M R ARLOW'S JOURNEY in Conrad's Heart of Darkness is usually interpreted as a study of a descent into the unconscious self. Of course, the voyage into the heart of darkness is, on one level, a symbolic representation of an exploration of the hidden self and therefore of man's capacity for evil. However, Conrad is not merely narrating a psychological experience; he is dealing with a significant moral conflict. If this were simply a story concerned with the two aspects of the mind of man, the conscious and the unconscious, what would be Conrad's point in treating so extensively the condition of the natives in the Congo? Moreover, without studying some of Conrad's most powerful and most consistent imagery, it is impossible to explain the role of Kurtz's Intended, which is important in the development of the theme. In Heart of Darkness, Conrad is depicting Marlow's discovery of evil and the responsibilities to himself and to others which this knowledge places upon him. In telling the story of Marlow's attainment of self-knowledge, Conrad does not use the language of psychology. Instead, he employs the imagery and symbolism of the traditional voyage into Hades. By associating Marlow's journey with the descent into hell, Conrad concretizes the hidden world of the inner self. Through image and symbol, he evokes the well-known voyage of the hero who, in ancient epic, explores the lower world and, in so doing, probes the depths of his own and his nation's conscience. A study