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Welcome to Dr. Gross's ENG 312 Topics in the Novel class group!
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Located in Southeastern Africa, KwaZulu was a Bantustan in South Africa; a providence for black Africans. After abolishing racial segregation in 1998, the KwaZulu province merged with the nearby Natal province, becoming KwaZulu-Natal. Bordering the Indian Ocean, the province also borders three other African countries, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Lesotho. During the 1800s the most northern part of the region was established as the Zulu Kingdom; the kingdom remained independent until 1879 (“KwaZulu-Natal”).
The novel Chaka by Thomas Mofolo—a historical romance recount of the leader of the Zulu Empire—takes place in what is now KwaZulu-Natal. Mofolo describes the land as, “mountains and the sea and is covered with dense bush; hard frosts are unknown, for owing to its nearness to the sea there is never more than a slight touch of frost” (Mofolo 1). The accuracy of the description of the land still stands to this day, as...
moreBelgium is a country situated in Western Europe, surrounded by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and France. Belgium plays a pivotal role in Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella Heart of Darkness. The period of time from 1789-1914 in Europe was dubbed the “long nineteenth century” by British historian, Eric Hobsbawm and refers to the idea that the period itself reflects changes that are integral to understanding it (Long Nineteenth Century). Belgium became a monarchy in the early 19th century, and following a revolution, began to fall under the influence of the Roman Catholic Church (Britannica). Under a Liberal government, in the mid-19th century, Belgium began to industrialize and expand commercially. By the end of the century, the Catholic Church gained more political power in the 1884 parliament elections. In 1885, King Leopold II gained control of the Belgian Congo (Belgium).
Following the revolution in the early part of the century, the...
moreIn the opening scene of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad readers are introduced to the river of Thames. Conrad writes, “The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway. In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits” (Conrad I). The importance of the river to the story is essentially the setting; the three unnamed listeners of Marlow’s tale are riding on the boat named, Nellie, on the Thames throughout the entirety of the novella. It is important to note that the river Thames flows through London and southern England and is the quintessential symbol of London, England. The river is 215 miles long and is the longest river in England (“River Thames”). The river is a massive source of trade and...
moreThe Congo River is a geographical landmark with quite an extensive history. To begin, it spans the length of nine countries making it the ninth-longest river in the world and provides natural resources for close to 75 million people living in West-Central Africa (Secon). Additionally, the Congo River is the deepest of its kind in the world; it measures in some areas up to 720 feet (Secon). The landmark also is abundant in many valuable resources such as ivory, rubber, timber; as well as many more (Secon).
By knowing this information regarding the Congo River, one is then able to understand why the men in Heart of Darkness were likely fascinated and intimidated by it. Like mentioned previously, the area is rich in ivory, which is described as the main point of interest by Marlow outside of their business with Kurtz (Conrad). Additionally, through the geography described, such a river would likely install some sense of fear for those unfamiliar with it due to its size...
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