Set in an atmosphere of enigma and menace, Heart of Darkness centres around Marlow, a contemplative sailor and on his journey up the Congo river on behalf of a Belgian trading company. His very first task is to bring back an agent of the company who has disappeared in strange circumstances, that also leads to a meet up with Kurtz, an ivory trader who is a mysterious figure with great abilities.

As Marlow travels to Africa, he encounters widespread brutality in company's stations. The cruelty and squalor of imperial enterprise contrasts sharply with the impassive jungle that surrounds the white man's settlements, making them appear to be tiny islands amidst vast darkness.