Contemporary Reimaginings of Heart of Darkness

Agnieszka Adamowicz-Pośpiech

doi:10.35765/pk.2024.4502.22

Agnieszka Adamowicz-Pośpiech University of Silesia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2251-434X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35765/pk.2024.4502.22

Keywords: adaptation, social media, theatre, Conrad, Heart of Darkness

Abstract

In contemporary visual culture, we may observe various transformations of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Artists adapt the classic tale to various media. The novella appears in a theatrical form on the Bulgarian and British stages (a performance by Museum Theatre directed by Valeriya Valcheva in Sofia and the production by the imitating the dog theatre company in London). In film, there is a sand-on-glass animation directed by Gerald Conn and the animeinfluenced Brazilian/French animated feature Heart of Darkness by Rogério Nunes. Additionally, there are video games (Spec Ops, Far Cry 2) based on its plot as well as numerous comics and graphic novels depicting the story, starting with the famous version by C. Anyango and D. Mairowitz through T. Tirabosco and Ch. Perrissin’s (Adamowicz-Pośpiech, 2024) and P. Kuper’s adaptations. On top of that, we have latest Instagram videos by Sascha Ciezata. In this paper, I argue that contemporary interpretations of Heart of Darkness to resonate with present-day audiences must inevitably modernize the novella formally and/or ideologically. I will substantiate this claim through an examination of two instances of the novella’s adaptation in distinct media: specifically, on Instagram and within the theatrical realm.

Author Biography

Agnieszka Adamowicz-Pośpiech , University of Silesia

Literary and translation scholar at the University of Silesia. She is vice president of the Polish Conrad Society and a member of the scientific advisory boards of the journals: Conradiana (USA), Yearbook of Conrad Studies (Poland) and The Conradian (UK). Her research interests include the British novel and drama, as well as visual culture and adaptations. Her most important monographs include Adaptacje biografii i twórczości Josepha Conrada w kulturze współczesnej [Adaptations of Joseph Conrad’s Biography and Works in Contemporary Culture], Katowice 2022; Podróże z Conradem [Travels with Conrad], Kraków 2016; and Seria w przekładzie [Series in Translation], Katowice 2013. She has published in The Conradian, Conradiana, Kultura Współczesna, Ruch Literacki, Teksty Drugie and Twórczość.

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