306. Joseph Conrad: From Russian Exile To The Heart of Darkness

Empire

Goalhanger

History

4.6 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 11 November 2025

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

How did a Polish sailor become one of the greatest writers in the English language? Why were Conrad’s parents exiled to the harsh conditions of northern Russia? Should we continue to read The Heart of Darkness in spite of its outdated views? Anita and William are joined by Maya Jasanoff, author of The Dawn Watch, to discuss the adventurous life of Joseph Conrad and how his work shaped readers' understanding of imperialism. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: [email protected] Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Producer: Anouska Lewis Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you want access to bonus episodes reading lists for every series of Empire, a chat community.
0:06.7	Discounts for all the books mentioned in the week's podcast, add free listening and a weekly newsletter,
0:12.5	sign up to Empire Club at www.mpowerpod.uk.com.
0:19.1	Just a little warning for this episode of Empire. It will contain references to suicide.
0:35.9	Hello and welcome to Empire with me Anita Arnan.
0:39.8	And me, William Drupal.
0:41.8	Settle back because I'm going to tell you a story.
0:44.3	In November 1889, just as the chugging compound engines of steamships were beginning to take the wind out of the elegant sails of the great rake-mastered clippers,
0:54.2	and out-of-work Polish sea captain, unable to find a command in London, signed up with a Belgian
0:59.9	shipping company, a job had just turned up in the Belgian Congo.
1:03.5	The previous occupant of the post had been killed in mysterious circumstances.
1:08.2	And Captain Conrad Koshinovsky soon found himself setting sail down
1:14.0	the African coast. If only you'd seen all the tin boxes and revolvers, he wrote to a friend,
1:19.8	the high boots and all the bottles of medicine. Now this was the voyage which would produce one of the most
1:25.9	famous of all books on colonialism,
1:29.3	The Heart of Darkness, published under the name the captain assumed when he took British citizenship,
1:34.6	and which he later chose to write under.
1:37.0	Joseph Conrad.
1:38.1	And here to tell us all about Conrad is our old friend, both on and off the pod,
1:43.8	Maya Jasanov.
1:45.0	And I've just tried to stop Anita running off with my friend
1:48.3	and inviting her out for a drink on her own without me to gossip about.
	...

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