warp & woof,

[Otto Sell]

>
>
> http://www.americanliterature.com/MD/MD114.HTML
>
> "Marlow seems to me to enjoy Conrad's complete confidence --
> a feeling reinforced by the close similarities between their
> two careers."
>
> Chinua Achebe, "An image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart
> of Darkness"
>
> From The Norton Critical HoD, third. The Achebe essay is the
> weakest and worst part about the edition. Achebe is simply
> wrong, Conrad was not, "A Bloody Racist," "A thoroughgoing
> racist."
>
> He was not infected with some colonial/christian virus Otto,
> he did not have,  as Achebe says,  "sick yellow eye."
>
> Conrad can't defend himself, but his work can.
>
> I hope the Norton 4th edition will omit the Achebe essay.
> It's gotten far too much attention as it is. Besides it
> draws attention away from the art of one great author and
> one of the best ever.
>
>
> http://landow.stg.brown.edu/post/achebe/achebeov.html

Terrance,
I'm not at all taking Achebe's point (as you describe it) which is far too
undifferentiated, misjudging Conrad at all, his works and his life.
I said he was "still infected" - meaning not free of it. But without any
doubt there are major differences between Conrad and. let's say Kipling
(whom he is often linked to or compared with), political, ethical and in the
question of literary class which at last is the most important point and
this Achebe seems to have forgotten absolutely. It's easy stating something
as he did instead of reading the texts. I'm sure he gives no quotes to
support his point.

Otto