Heart of darkness

Set against the backdrop of European colonialism, the story follows river steamboat captain Charles Marlow as he journeys up the Congo River to find the mysterious trader Mr. Kurtz. Initially admired as a beacon of progress, Kurtz is revealed to have become a god-like figure among the natives, raising Marlow's suspicions of his descent into madness. This exploration delves into the darkness of human nature and the moral corruption inherent in imperialism, making it a seminal and thought-provoking work in literature.