Description
Book SynopsisDriven by his concern for the tortuous human pursuit of ideal values, Joseph Conrad sometimes tells more than he shows. He indulged his talent for philosophical speculation, and critics usually follow that lead. They fix their attention on broad themes (imperialism, nihilism, etc.), with only passing reference to literary strategies. But fiction is not philosophy. This study, rather than rehash the big ideas that preoccupy most commentators, focuses on technique, Conrad's ingenious variations on a recurring narrative plan animated by images mingling light with darkness and by exhilarating rhetoric. Paradox shapes the narrative plan, the images, and the rhetoric. The story design unfolds a test of manhood with ironic consequences; characters oscillate between impulsive desires and elevated moral convictions, degrading the shadowy standard they desperately try to enact; the rhetoric proposes certainties and yet uncovers negations, vacillations, and contradictions. As one of Shakespeare
Trade ReviewLeonard Moss has written a well documented, reader-friendly study of Conrad's literary artistry that will appeal to both seasoned Conradians and those who are new to Conrad. Viewing Conrad's primary concern as the dramatization of the modern individual confronting uncertainty, Moss insightfully analyzes both well known protagonists and secondary characters in Conrad's fiction. The Craft of Conrad offers an astute exploration of the nebulous identity of Conrad's characters in a world where no fixed standards of conduct can stand against the fundamental irrationality of human experience. -- Ted Billy, Saint Mary's College
A spirited defense of typology, paradox, and craft as tools of navigating across the broad waters of Conrad's fiction. -- Peter Mallios, University of Maryland
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction: The Craft of Conrad Chapter 2 Chapter 1: "The Test of Manliness" Chapter 3 Chapter 2: Secondary Characters and Primary Images Chapter 4 Chapter 3: Styles of Insight Chapter 5 Chapter 4: The Social Focus Chapter 6 Chapter 5: The First Novel and the Best Novel Chapter 7 Conclusion: The Imagination of Conrad
