Heart of Darkness

by Joseph Conrad

Heart of Darkness: Mood 1 key example

Definition of Mood

The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:

From its opening passage, in which the sun sets and gives way to a “mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth [London],” Heart of Darkness conveys an ominous, pessimistic, and reflective mood. Conrad’s descriptive language emphasizes the Congo’s darkness and impenetrability, which represents the lawlessness and violence that reign there. From the moment Marlow approaches the Congo’s “colossal jungle, so dark-green as to be almost black,” he anticipates the dark truths about the human spirit that he knows to be hidden inside.