In Conrad's haunting tale, Marlow, a seaman and wanderer, recounts his physical and psychological journey in search of the enigmatic Kurtz.

But there he encounters Kurtz, an idealist apparently razed and depraved by his power over the natives, and the meeting prompts Marlowe to reflect on the darkness at the heart of all men. Travelling to the heart of the African continent, he discovers how Kurtz has gained his position of power and influence over the local people. Marlow's struggle to fathom his experience involves him in a radical questioning of not only his own nature and values but the nature and values of his society.

A masterpiece of twentieth-century writing, Heart of Darkness explores the workings of consciousness as well as the grim realities of imperialism.