Imperialism and Existential Freedom in Works Such as...

When people think of the concept of imperialism, they usually view it as something that pertains to government. Even the first definition of imperialism in the dictionary is â€Å"imperial state, authority, spirit, or system of government† (Webster 729). However, imperialism encompasses so much more than this. In comparing the resonations between Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness with Johann Goethe’s Faust, one can see how imperialism affects the political, the social, the psychological, and the spiritual, especially within the past 200 years. Stemming from this is man’s existential freedom, his â€Å"mechanical and lifeless existence in society†, explored in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s â€Å"The Grand Inquisitor† and Herman Melville’s â€Å"Bartleby the Scrivener†.†¦show more content†¦For example, when Marlow sees the manager, who is the epitome of imperialistic evil, abusing a young boy, Marlow does not do anything. H e thinks to himself how horrifyingly wrong it is, but he just walks away accepting what is happening. In the end, Marlow is symbolic of those few people, in the past and present, which can see all of the materialistic and selfish corruption that is rampant in the world and realize how wrong it is. Most of these people, as Marlow further represents, do absolutely nothing to bring about change, instead just accepting what is and letting it happen. The imperialism in Faust stands out very much. It is pretty much the simple fact that Faust sells his soul to Hell because of his won hubris. This one act is a great representation of all imperialism. Countries sell their souls so that they can gain power. The soul is what makes one human and contains all the human emotions such as compassion and love. Without a soul, one is an empty mass of flesh; the flesh may still appear the same on the outside, but inside there is nothing. Very much in common with imperialism is the concept of manâ €™s existential freedom. In â€Å"Bartleby the Scrivener†, a man known as the Lawyer has already hired many different copyists, or scriveners, named Nippers, Turkey, and Ginger nut. These copyists do their jobs like perfect machines and are completely loyal to whatever the Lawyer wishes. Then comes a scrivener named