"I hate, detest, and can't bear a lie, not because I am straighter than the rest of us, but simply because it appalls me. There is a taint of death, a flavour of mortality in lies--what is exactly what I hate and detest in the world--what I want to forget" (94)Marlow despises the hypocrisy and the lies involved with the imperialist efforts of the time, and honors Kurtz for admitting his madness and being blunt about his efforts. For example, he concludes his report with "'Exterminate all the brutes!'" (123), not hiding behind any facade or false image of morality.
Escaping the possibility of becoming similar to Kurtz's transformed self, without the guidance of society and morality to keep him from losing control, Marlow decides to escape the imperialist effort and return to England. He then decides to visit Kurtz's wife-to-be to give her some of her husband's papers and belongings, while also to comfort the widow. At one point, she asks Marlow what Kurtz's last words were, and he hesitates. He realizes her lasting image of him is still that of the honorable man, untouched by insanity or the prospect of ivory obsession, and makes the decision to forever keep this image intact. Therefore, instead of mentioning Kurtz's true last words, "'The horror, the horror!'" (153), he assures her that her name as being those last spoken.
Reflecting on this decision, Marlow to mentally justify his lie:
"The heavens do not fall for such a trifle. Would they have fallen, I wonder, if I had rendered Kurtz that justice which was his due? Hadn't he said he wanted only justice? But I couldn't. I could not tell her. It would have been too dark--too dark altogether" (157).The reader is left with this confusing decision and contradiction of moral beliefs. Marlow believes there is nothing worse than a lie, but he makes the decision to lie on behalf of Kurtz's fiance, though what he admired about Kurtz was his moral choice to be truthful. In this instance, Marlow makes an exception to his rule. He realizes the darkness that can sometimes accompany the lie more than the truth. If he had chosen to speak the absolute truth to the widow, her image of her loving husband would be forever distorted, causing her even more grief, realizing the man she admired and cared for had disappeared long before his death. Telling her what she wants to hear is easier for Marlow to do, for he knows it will keep her the closest to sane possible. The deception practiced here greatly differs that practiced in the Company and imperialistic efforts of the time, where cruel acts were committed under a false mission, the atrocities hidden to those who had not experienced them. In a way, Marlow does similarly, not wishing Kurtz's fiance to experience the unfortunate transformation of Kurts from man to savage, but here, emotions are involved and complicate the morality of telling the complete truth. Therefore, in the end, Marlow does continue Kurtz's justice, because keeping his fiance sane is what he would have wanted.
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