Exploitation of African Resources and Indigenous People: A Postcolonial Study of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

Abstract

Colonialism, far from being a mere economic enterprise, functioned as a mechanism of moral corruption and ideological domination. The study interrogates Heart of Darkness as a textual space where the moral corruption and economic rapacity of colonialism are unmasked, with a particular emphasis on the novel’s depiction of the ivory trade and the systemic exploitation of Africa’s Indigenous communities. Based on postcolonial theory and historical context, this study uses a close-reading approach to show how Conrad reveals the psychological breakdown of its European actors in addition to the harsh material effects of imperial expansion. The findings contend that the narrative addresses the ethical and ideological inconsistencies that uphold colonial enterprises, going beyond a simple critique of economic looting. While Conrad’s narrative structure and positioning complicate a rigid postcolonial interpretation, the novel nonetheless operates as a crucial site of colonial critique. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on imperialism’s enduring repercussions, foregrounding Conrad’s work as an essential text in postcolonial literary studies.