Heart of Darkness

noun

1. a short novel (1902) by Joseph Conrad.

Heart of Darkness

1. (1902) A short novel by Joseph Conrad. It concerns a seafarer, Marlow, who is sent to the interior of Africa in search of a “mad adventurer” named Kurtz. The book's title refers both to the location of the story and to the evil and darkness in people's hearts.

Francis Ford Coppola based his 1979 film Apocalypse Now on a version of Conrad's story set during the Vietnam War. He released a newly edited version, Apocalypse Now Redux, in 2001.