Heart of Darkness 17

• “Evidently the appetite for more ivory had got the better of the - what shall I say? - less material aspirations. However he had got much worse suddenly.” (p. 101)

The Russian trader is sharing Kurtz’s desire for more and more ivory. Throughout the story, Conrad reveals the development of Kurtz’s personality. The reader learns he is very power hungry and his thirst for authority is growing rapidly. The desire of power is very dangerous as it can control one’s mind, emotions, and acts. The personality of Kurtz is very similar to Victor, in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, as Victor becomes obsessed with uncovering new knowledge/the unknown.