Conrad and Arendt. Revealing the roots of evil
Titles of major works of both writers point to the effort of revealing the most difficult and most hidden knowledge of evil. Hannah Arendt, trying to excavate the roots (or rather, the beginnings) of totalitarianism, follows Joseph Conrad as an explorer of the kernel (or, more precisely: heart) of d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Napis |
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| Online Access: | http://journals.openedition.org/napis/2701 |
| _version_ | 1797360558427602944 |
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| author | Wiesław Ratajczak |
| author_facet | Wiesław Ratajczak |
| author_sort | Wiesław Ratajczak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Titles of major works of both writers point to the effort of revealing the most difficult and most hidden knowledge of evil. Hannah Arendt, trying to excavate the roots (or rather, the beginnings) of totalitarianism, follows Joseph Conrad as an explorer of the kernel (or, more precisely: heart) of darkness. And when, later, Arendt embarks on a journey to Jerusalem to participate in the Eichmann trial, like Conrad’s Marlow, she is fascinated by tales of a strong man, because she expects to see someone undoubtedly bad, but also grand. Meanwhile, she reveals the ‘banality of evil’. This category is worth referring to in the case of Kurtz in Conrad’s story. The attacks of critics on Eichmann in Jerusalem, and Heart of Darkness, based on allegations of the humiliation of victims and suggesting their participation in the crime, also contain interesting parallels. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:40:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f51f56e5eece45a6b19e2b2c1161a327 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1507-4153 2719-4191 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:40:23Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | The Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Napis |
| spelling | doaj.art-f51f56e5eece45a6b19e2b2c1161a3272024-01-09T15:10:17ZengThe Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of SciencesNapis1507-41532719-41912022-08-01175188Conrad and Arendt. Revealing the roots of evilWiesław RatajczakTitles of major works of both writers point to the effort of revealing the most difficult and most hidden knowledge of evil. Hannah Arendt, trying to excavate the roots (or rather, the beginnings) of totalitarianism, follows Joseph Conrad as an explorer of the kernel (or, more precisely: heart) of darkness. And when, later, Arendt embarks on a journey to Jerusalem to participate in the Eichmann trial, like Conrad’s Marlow, she is fascinated by tales of a strong man, because she expects to see someone undoubtedly bad, but also grand. Meanwhile, she reveals the ‘banality of evil’. This category is worth referring to in the case of Kurtz in Conrad’s story. The attacks of critics on Eichmann in Jerusalem, and Heart of Darkness, based on allegations of the humiliation of victims and suggesting their participation in the crime, also contain interesting parallels.http://journals.openedition.org/napis/2701colonialismtotalitarianismConrad (Joseph)Arendt (Hannah) |
| spellingShingle | Wiesław Ratajczak Conrad and Arendt. Revealing the roots of evil Napis colonialism totalitarianism Conrad (Joseph) Arendt (Hannah) |
| title | Conrad and Arendt. Revealing the roots of evil |
| title_full | Conrad and Arendt. Revealing the roots of evil |
| title_fullStr | Conrad and Arendt. Revealing the roots of evil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conrad and Arendt. Revealing the roots of evil |
| title_short | Conrad and Arendt. Revealing the roots of evil |
| title_sort | conrad and arendt revealing the roots of evil |
| topic | colonialism totalitarianism Conrad (Joseph) Arendt (Hannah) |
| url | http://journals.openedition.org/napis/2701 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wiesławratajczak conradandarendtrevealingtherootsofevil |