On Conrad’s Colonialambivalence In Heart Of Darkness From The Perspective Of Narrative Focalization

Joseph Conrad（1857-1924）is one of the greatest English novelists at the turn of 19^thcentury,whose Polish ancestry and English identity mould his pro-colonialist and anti-colonialist attitude.This ambivalent consciousness contributes to his works marvelous and astounding characteristics.Heart of Darkness,in particular,fully embodies his ambivalent colonialist consciousness.The primary materials of Heart of Darkness are provided by Conrad’s experience in Congo,which exhibit his ambivalent attitude towards the Black and the White.This thesis explores his paradoxical attitude by employing the narrative focalization.External focalization means that an anonymous agent situates outside the characters who has a non-character-bound observation.Internal focalization means that focalizer coincides with character in a story.In this novel,Conrad’s anti-colonialist attitude is expressed by external focalizer“I”and internal focalizer Marlow and other people.Focusing on Thames and the White’s colonial activities,it shows Conrad’s sympathy for the Black and criticism for the White.His pro-colonialist attitude is exposed by external focalizer“I”and internal focalizer Marlow and other people.Focalizing on the River Congo and defending for Kurtz’s crime,it displays his distorted image of the Black and identification of the White’s ethnic superiority.Conrad’s ambivalent colonialist attitude is not only the product of his era but also his criticism and thinking of colonial hegemony beyond the collective unconsciousness.The author hopes that this study will provide a new perspective for understanding the artistic value of Heart of Darkness and Conrad’s ideological connotation.