The civilized white women and the black beasts of Heart of Darkness. Joseph Conrad in Heart of Darkness alludes to a prodigious evil lurking in the soul of humanity; but this corruption – in its simplest form, the brutality and masterful worship of Belgian imperialism – is hidden from the “innocents”. Moreover, the "initiates" either embrace wickedness (as men like the "pilgrims" and, more significantly, Kurtz do), or resist it and become enlightened - in effect, "Buddha preaches in European clothes" (Conrad). 21). But it is the “innocents” – represented by the European women in Heart of Darkness – who swallow the lies of a benevolent colonial administration and the many-faceted salvation of the pagans. If “Conrad was dismayed by the “high-sounding rhetoric” that had been used to mask the “sordid ambitions” of King Leopold II of Belgium” (Brantlinger 279), he was surely also troubled by the applause given with such eloquent equivocation on the female home front. However, Charlie Marlow (like Conrad, enlightened during his unpleasant stay in the Congo) does not choose to tear the veil of feminine naivety. Isn't the Buddha compassionate, the bearer of truth? Why, then, does he refuse the light of obscure facts? Ignoring the existence of chain gangs, groves of lost Africans and the like, Marlow's aunt speaks of "'weaning these ignorant millions from their horrible ways'" (Conrad 27). Her nephew, about to enter the “heart of darkness,” might “dare to imply that the business was run for profit” (27), but she only sees the white man’s burden. No, his nephew must not be a simple ivory and rubber harvester. For her, he is a torchbearer at the forefront of civilization. Thus -- noting his illusion -- Marlow tells his...... middle of paper...... man is a civilizer, she is the mother of savages. Thus, Conrad paints a masculine world torn between two feminine poles: the white, civilized woman who must – for the good of society – be misinformed, and the black beast – the antithesis of the order of civilization and the trigger of primitive emotions. Works Cited Brantlinger, Patrick. “Heart of Darkness: Anti-Imperialism, Racism or Impressionism? Murfin 277-298.Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Murfin 17-95. Murfin, Ross C., ed. Heart of Darkness: Authoritative comprehensive text with biographical and historical contexts, critical history, and essays from five contemporary critical perspectives. 2nd ed. Case studies in contemporary criticism. Boston: Bedford-St. Martin's P, 1996. Smith, Johanna M. "'Too beautiful altogether': ideologies of gender and empire in the heart of darkness." » Murfin 169-184.