What do light and darkness symbolize in the first part of Heart of Darkness?

Answer 1

a great book but very heavy. The light represented intellectualism or civilization while the darkness represented ignorance, savagery or the lack of civilization. To descend into the heart of darkness in Africa is to go where there is little or no rules and civilization, it's going to places of the imagination, not the reality of the primary force of the British Empire.

Answer 2

Do not forget colonization. The light represents the white, British people who come to "colonize" the dark, savage Africa. In that time (late 19th-early 20th century), Great Britian saw colonization as the "White Man's Burden". (You may want to check out the poem by Kipling.) Conrad's work is very dualistic and one can wonder if the darkness does not also apply to the colonists. I suggest you research some post-colonial works on the subject.