In the Heart of Darkness novel, when Marlow visits Brussels for his appointment, the city is described as a “whited sepulcher.” This is a biblical phrase that refers to a hypocrite or someone who acts nicer to hide their malignancy. This is where the company was in the novel. The company could also be described as a whited sepulcher due to the company wanting to civilize and bring life to the land but instead clearing and exporting all the necessities from the people of the land. In today’s world, “Brussels is the largest municipality and historical center of the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as the capital of the Flemish Region and Belgium. The city of Brussels is also the administrative center of the European Union”(Belgium in ‘The Long Nineteenth Century). During this time in Belgium, there were many cultural and economic changes happening. The Industrial Revolution transformed the region’s economy so much so that Belgium was recognized as one of the most densely industrialized countries in Europe. They had notable coal mining and manufacturing industries. This helps the readers to understand the novel Heart of Darkness better by realizing that the company that is talked about so much as the thing in charge of the expedition Marlow is on, is huge and powerful. This also helps the reader to understand the major and multitudes of waterways that are around Belgium. This can help for easier colonizing and an easy system for the “company” to use to export and import goods.

“Belgium in ‘The Long Nineteenth Century.’” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Mar. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium_in_%22the_long_nineteenth_century%...

File : Place De Brouckèreplein, Brussels, Belgium (Ca. 1890-1900).JPG. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Place_de_Brouck%C3%A8replein,_Br...(ca._1890-1900).jpg.

Conrad, Jospeh. Heart of Darkness