Author(s)

Jia Yige

Corresponding Author

Jia Yige

Abstract

As a recognized classic of 20th-century literature, Heart of Darkness has received numerous reviews and studies by scholars at home and abroad. In order to fill the gap in the analysis of the Gothic novel style embodied in Heart of Darkness, this thesis explores the various characteristics of the Gothic novel embodied in the novel from four aspects: the description of the environment, the character analysis of Kurtz, the storyline, and the main theme. The thesis concludes that Heart of Darkness uses Gothic novel techniques to reveal the crimes of society and the darkness of human nature by highlighting degradation and darkness, criticizing colonialism for its oppressive and exploitative nature, and also to provoke readers to think about human nature and morality.

Keywords

Heart of darkness, Gothic novel, Character building, Human nature, Colonialism