Rationalization_of_Murder_in_Heart_of_Darkness_and_Crime_and_Punishment

Rationalization of Murder on Heart of Darkness and Crime & Punishment Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a novella which tells the story of Captain Marlowe’s Kongo travel. He goes to Kongo to find the body of former captain and then he witnesses to the awful social conditions in Kongo. Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment is about a student called Raskolnikov who kills an old woman because of money. After this murder he has a very hard life because of the sense of guilt and fear of being caught by the police. In addition to character’s psychological situation; the tough living conditions can be seen in this novel. Although they have different subjects; these two novels both show the dark hearts and evilhood of humanity. As a part of it; rationalization of murder is an important aspect which is obvious in Heart of Darkness and Crime and Punishment. In Heart of Darkness, rationalization of murder is so obvious. For example; the murder of Fresleven, who is the former captain of Marlowe, is told as rationalized. It is told that during a bargain, because of a misunderstanding Fresleven argues and whacks an old nigger mercilessly. Then his son interrupts him with a spear and “it went quite easy between the shoulder blades.” (Conrad, Heart of Darkness 6) As it is seen, this murder is told like it is so natural; so rational to happen. Fresleven’s tragic death by a nigger is easily rationalized in the story as an aspect of evilhood. Moreover, there is another rationalized murder in the story. Marlowe meets a man who is “very hospitable and festive- not to say drunk.” (17) And he says he “was looking after the upkeep of the road.” Then Marlowe doesn’t see any road or upkeep but he sees “the body of a middle- aged Negro, with a bullethole in the forehead.” And he describes it “as a permanent improvement.” So, the negro is killed for the sake of order. His murder is easily rationalized because as a disorder, he must be destroyed. Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment also includes the rationalization of murder. For instance; Raskolnikov, the protagonist, kills Alyona Ivanovna who is a mean lunatic hag. And he rationalizes his murder because of her all these bad qualities. He considers himself as a hero. He thinks it is a necessity to kill her because she is harmful and evil. Then he rationalizes his second murder. Since she sees him with the axe and the dead body, he also kills Alyona’s sister. He thinks it is not a necessity but since she is a witness she has to die. So, turning into an obligation, he rationalizes his murder. In conclusion, Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment are like a mirror to evilhood of humanity and its dark heart. Both of these novels include rationalization of murder as an aspect of evilhood. In Heart of Darkness, Fresleven’s and middle-aged Nigger’s deaths are rationalized like they are natural and necessary. Both of the murders has strong reasons. In addition to this, In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov thinks that he has right to kill Alyona Ivanovna and her sister. Since Alyona is evil, it is a good thing to kill her. Also, since her sister is a witness, her death is an obligation for Raskolnikov. Consequently, all these murders are successfully rationalized by reasonable evilhood.