What makes Kurtz in Heart of Darkness "bad" or "corrupt?"?

Question

will you give me some specific textual evidence? Thanx

Answer 1

I Hate "Heart of Darkness". I have personally been to the Congo Jungle and that over-praised racist writer demonized a people and culture when in reality Joseph Conrad never left his boat.

Kurtz is portrayed the fusion of the evils of white supremecy with the evils of primitive savagery.

But the issue with your question is severely flawed, because he is truly neither "bad" or "corrupt", those are just opinions of readers. He is Colonel Kurtz a man at the edge of civilization, a man free in mind and morals, a man who abandonded the western philosophy which itself has been revealed to be corrupt.

So let me ask you this: Was he casting off the corruption of society and finding his true inner nature? was he being bad by exploiting the natives (Something all of Europe was doing on a much greater scale)? or was he being "good" by fighting for independence from an evil world?

Bottom line, in the center of the Heart of Darkness, there are no morals or corruption. They don't exist. They don't apply. That is why it is the Heart of Darkness, The Heart of the Jungle, WILD and RAW and free of literary critics who apply outside context!!!

Answer 2

He adopts the motto of live and let die. he bullies the natives and even make them worship him. he plays the role of god on earth just to reach his goal of collecting mony and being the best ivory agent. the worst of all is that he never cares for those who love him either the Russian or his fiancee.

P.S I've done a research paper comparing Marlow and Kurtz and how Marlow could have been another Kurtz and how some critics thought they are 2 faces of the same coin. if u are interested email me & i'll be glad to send it and help. GOOD LUCK