Joseph Conrad's short novel Heart of Darkness is regarded as a masterpiece of English literature for its vibrant denunciation of European colonialism and its inhuman exploitation by trading companies in Africa. The protagonist, an experienced sailor named Marlow, tells his fellow travellers about a previous journey through the unexplored regions of Africa that took him to the ultimate limit between reason and folly. As captain of a steamer, his aim was to find Kurtz, an agent for an ivory trading company, whose tracks had been lost years before. Rumors and strange stories which revolve around Kurtz will lead Marlow to an extreme obsession with this mysterious man and eventually to their encounter in a remote village up the Congo River. More than a real expedition, this experience becomes for Marlow a spiritual and metaphysical journey within himself. The text includes a variety of activities for the four skills and dossiers to explore and expand the cultural aspects associated with the story.
