The legacy of Heart of Darkness in Postcolonial African literature : Joseph Conrad, Tayeb Salih, V.S. Naipaul

Abstract

This thesis deals with Conrads legacy of Heart of Darkness in postcolonial African literature. This novella is rewritten by first and Third World authors alike, each adding a new layer of understanding to the original. One of the main critiques of this novella comes from Achebe who labels Conrad as a racist. This thesis problematises this claim by analyzing Tayeb Salehs Season of Migration to the North and V. S. Naipauls A Bend in the River. Many questions arise from this comparison: Does the racism represented in Heart of Darkness get translated into the other two novels as well, or does it get transformed into the incomprehensibility of the 'other, who is not only the colonizer but also the educated native? Is there a resolution to the problem of intercultural interaction without any negative consequences in all three novels? Moreover, in rewriting the 'colonial myths of imperialism, or the 'myths or stereotypes that are propagated by the West about Africa (similar to Orientalism), do the authors go beyond these 'myths, thus giving hope? Or are these 'myths just transformed into a critique of postcolonial governments? Finally, what is the common denominator among all three novels that they are trying to convey, which is a critique of 'absolute power and the negative consequences of cultural interaction.