The Secret Sharer Background Notes

Biography Born on December 3, 1857 in the Polish Ukraine Born on December 3, 1857 in the Polish Ukraine Jozef Teodor Konrad Nalecz Korzeniowski Jozef Teodor Konrad Nalecz Korzeniowski Father—a Polish revolutionary Father—a Polish revolutionary Orphan—lives with uncle Orphan—lives with uncle At age 17 leaves Poland for a career at sea At age 17 leaves Poland for a career at sea

Biography (cont.) 1875—Sailed to West Indies 1875—Sailed to West Indies 1877—Arrived in England 1877—Arrived in England 1886—Became a naturalized Briton and passed exams in English 1886—Became a naturalized Briton and passed exams in English 1890—Journeyed to the Congo 1890—Journeyed to the Congo 1891—Retired from life as a British merchant seaman to write—in English 1891—Retired from life as a British merchant seaman to write—in English

Career as a Writer (to 1904) Search for technique period (to 1904) Search for technique period ( ) Political and social period ( ) Political and social period (1914-death) Conventional technique period (1914-death) Conventional technique period

Search for Technique ( ) 1899 Heart of Darkness 1899 Heart of Darkness 1900 Lord Jim 1900 Lord Jim 1903 Typhoon 1903 Typhoon

Political & Social Period ( ) 1904 Nostromo 1904 Nostromo 1907 The Secret Agent 1907 The Secret Agent 1909 The Secret Sharer 1909 The Secret Sharer

Conventional Technique (1914 to death) 1914 Victory 1914 Victory

Themes Honor, guilt, alienation Honor, guilt, alienation Workings of humanity’s subconscious Workings of humanity’s subconscious Quest of contemporary humanity to understand its own nature Quest of contemporary humanity to understand its own nature “Moral problem of conduct” “Moral problem of conduct” Concept of personal identity Concept of personal identity

Three Major Contributions Unique style Unique style Addition of new settings and genres to serious writing Addition of new settings and genres to serious writing Creation of the psychological story Creation of the psychological story

French Symbolism Simple plot Simple plot Musical and poetic nature of prose Musical and poetic nature of prose Intensity of attention to physical objects Intensity of attention to physical objects Spiritual voyage of discovery, especially through an exotic setting Spiritual voyage of discovery, especially through an exotic setting Pervasive atmosphere of dream, nightmare, and/or hallucination Pervasive atmosphere of dream, nightmare, and/or hallucination Fondness for the lawless, the depraved, and the extreme modes of experience Fondness for the lawless, the depraved, and the extreme modes of experience

The Secret Sharer 1912 Twixt Land and Sea 1912 Twixt Land and Sea Personal reminiscences of Conrad’s first command on the Otago Personal reminiscences of Conrad’s first command on the Otago Based on newspaper account of a similar incident Based on newspaper account of a similar incident

Stylistic Technique First person narration First person narration Story within a story Story within a story Vivid, concrete details Vivid, concrete details Figurative language (similes, metaphors, & alliteration) Figurative language (similes, metaphors, & alliteration) Exotic settings (Gulf of Siam/reference to pagoda/Kohring) Exotic settings (Gulf of Siam/reference to pagoda/Kohring) Light/dark imagery Light/dark imagery

Psychological Plot Physical and experiential double Physical and experiential double Doppelganger Doppelganger Search for self-knowledge Search for self-knowledge

Symbolism Riding light Riding light Naked swimmer Naked swimmer Scorpion Scorpion Sleeping suit Sleeping suit Floppy hat Floppy hat

Journey Motif Archetype for human society on its journey through an inexplicable universe Archetype for human society on its journey through an inexplicable universe Inner journey into the self Inner journey into the self

End