Encounters with Symbolic Ambiguity: The Knitters of Black Wool in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

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Pages: 343-352
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/MGUH8411

Abstract:

In this article I discuss Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness, focusing on two female characters who appear early in the text – the knitters of black wool. I examine the scene at the office of the Trading Company in Brussels to emphasise its importance in Conrad’s text. First, I focus my attention on the younger knitter, arguing that despite the seeming obscurity of this character, her presence in the text is significant: I explore how she functions as a symbol and the ways in which she is related to certain later moments in the novella. In the second part of the article, I include the older knitter in my analysis and I discuss the office scene in its entirety.

Keywords:

Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, knitters, symbols, ambiguity

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