Class Notes: (2/7-2/18)

During this period we have mostly been watching the film Apocalypse Now. This film is based on the novella Heart of Darkness and is set in Vietnam during the war.
In-class Discussion on 2/8/11

Types of Women in HOD:

• Maiden: An innocent, younger woman who needs to be protected (The "Intended")
• Mother: Caring figure who yields some power (Marlow's Aunt)
• Crone: Old ladies with strange and other-worldly wisdom (The knitters)

The Knitters And The Woman Who Discusses The Journey:

• symbolize the three fates who spin black wool
• The other woman tells Marlow of events to come
• In literal terms, the company controls Marlow's fate?

African "Mistress":

• Overwhelming presence
• no solid textual evidence that she is Kurtz's mistress
• So why is she so familiar with Kurtz? Either she defends her people and the ivory OR she is accustomed to going in and out of Kurtz's house.
• Her ornaments make her seem like a god, worshipped
• Personified Spirit of the Land
• ANIMA

Russian:

• Wears motley
• Holy fool
• Like Joseph (Coat of many colors) who works for the pharoh (Kurtz?)

Other HOD info:

• Kurtz's relationship with the African Woman tells the dynamic with his relationship with the Congo