Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) was a Polish-born British author, perhaps best known for his novella Heart of Darkness. He was also the author of several influential novels: Lord Jim, Nostromo'', The Secret Sharer, and The Nigger of the Narcissus. Conrad was originally a sailor before he turned to writing. Remarkably, English was Conrad's third language after Polish and French.

His novels are a valuable insight into the workings and ideas of the Age of Colonialism, including the scramble by powerful European countries in Africa. In Heart of Darkness, Conrad criticizes the abuses of the colonization of the Congo by Belgium, but his use of the offensive word "nigger", in The Nigger of the Narcissus, has caused this book to be dropped by most schools.

His novel, The Secret Agent (1907), is the story of anarchist-revolutionaries in late 19th century London. One of them is paid by a foreign embassy to be an informer, but then is coerced into instigating a bombing in London; the motive force is the displeasure felt by the foreign embassy personnel that England is harbouring these individuals considered dangerous; the informer must find someone to plant the bomb. The person who makes the bombs is 'The Professor', whose life's dream is to perfect a reliable detonator, says of the USA, "...They have more character over there, and their character is essentially anarchistic. Fertile ground for us, the States--very good ground. The great Republic has the root of the destructive matter in her. The collective temperament is lawless. Excellent. They may shoot us down, but--"^[1]

Quotes[edit]

Here is a sampling of quotations by Joseph Conrad:^[2]

• You shall judge of a man by his foes as well as by his friends.
• Watching a coast as it slips by the ship is like thinking about an enigma. There it is before you, smiling, frowning, inviting, grand, mean, insipid, or savage, and always mute with an air of whispering, "Come and find out"
• Never test another man by your own weakness.
• There is something haunting in the light of the moon; it has all the dispassionateness of a disembodied soul, and something of its inconceivable mystery.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Works by Joseph Conrad - text and free audio - LibriVox