In this haunting tale, Marlow, a seaman and wanderer, recounts his experiences in Africa when he led an expedition into the impenetrable and mysterious core of the jungle. The darkness he encounters is both moral and physical: Mr Kurtz, the agent dealing in ivory that he is to meet, is the embodiment of corruption, decay and exploitation. As an outsider, Marlow finds himseld drawn to the charismatic Kurtz, but after witnessing the malevolence and tyranny that emanate from him, Marlow is forced to look into his soul and reassess his own values.