In 100 proofed words discuss the following:
"He had the power to charm or frighten rudimentary souls into an aggravated witch-dance in his honour."
* Do not repeat the ideas posed in earlier posts.
* You can use outside sources to support assertions, but be sure to cite them.
* You will be assessed on content, language use/conventions, originality of thought and conceptual insights.
8 comments:
With a charisma so few possess, Kurtz emanated a power that convinced people to do as he told them. Tribal, "primitive" people that lived for so long without conforming to governmental constraints responded to his wishes, almost without question. While most would be resistant to acceding a strange, white man from a land of rules and societal constraints, the ability to entice people was of his utter genuis and understanding. Understanding that humans are capable of anything, it was easy for Kurtz to draw out more "savage" qualities in the people of the forest. In a way, he could control people's minds by his understanding of the human psyche.
I feel that this quote fully describes Kurtz character. I think that the power to charm and frighten others gave him such a good reputation among the “civilized” people of Europe. Also by the fact that he was able to move people in a way that they would worship him is also a great discription. The natives and the civilized beings of Europe both recognized Kurtz as a strong leader and looked to him in admiration. Everyone wanted to meet him even though they didn’t know who he really was. Marlow was very curious about Kurtz and very much wanted to meet him, so he could be able to hear his sophisticated words. However, when he found Kurtz in the Congo he came to realize that Kurtz was less than what he was made out to be in the state that he was in.
Kim’s on the right track here. Kurtz was a special kind of person, with the ability to recognize the rules and institutions of whatever setting he found himself in, be it “civilized” Europe or the “savage” Congo, and then change his outlook and behavior to best suit that environment. In Europe the fast track to power and success was to follow the rules of social etiquette; feigning smiles and basically charming people to death. Kurtz grasped that this type of behavior would get him nowhere fast in a land where savagery and brute force propel one to power. He changed his ways to suit his new environment, preying on the fear and ignorance of the native people to attain his will. Which is why in context, putting a bunch of severed heads on stakes isn’t really that out of the ordinary.
It is evident throughout the novel that Kurtz is able to shape himself to behave appropriating his surroundings, as seen several times throughout Marlow’s tale. Kurtz is capable of ceasing every opportunity to talk and express his ideas, suggested on page 90 of the novel, when Marlow explains, “I suppose Kurtz wanted an audience, because on a certain occasion … they had talked all night, or more probably Kurtz had talked.” Kurtz’s ability to manipulate and “charm or frighten rudimentary souls into an aggravated witch-dance in his honour” is also seen when Marlow first arrives at Kurtz’s location. The Russian, a man working for Kurtz, explained that once Kurtz wanted to shoot him for a small lot of ivory he possessed. Instead of harboring sour feelings though, the Russian defends Kurtz and claims that “you can’t judge Kurtz like an ordinary man.” No, ordinary men are incapable of a number of of the things Kurtz accomplished, and with these talents Kurtz became the man he was.
In his meticulously organized society, Kurtz was not a man to be liked or even respected; he was a man to be venerated and admired. The type of men Kurtz encountered daily were probably regarded themselves as thinkers. They thought about sophisticated subjects like politics and social arrangements. Throughout his lifetime he had studied these people, had learned all their rules, had taken advantage of every loophole. Kurtz was not a person to frivolously let details go unnoticed.
When placed in a more “rudimentary” and barbaric setting, Kurtz’s power was upgraded beyond every expectation. Taking advantage of his position as a newcomer, he manipulated the natives until they were impressed enough to emulate him, thereby making him an icon. “When we look up to people because of their accomplishments, their attitude, or any other personal attribute, we tend to give them more power over us.”
Kurtz has demonstrated that he is adept in any environment, which can be best attributed to his deep self-awareness and his understanding of the human condition. He does not evoke fear from the natives but instead exudes an aura of immense power and importance. While this is true, it is also accurate to deduce that what the natives feel toward Kurtz is not love either. They are brainwashed by their own perception of Kurtz; just as Nadia mentioned, they give him such importance in their own minds that he is automatically awarded unlimited power. Kurtz's continuous self-confidence is the potion that keeps the natives under his spell. But of course, as a reader, we notice that this "potion" is much easier for a superego-driven person like Kurtz to concoct and so his leadership in the Congo appears effortless to us.
Becky Gessler
Machiavelli is stirring in his grave...
Kurtz, recognized as an outstanding captain and a man of many talents by most of his peers, seems to be very little more than a “bully”. If Kurtz always had to command men with the same character and mentality as him, there is no way he could have been “successful” in a military and social perspective. Unlike Marlow, who sees the travesties within imperialism, Kurtz, both before and after he is “captured”, is empowered by his position, and his subsequent control over others. Whereas most great leaders are able to motivate their subordinates by the task, Kurtz resorted to twisting the emotions of those below him, turning anger and fear into obedience. Perhaps he finally realizes “the horror” of this on his death bed, as Kurtz’s head could only be brought down once the body fell first.
I think the statement brings to question how Conrad meant for us to see Kurtz’s soul. The diction used in the passage is suggestive of Satan; “The power to charm or frighten…souls” into a “witch-dance”. By this subtle comparison, Conrad utilized the then prominent Christian awareness of such allusions to make a point. It is quintessential to his argument that we see how even our perceptions of ourselves as “civilized people” may not be so trustworthy. While Satan personifies evil he, like Kurtz, is notably a “charmer” of both himself and those about him however destined for defeat by the inevitable.
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