The Narrator and the Narrative in "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad

Recently, researchers have turned a considerable attention to the problems of narrative and narrator in literary works, especially of post-modern literature. Of course, the post-modern literary traditions have not developed within a blank space, so it is necessary to consider also its predecessors in order to promote the research. The predecessor of postmodernism has been modernist literature, including Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness, published in 1899. This work serves as an excellent example of narrative structures and narrative techniques that have appeared during the period.
The goal of this research paper “The Narrative and Narrator in Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad” is to investigate the narrative structures the author has used in the novel, to consider their functions in the promotion of the narrative and to analyse the relations among various elements of the narrative.
In order to reach the goal, it is planned to read and analyse the literature in literary theory and criticism available about such issues as narratology, history of literary theory and Joseph Conrad’s literary work. The paper will provide an insight into the most essential terms and ideas of the field and the working definitions of these terms will be set. The theoretical background will be used to compare the theoretical assumptions with the practical appliance of the narrative structures of the novel. Practical analysis of the text of Heart of Darkness is expected to lead to generalizations of the narrative strategies and principles, as well as conclusions about the success or flaws in their usage within the particular text. …