253 Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları, Bahar, 2018; (17) 253-269 ISSN: 1308-5069 - E-ISSN: 2149-0651 Geliş Tarihi / Received Date: 27.07.2017 Kabul Tarihi / Accepted Date: 06.01.2018 * Ph Dc. Erciyes Üniversitesi, İngiliz Dili ve Edebiyatı. Email: fikretguven@gmail.com Decay and Decomposition of Western Ideals and Values in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Fikret GÜVEN * Abstract The turn of the twentieth century was a time of tremendous progress in several different ields. Yet, this progression brought about the destruction of established norms and systems without offering a feasible alternative. It created a devastating effect on modern man causing a sense of dislocation, a loss of faith, a chaotic and meaningless life, and total disorder throughout Europe. Joseph Conrad explored this decay and decomposition of values and ideals in his novella Heart of Darkness. A thorough analytical examination of this work can provide valuable insight into its revolutionary contribution to literature. The purpose of the present paper is to bring an analytical approach to the gradual decay and decomposi- tion of Western Society in Conrad’s iction. The novel will bring the alienation and dehumanization into the open. Therefore, as will be seen, Conrad’s literary work suggests that western ideals and values are deceptive. The study also argues that, as an attempt to bring morality, the “civilizing mission” brutalizes both colonizers and colonized alike due to its essential hypocrisy. Keywords: Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, dehumanization, the West, decay, decomposition….