Colonialism and Imperialism:
* "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe: A powerful exploration of the impact of British colonialism on Igbo society in Nigeria. It offers a different perspective on the "natives" compared to Conrad's portrayal.
* "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair: A stark depiction of the exploitation of workers in the American meatpacking industry, highlighting the dehumanizing aspects of industrial capitalism, which can be connected to the exploitation of colonized people.
* "Kim" by Rudyard Kipling: A classic of colonial literature, it explores the complex relationship between the British Empire and India through the eyes of a young boy. However, it's important to note that Kipling's views on colonialism are controversial.
* "The White Man's Burden" by Rudyard Kipling: A famous poem reflecting the prevailing imperialist ideology of the time. Comparing it to "Heart of Darkness" can reveal the hypocrisy of such beliefs.
* "The Secret Agent" by Joseph Conrad: Another Conrad novel that touches on themes of political espionage and the dark underbelly of colonialism.
Psychological Exploration:
* "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde: A story about the dangers of moral corruption and the corrupting influence of desire. It explores the darkness that can reside within the human heart.
* "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson: A classic exploration of duality and the struggle between good and evil within the human psyche.
* "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James: A chilling novella that explores the unreliable narrator and the psychological implications of fear and suspicion.
Nature and the Wild:
* "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville: A classic story about obsession, revenge, and the powerful forces of nature. Like "Heart of Darkness," it explores the destructive power of human ambition when confronted with the vastness of the natural world.
* "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London: A story about a domesticated dog who returns to its primal instincts when thrown into the wild. It explores the tension between civilization and the wild.
* "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot: A modernist poem that depicts the psychological and spiritual wasteland of post-World War I Europe. Its bleak imagery and fragmented structure echo some of the themes of "Heart of Darkness."
Modernist Literature:
* "Ulysses" by James Joyce: A complex and challenging modernist novel that explores the inner lives of its characters through stream-of-consciousness and fragmented narratives.
* "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner: Another modernist novel that uses multiple narrative perspectives to explore themes of memory, loss, and the decay of the Old South.
* "Mrs. Dalloway" by Virginia Woolf: A modernist novel that captures the flux of consciousness and the fragmented nature of modern life. It explores the psychological interiority of its characters in a way that resonates with Conrad's techniques.
Non-Fiction:
* "The Congo: The Making of a Nation" by Edmund de Waal: A non-fiction exploration of the history of the Congo, offering insights into the brutal realities of colonialism.
* "King Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild: A detailed account of the atrocities committed under King Leopold II's reign in the Congo, shedding light on the true nature of colonialism.
These are just a few suggestions, and the best related texts will depend on your specific interests and the focus of your analysis.