Marlow’s+attitude+toward+women

Heart of Darkness:
 * Marlow’s attitude towards women:**
 * The appearance of women is quite limited within the novel. This is reflected in part one, as there are only two appearances of women.
 * o __Marlow’s Aunt (Page 12):__Similar to Kurtz’ mistress, Marlow’s aunt seems to be one of the women that have even a little bit of power within a novel completely dominated by men. “She was determined to make no end of fuss to get me appointed skipper of a river steamboat.”
 * § It seems that Marlow has a reasonably close relationship with his aunt as he describes her to be a “dear enthusiastic soul”
 * o __The knitting women (Page 13):__The knitting women are used by Conrad to help set the atmosphere within the office. Everything about them seems to be quite plain and dark:
 * § “One fat and the other slim”
 * § “They were sitting on straw-bottom chairs”
 * § “Her dress was as plain as an umbrella cover”
 * o Moreover, they bring quite an ominous atmosphere with them, and to the office.
 * § “Knitting black wool”
 * § “knitting with downcast eyes”
 * o Symbolic meaning:
 * § “Guarding the door of Darkness, knitting black wool as for a warm pall”
 * § “The women correspond to the mythological Fates who spin, measure, and cut the thread of life” []