"Heart of Darkness" is a novella written by Joseph Conrad, first published in 1899. The story follows Charles Marlow, a sailor who travels up the Congo River in Africa to find Kurtz, an ivory trader. As Marlow journeys deeper into the jungle, he encounters the brutal realities of colonialism and the darkness within humanity. The novella explores themes of imperialism, civilization versus savagery, and the psychological effects of isolation. It raises questions about morality and the impact of European colonial practices on both the colonizers and the colonized. The narrative is often seen as a critique of the exploitation inherent in European colonialism.