In Joseph Conrad's 1900s short story Heart of Darkness, the protagonist often encounters women at defining moments in his life. Charlie Marlow is a sailor and imperialist who sails along the Congo River to “civilize” the “savages.” The novella begins with a crew on the Thames waiting for the tides to change. While they wait, a character named Marlow recounts his exploits on the African continent. During his travels, Marlow meets other imperialists such as Mr. Kurtz, a man obsessed with the quest for ivory and wealth. Like Mr. Kurtz, Marlow sets sail across the African continent in hopes of gaining both money and respect. One of the novel's early critics, Edward Garnett, wrote in his review that "[Heart of Darkness] is simply a work of art...the artist intends to present his sensations in this sequence and arrangements by which the meaning or absurdity of the white man in uncivilized Africa can be felt in its truly significant aspects” (Garnett). What Garnett fails to observe is that Heart of Darkness is not only an observation of the "white man", but also of the white woman. Throughout his story, Charlie Marlow seems unaware of the importance of female interactions during his travels. Although he mentions women on vague occasions – as in the case of his aunt and Kurtz's multiple mistresses – he treats them as if they were secondary citizens. In the same way that he views “savages,” Marlow approaches women with extreme prejudice. He notes “how disconnected women are from the truth. They live in a world of their own, and there has never been anything like it and there never can be. It’s all so beautiful…” (Conrad, 10 years old). He not only refers to the women of his young adulthood, but ... middle of paper ...... they themselves were lost in the rush to keep him alive; or it could be the imperialists themselves since the burning of the fire affects them too. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. A Picture of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness. New York: Wylie Agency, 2006. Print.A. Michael. Morning. Introduction to Heart of Darkness and a selection of short fiction films. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2008. Print. Bloom, Harold. Heart of Darkness, Bloom's Guide. New York: Chelsea House, 2009. Print. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Dover, 1990. Print. Conrad, Joseph. The New Review December 1897. Print. Garnett, Edward. Goodbye. Academy and Literature December 6, 1902. Print.Nadelhaft, Ruth L. Joseph Conrad, Bloom's principal short story authors. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2000. Print. Stewart, Garrett. Lying like dying in the heart of darkness. New York: Facts on File, 2009. Print.