Marlow's_Honourable_Lie

Marlow’s Honourable Lie In Joseph Conrad’s novella, Heart of Darkness (1899), two narrators tell the story in first person, Charlie Marlow, who is a philosophical, independent, and open-minded man who has just been hired as a riverboat captain, and an anonymous passenger who listens to his story. He sails across the Congo River in Africa to meet Kurtz, an eloquent, intelligent man who has leadership, and a great understanding of the power of words. Two set of minds with two different perspectives and ambitions in life, which Marlow attempts to lead Kurtz into civilization. Unfortunately, Kurtz succumbs due to his poor health, but before he left, his final words were, “The horror! The horror!” (116). When Kurtz’s intended asked to repeat his last words, Marlow lies and tells her that her name was the last word he pronounced. He protects the intended’s well-being by making an untrue statement that contradicts his passionate hatred towards lying to bring greater justice than the honest truth at the end of the novella. Marlow is a man who stands strongly by his morals and values. He detests and cannot bear lies, it appalls him, “there is a taint of death, a flavor of mortality in lies” (42). When pertaining to the truth, it is extremely important for a person to stay true to one’s self; it would be hypocritical to go against this statement, especially if he is deeply passionate about it. However, when he meets Kurtz’s fiancée, he realizes how mournful and passionate she is towards Kurtz. She has requested to hear his final words and claims that she wanted something to live with (129). By speaking the absolute truth, it will only cause her a life of endless pain and suffering. In this situation, the truth will only open up hidden meanings and unnecessary interpretations due to the vagueness or an overwhelming abundance of meaning of Kurtz’s last words, “The horror! The horror!” (116). There is no absolute explanation or reasoning behind it, so no one would be able to give a distinct analysis because the only man who can decipher it, is gone. The Intended has easily accepted and believed him. Marlow feels that by showing her the darkness and disillusion in this phrase would be too horrible, “It would have been too dark—too dark altogether” (130). He does not specify for whom it would be “too dark,” but the implication is that it would be, not only for her, but him as well. The truth may seem to prevent secrets from being lodged and hidden, but the irony in this situation is that lying can save a person from grief as long as the the last words remains untold. Even if Kurtz’s intended did not believe Marlow’s lie and demanded to know the reality, wondering about what could have been the truth will not meet the consequences of hearing the actual truth.