• B. SHALINI

This paper presents a comparative analysis of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and J.M. Coetzee’s Dusklands, focusing on their critiques of colonialism. Both works, written in different historical and geographical contexts, explore the psychological and moral consequences of imperial domination, highlighting the dehumanization, violence, and moral decay inherent in colonial ideologies. Heart of Darkness critiques European imperialism in Africa through the journey of Charles Marlow and his encounter with Kurtz, exposing the hypocrisy of the civilizing mission. Similarly, Dusklands examines colonialism through two narratives, Eugene Dawn’s psychological unraveling during the Vietnam War and Jacobus Coetzee’s brutal treatment of indigenous people in 18th century South Africa. By delving into the moral and psychological toll on the colonizers, both novels underscore the destructive legacy of empire. This paper argues that Conrad and Coetzee reveal the inherent contradictions of colonial narratives, emphasizing how the colonizers quest for power ultimately leads to their own moral disintegration. Through their exploration of violence, power, and dehumanization, Heart of Darkness and Dusklands remain essential texts for understanding the enduring psychological and ethical costs of imperialism.

Colonialism, dehumanization, imperialism, hypocrisy, disintegration

"Echoes of Empire: A Comparative Study of Colonial Critique in Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Coetzee's Dusklands", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 1, page no.g286-g289, January-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2501628.pdf

"Echoes of Empire: A Comparative Study of Colonial Critique in Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Coetzee's Dusklands", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 1, page no. ppg286-g289, January-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2501628.pdf