Discovery and Colonialism in Swift and Conrad

Gulliver’s Journeys and Marlow’s Africa: Discovery vs. Colonialism

There is an ongoing debate regarding the primary themes in the novels of Conrad and Swift: whether they focus on discovery or colonialism. In my view, both authors intended to address both concepts simultaneously.

Joseph Conrad: The Nature of Colonialism

Joseph Conrad examines the nature of colonialism in Heart of Darkness. He sarcastically highlights the terror of the colonial enterprise by utilizing symbolic characters to mirror the real world. The most prominent is Kurtz, whom Conrad describes as a representative of all Europe. The author suggests that the nature of colonialism has not evolved since Roman times; while tools and weapons have advanced, the underlying purpose and destructive results remain identical. Through Marlow’s journey in the Congo, Conrad reveals the harms of colonialism and the exploitative capitalistic approach of Europeans.

Furthermore, Conrad questions how far man can control primitive impulses without regressing into a savage state. Heart of Darkness serves as a psychological investigation of human nature—a maze within a jungle—and a philosophical inquiry into the notion of civilization. It also addresses critical issues such as:

• Racism
• Madness
• Exploitation
• Environmental degradation

Jonathan Swift: Alienation and Self-Discovery

In Gulliver’s Travels, Swift illustrates various aspects of the colonialism prevalent during his era. For instance, he depicts the alienation of non-white races, a theme that manifests as a dual critique of colonialism and racism throughout the work. A notable example is the third voyage, where Swift portrays the extreme alienation of the colonized through the governmental control exercised by Laputa. The behavior of the Laputan government exposes their arrogance and disregard for practical matters.

However, I believe Gulliver’s Travels is also a narrative of self-discovery. Gulliver begins his expedition as an ambitious, practical, and optimistic character who appreciates mankind; by the end of his voyages, he develops an overt hatred toward humanity.

The Unconscious Journey

The story chronicles Gulliver's encounter with the unexplored and unacknowledged aspects of his personality. The four remote nations and their denizens represent the contents of the unconscious, symbolizing archetypal qualities common to all members of the human race. The worlds Gulliver visits exist within him, though he remains unconscious of them due to a lack of self-knowledge.

Conclusion

As S. Shankar explains in Textual Traffic: Colonialism, Modernity, and the Economy of the Text, while Heart of Darkness reaffirms the colonialist textual economy, Gulliver’s Travels challenges the validity of such an economy.