Bio & Setting for Heart of Darkness Rapert/AP Lit.

Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) Conrad, original name was Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, was born near Berdichev, Poland (now in Ukraine), son of a Polish nobleman who was also a political journalist and anarchist-sent to Siberia orphaned at the age of 12 16 years old he left Russian-occupied Poland and made his way to Marseille, France. worked on French ships, ran guns, entered the British merchant service, becoming a master mariner and a naturalized British subject in 1886; 21 years old learned English – self taught

Congo River Area Modern day: Congo and Dem. Republic of Congo long been known as the mysterious land of pygmies, mythical beasts, dreadful plagues, and cannibals. known as a place of brutality and violence for its past: the days of the Arab slave ivory trade its long history of tribal warfare its present: the ethnic violence and massacres of today (diamonds, ivory trade)

2914 miles long "Gates of Hell," a 75-miles long canyon of impassable rapids The river emerges again, surrounded by lush tropical rainforest as the Lualaba or Upper Congo. During the course its journey through the foreboding rainforest, the river crosses the equator twice. Its flow is relatively stable The Upper Congo abruptly ends with Stanley Falls, a 60 mile stretch of rapids.