- March 14, 2013
- Posted by: essay
- Category: Term paper writing
The author of famous novels “Typhoon,” “Lord Jim,” “Heart of Darkness”, a classic of English literature Joseph Conrad is one of the great masters of speech. When he was seventeen, he left his home and stepped on the deck of a foreign vessel. He was promoted to the rank of captain. Sea, to which Conrad had sought since childhood, flooded the pages of his works, became a stage for tragic, funny and sad shadow of the actors ”“ Conrad’s characters, who were trying to learn the secret of life. “Lord Jim” is the best and most unusual novel by Conrad. It is considered by many critics a landmark in the literature of that period. The main thing in it is anguish of spirit in the dungeons of conscience, which drives people around the world, from sea to sea, from Gulf to Gulf, not giving them a chance to overcome anxiety and internal pain (Boehmer 2005).
Conrad’s “Lord Jim” (1900) represents an analysis of “sharpened consciousness of loss of honor”. Lord Jim is a story-novel of one too romantic seaman, who in a very crucial moment loses courage, and all the rest of his life he is tormented by guilt for this offense. In addition, the constant desire to get into a situation where he could redeem himself doesn’t leave him. After long wanderings, Jim finds himself in the forests of Malaysia, where he becomes a great protector of indigenous people and gets the title of “Lord”. He likes his new situation. He considers himself to be fair and impartial; he treats all people equally, shares his knowledge about modern science, medicine and construction, which would otherwise be unavailable to these primitive people for many more years (Conrad 2006).
But wherever he is, whatever he does, Jim can not erase from the memory that moment of weakness. He is willing to risk his future happiness and prosperity and meet face to face with his fears again, but this time not to lose his temper. And this case comes but again everything goes in the wrong way.
Who is Jim? The hero, coward or victim? The writer leaves the choice for each reader. “Lord Jim” is one of the best books about the nature of courage, which requires the presence of life experience to appreciate it. This novel is really interesting, intriguing and it makes you think.
Works Cited
Conrad, Joseph. Lord Jim. 2006. p. 56. Print.
Boehmer, Elleke. Colonial and postcolonial literature: migrant metaphors. Oxford University Press. 2005, pp. 59”“60.