Who Kurtz is
Kurtz works far upriver at the Company's Inner Station, beyond the places Marlow first encounters. Everyone seems to speak about him, though few have actually met him.
The chief accountant first mentions Kurtz to Marlow while describing his remarkable supply of ivory. His reputation reaches Marlow before he does, through praise, gossip, envy and fear.
Kurtz and the others in the story
For Marlow, Kurtz gradually becomes more than another agent working for the Belgian trading company. Among men he finds hollow, Marlow begins to imagine Kurtz as the only real person.
The brickmaker speaks of Kurtz with envy and fear, while the general manager regards him as a threat. Marlow overhears the manager and his uncle talking and gathers that they would welcome Kurtz's failure to return.
How Kurtz changes
Reports describe a man of great ideas, but also someone ill and unwilling to follow the Company's wishes.
As the steamer travels upriver, Marlow's wish to meet Kurtz becomes a purpose of its own. Above all, he wants to hear Kurtz speak, without yet knowing what he will find.
Questions
Who is Kurtz in Heart of Darkness?
Kurtz is a gifted ivory agent whose distant post and powerful reputation draw Marlow upriver.
Why does Marlow want to meet Kurtz?
Marlow wants to understand the man behind the conflicting stories, and especially to hear him speak.
Why does the Company worry about Kurtz?
Some regard Kurtz as dangerous because he does what he wants, while the manager wants to protect his own position and profits.
