Imperialism as Depicted in Tagore's Red Oleanders (Raktakarabi) And Conrad's Heart of Darkness: A Contrast between East and West

This article makes a comparative study between Tagore’s Red Oleanders (Raktakarabi) and Conrad’s Heart of Darkness based on Eastern and Western perspectives. The writings of Conrad and Tagore have unveiled the untold cruel sides of imperialism, which hides its true intention under the mask of civilizing colonized people and its effect on the culture and society. However, there are significant differences in the presentation of imperialism in Conrad and Tagore’s works. In Heart of Darkness, even though Conrad showcases the dark side of imperialism, he portrays native people as barbers who need colonizers to guide them. In contrast, Tagore symbolically portrays imperialism only as a burden for the natives. This paper presents how a Western writer’s view on imperialism differs from an Eastern writer’s perspective.