Conrad''''s Nostromo: Degeneration of the Soul and the "Discovery of Morality"
灵魂的沦落与"道德上的发现"——论康拉德的《诺斯托罗莫》

Recent researches in China tend to focus on Joseph Conrad's sea novels and jungle novels, and little attention lias been paid to his political novels. Nostromo, based on Conrad's personal experience, is widely recognized by western critics as his most ambitious undertaking and one of the greatest novels in the 20th century . Nostromo is now more often praised for its realistic and complex characterization and honest exploration of human nature. The fortunes of varied protagonists are told against the background of an undeveloped South American country Costaguana. Conrad has focused on the dramatic action of the revolution there to explore such challenging themes as the idea of historical determinism, arrogance of imperialism, skepticism and individual heroism, individual isolation and the justification of aims and action. The dominating theme, however, is the relation between moral idealism and material interests, which is rarely presented through abstract statement but vividly demonstrated by the action embodying the ideals, motivations, and failures of characters. Since the novel is much concerned with corruption through obsession by material interests, characters may be divided into two groups: those who are excessively concerned with material interests and those who are not. Individuals in both groups labor under one form or another of delusions. The incorruptible" Nostromo, lured by the prospect of enrichment, turns traitor. Gould lavishes affection on the silver mine rather than on his wile.Decould, overpowered by a sense of solitude and skepticism, commits suicide. Minor or major, all the characters willingly or unwillingly become involved with material interests and most of them are victimized, corrupted, disappointed, or frustrated. By anatomizing such a relation, Conrad unfolds his profound disbelief in the perfectibility of human nature and his worries about other social and ethical problems. The novel's personal themes are closely interwoven into its public themes. Nostromo is a great, massive symbol of Conrad's total vision of mankind and world. Within the artistic whole of the novel Conrad presents the circumstances and attitudes which he believes work to prevent society or government from working morally. For Costaguana or any other countries, if there is mental darkness at the bottom and political indolence or immaturity on the top, and if faith is put in the advancement of material interests, the result must be exploitation and recurring revolution. Costaguana is not merely a typical country in South America. Its turbulent history could be that of any other countries which go through a transition from feudalism to capitalism. The theme of "material interests" represents Conrad's view of a perverted political doctrine, and of the havoc wrought by industrialization. The novel abounds in paradoxical situations and devastating ironies and the story does not lack "actuality", yet it would be a mistake to insist too much on this. The p