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Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Heart of Darkness is here in full — 191 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Heart of Darkness
Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
He was silent for a while.
No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existencethat which makes its truth, its meaningits subtle and penetrating essence.
It is impossible.
We live, as we dreamalone....”
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Heart of Darkness

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Heart of Darkness is here in full — 191 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
He was silent for a while.
Line 2
Line 3
No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existencethat which makes its truth, its meaningits subtle and penetrating essence.
Line 4
It is impossible.
Line 5
We live, as we dreamalone....”

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Alone adjective US /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading “We live, as we dream—alone....””

Dream noun US /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading “We live, as we dream—alone....””

All words in this reading · 35

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 He was silent for a while.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading We live, as we dream—alone....”

and

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

any

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

as

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

From this reading We live, as we dream—alone....”

convey

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading We live, as we dream—alone....”

epoch

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

essence

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

existence

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

for

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

From this reading He was silent for a while.

given

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

He

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

From this reading He was silent for a while.

impossible

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

is

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

it

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

its

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

life-sensation

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

live

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

From this reading We live, as we dream—alone....”

makes

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

meaning

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

No

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

of

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

one's

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

penetrating

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

silent

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

From this reading He was silent for a while.

subtle

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

that

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

the

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

to

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

truth

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

was

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

From this reading He was silent for a while.

We

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

From this reading We live, as we dream—alone....”

which

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

From this reading No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence.

while

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

From this reading He was silent for a while.

Chapter 5 of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad holds 191 sentences, grouped into 39 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 5 of Heart of Darkness contain?

Chapter 5 holds 191 sentences of Heart of Darkness, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 191 sentences, grouped into 39 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 5 of Heart of Darkness?

Work through the 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 39 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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.

  1. Open a chapter

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

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. 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.