Kurtz's final words in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness are "The horror! The horror!" These words encapsulate the entirety of his experience in the Congo, a place where he descended into madness and brutality.
Here are some possible interpretations of Kurtz's final words:
- The horror of his own actions: Kurtz, once a promising and idealistic man, became consumed by the darkness of the Congo. His last words could be a recognition of the terrible things he had done, the lives he had destroyed, and the depths of his own depravity.
- The horror of human nature: Kurtz's experience in the Congo might have led him to believe that the core of humanity is inherently evil. His words could express a despairing realization that even the most civilized people are capable of unimaginable cruelty.
- The horror of the colonial enterprise: Kurtz's final words could be a condemnation of the colonial system that exploited and brutalized the people of the Congo. He might be expressing the horror of the suffering he witnessed and the role he played in it.
- The horror of the unknown: The Congo was a place of mystery and danger, and Kurtz's last words could be a reaction to the overwhelming darkness that consumed him. He might have been terrified by the things he saw and the forces he encountered.
The ambiguity of Kurtz's final words is part of their power. They leave the reader to ponder the meaning of his experience and the nature of humanity itself.
