fanon’s (1952) view that such ideologies, rooted in imperialism, have harmed humanity. The research is qualitative, relying on textual and contextual analysis, and aims to deconstruct the negative portrayals of Asia and Africa. Ultimately, the study reveals how colonial discourse, influenced by Social Darwinian thought, dehumanizes the colonized while morally corrupting the colonizers, highlighting the prevalent impact of colonialism on both areas.