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Heart of Darkness

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Heart of Darkness is here in full — 187 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Joseph Conrad • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for Heart of Darkness

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

Narrator

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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter I Reading 1/37

Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad

Cover illustration for Heart of Darkness

Chapter I

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Heart of Darkness is here in full — 187 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest. The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide. The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway. In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits. A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

Heart of Darkness

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Heart of Darkness is here in full — 187 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

Line 2

The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

Line 3

The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

Line 4

In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

Line 5

A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

All words in this reading · 81

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

a

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

an

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

anchor

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

and

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

at

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

barges

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

before

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

beginning

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

being

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

bound

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

calm

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

canvas

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

clusters

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

come

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

cruising

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

down

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

drifting

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

flatness

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

flood

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

flutter

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

for

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

gleams

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

had

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

haze

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

her

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

In

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

interminable

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

it

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

joint

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

like

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

low

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

luminous

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

made

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

nearly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

Nellie

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

of

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

offing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

on

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

only

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

out

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

peaked

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

ran

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

red

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

rest

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

rested

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

river

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

sails

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

sea

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

sea-reach

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

seemed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

sharply

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

shores

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

sky

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

space

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

sprits

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

stand

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

still

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

stretched

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

swung

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

tanned

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

Thames

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

that

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

The

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

thing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

tide

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

to

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

together

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

turn

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

up

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

us

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

vanishing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness.

varnished

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

wait

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

was

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

waterway

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway.

welded

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

were

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

wind

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

with

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.

without

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

yawl

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.

Chapter 1 of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad holds 187 sentences, grouped into 38 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of Heart of Darkness contain?

Chapter 1 holds 187 sentences of Heart of Darkness, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 187 sentences, grouped into 38 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Heart of Darkness?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Heart of Darkness

Common questions about reading Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Heart of Darkness?

Yes. All 2390 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #219 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Heart of Darkness is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #219, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Heart of Darkness take to read?

About 199 minutes of reading across 478 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Heart of Darkness section by section

How to work through Heart of Darkness section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 13 chapters of Heart of Darkness to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Heart of Darkness

Words and structures a reader meets early in Heart of Darkness, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Nellie: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Heart of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cruising: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Heart of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Swung: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Heart of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Anchor: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Heart of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.