Monday 7 May 2012

Joseph Conrad's Youth


'Youth' is an autobiographical short story by Joseph Conrad. It was written in 1898 and included as the first story in the 1902 volume Youth, a Narrative, and Two Other Stories. This volume also includes 'Heart of Darkness' and 'The End of the Tether', which are concerned with maturity and old age, respectively. "Youth" depicts a young man's first journey to the East. It is narrated by Charles Marlow who is also the narrator of 'Heart of Darkness', Lord Jim and Chance.

Lowry on his first voyage to the Far East in 1927 didn’t feel like Conrad when he quotes from 'Youth' in his short story 'China'; “that what expected had already gone, had passed unseen in a sigh, in a flash together with youth, with strength, with romance of illusions” (Psalms Pg 52). Yvonne in the 1940 Under The Volcano asks Hugh about his thoughts about Sokotra; "You mean you were disillusioned, like the man in Conrad's Youth".(Pg. 61)

No comments:

Post a Comment