Kurtz's Power

Up until Marlow's arrival at the inner station, Marlow struggled to interpret and decode the various things he has heard about Kurtz. Initially thought to be a greedy man who stole ivory from the natives, Marlow is able to face the true reality of Kurtz and his relationship with the natives through his conversation with the Russian. The Russian attempts to dismisses the previous notions of Kurtz and reveals that in this land Kurtz is not a an intruder, but god-like, for "they adored him" and "he came to them with thunder and lightening". Although Kurtz does live amongst the natives and shows his acceptance of them, the greed for power and ivory that is associated with Kurtz remains true. The "thunder and lightening" of weapons that Kurtz uses to instill his position of power demonstrates his awareness of the naivete of the natives in order to take advantage of them in an unknowing way. Also, his reluctance to return to Europe and his tendency to "forget himself amongst these people-forget himself" further illustrates his greed and desire for power. For in his inability to separate himself from the natives he shows that he is consumed by the authority and power of which he is able to exercise over the natives which would otherwise be unattainable in Europe.

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