Females in "Heart of Darkness"

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes the three female characters in "Heart of Darkness" from a Jungian perspective. The paper explains how Marlow's aunt, Kurtz's African mistress, and his intended are representative of key archetypes found within Carl Jung's structure of personality. The key archetypes described in the paper and compared to the female characters are the earth mother, the animus, or the male part of the female personality, and the anima, the female part of the mind.

From the Paper:

"As one can see, the three prime female characters of the novel Heart of Darkness are easily recognizable as the three aspects of Carl Jung's structure of personality. Kurtz's Intended, whom readers meet in the end, is the personification of the female anima, in her speech, her naivete, and her innocence. The other woman in Kurtz life, his African mistress, is the Intended's counterpart, the darkly masculine animus, as is demonstrated by her power of commend and fearless outlook. Finally, Marlow's adoring aunt is the prime representation of the mother, who nourishes and encourages. Through these three women one can see the mother, the animus and the anima can be blended into one well balanced unit, contrasting and complimenting itself in it's different aspects."

More papers on Females in "Heart of Darkness":

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• Comparison Essay # 105947 : "Richard III vs. Much Ado About Nothing"

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