Conrad and Audens Interesting Take On Indifference

Although Audens Musee des Beaux Arts and Conrads Heart of Darkness are completely
different forms of an individuals commentary on the human condition, the universal theme of
these artistic and literary works is one of the same. While Conrad speaks of this through the
paragraphs of his novel and Auden through the stanzas of his poem, the theme of these works is
universal and ultimately able to transcend any physical portrayal: human beings have an
inexplicable inhuman quality to ignore the pain and suffering of those around them.
Auden contemplates on the universality of suffering in his Musee des Beaux Arts, how it
is so prevalent, apparent everywhere and in every single human being, and yet no one seems to
notice. Throughout the poem he traces suffering through several cases while also asserting that
where there is suffering there must always be a indifferent bystander watching it take place. He
uses the birth of a child as his first example, showing that even suffering can take place in a
miraculous occasion. Indeed, with every birth comes the suffering of the older child, unwilling
to surrender and share his parents attention. The aged and old members of the family are, of
course, oblivious to the childs suffering; they are utterly distracted by the matter at hand.
Further on, Auden explores the sacrificial death of martyrs, another form of suffering. That,
even though the dreadful martyrdom must run its course, life remains unchanged; the dogs go
on with their doggy life and the torturers horse scratches its innocent behind on a tree. One
can assume that the martyr died for some just or noble cause, that he died in hopes of attaining
timeless glory or becoming a catalyst for progressive change. In reality, his death only results in
further suffering. Alas, even the martyrs suffering goes unnoticed by the innocent bystanders of
the world. Finally, Auden elaborates on the events depicted in Breughels Fall of Icarus.
Again, like the occurrences before, there is suffering as well as ignorant bystanders. However,
unlike the examples before, the bystanders are not quite as innocent. Everyone is quite aware of
Icarus amazing and horrific fall into the ocean, but they turn away; they purposely decide to
ignore Icarus plight. The ploughman depicted must have heard the cry and the resounding
splash as Icarus fell to his death, but he simply decided to ignore it as it did not pertain to him.
Undoubtedly the ship must have also seen something, being so close to the place where Icarus
fell. But, the crew indifferently decided it had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.
Now, this begs the question: were they so focused on their busy and chaotic lives as to ignore the
fall of Icarus? Its much more plausible that they chose to ignore him either because they could
not comprehend the sheer magnitude of what had occurred or that they simply did not want to
bear witness to such a horrific spectacle. Human beings have an inexplicable ability to ignore
other humans in need. Through the figures in his poem, Auden provides an insightful
commentary into human psychology, providing a possible explanation as to why people are
apathetic to the suffering of those around him. It is likely that Auden wrote this poem as an
interpretation on the inaction of Europeans in face of the rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.
In this case, Icarus horrific fall is synonymous with the horrors of the Holocaust. Despite the
struggles of the Jews in Europe people coldly turn their heads to their plight.
Throughout the late 19th century every country on the European continent feverishly
scrambled to control various territories of the uncivilized world in an effort known as
imperialism: a veritable game of continental hungry, hungry hippos. Unbeknownst to the
ignorant citizens of the civilized world the spread of imperialism also resulted in the
subjugation and suffering of those being imperialized. Joseph Conrad completely these
atrocities amidst an naive and ignorant public in his novel The Heart of Darkness. Conrad
provides an insightful commentary on the ignorance and apathy of the public towards the
atrocities wrought by Imperialism. In fact, one of his key instruments in exposing the reader to
the horrors of imperialism is by holding the reader in darkness and obscurity. Perhaps the
primary figure that is shrouded in darkness and uncertainty throughout the novel is the enigmatic
Kurtz. Indeed, throughout the length of the novel the reader is never given an straightforward,
unambiguous description of Kurtz; he is a figure shrouded in mystery and rumor. However,
characters describe Kurtz in a generally good light; he is a successful ivory collector destined for
a promotion; he is a fantastic, talented painter; he is exceptionally charismatic and an influential
leader among men. Indeed, up to the point when Marlow finally finds Kurtz, Kurtz really isnt a
solid, complete character at all. Rather, he is a figment, a combination of images constructed
from the various rumors Marlow has heard. Through Kurtz, Conrad is able to expose the facade
that was imperialism. Like Kurtz, imperialism was not a defined endeavor with a strict set of
rules or code. The general public based their opinions of imperialism completely on the
fragmented images displayed through media and government propaganda. As Marlow was blind
to the monstrosity that Kurtz had became, so was the public to the atrocities and suffering
wrought by Imperialism. Of course, once the veil is lifted, we see that Kurtz is an inhuman
monster who has lost all traces of sanity. And, despite the substantial flow of ivory he has
farmed, the means he uses to collect the ivory are nothing short of barbaric and savage. Kurtz, of
course, symbolizes imperialism in Conrads novel; he is the physical manifestation of the white
mans presence in Africa. Everyone in the civilized world believes Kurtz to be a moral, hard-
working man who is also talented and passionate. This is best exemplified by Kurtzs intended
who is completely ignorant of her fiance's spiral into darkness; she is still naively faithful even at
the end of the novel, when Marlow lies to her about Kurtzs last words. Kurtzs fiancee
symbolizes the ill informed civilized world that is blinded from the atrocities wrought greedy,
imperialistic white man. In addition to being unbeknownst of the actual actions of
imperialism, the citizens of the civilized world were also uninformed of the true motive of
Imperialism. Hidden under a shroud of propaganda, white men and women believed imperialism
was spreading religion, sanitation, and civilization to the savages on the African continent. This,
of course, was a lie. Conrad exposed this imperialist deception through, you guessed it, Kurtz,
specifically Kurtzs writing in his pamphlet for the Society for the Suppression of Savage
Customs. Writing a manifesto of the benefits of civilizing the African savages, begins his
pamphlet with a very promising, progressive argument. In fact, Marlow describes Kurtzs
writing as vibrating with eloquence and how it makes him tingle with enthusiasm. That is,
with possible exception a single phrase in which Marlow notices towards the end of the
pamphlet: Exterminate all the brutes!. This is the conclusion of Kurtzs eloquent document
about the European duty to civilize and cultivate Africa. Marlow was so infatuated and
enthralled by Kurtzs eloquent words that he was completely indifferent to the malicious,
genocidal meaning behind them. Much like Marlow, the civilized world is completely overcome
with the thought of civilizing underdeveloped peoples that they completely ignore to true
intentions of imperialism. Like the people in Audens poem, they turn their heads because
they have been told something else; they choose to believe in a painless lie rather than face a
harrowing truth.
Both Conrad and Auden eloquently expose the inhuman indifference and inaction of the
those around them. Through his insightful examination of Breughels painting, Auden criticizes
the ignorance and apathy of people to Icarus plight. As Auden did in his poem, Conrad also
commentates on the general disinterest of the public through his symbolic representation of
imperialism in Kurtz. Despite working through different avenues of literary expression both
writers effectively express their contempt and disdain for the ignorant masses. Thus reinforcing
the universal truth that the thematic of messages of great literature are invariably boundless and
timeless.