To Be, Or Not To Be :: essays research papers

According to Merrion-Webster Inc. Dictionary, a doppelgnger is a double, an often ghostly or evil counterpart to a character. It comes from the German language, doppel- double + -gnger goer. It might be asked, What does a doppelgnger have to do with a paper on Joseph Conrad? The answer is a lot, especially if Conrads The Secret Sharer is organism discussed. In this short story, the two characters, the captain and Leggatt, share many similarities, as well as differences. When comparing the similarities and differences, they can be used to direct the duality between the captain and Leggatt. Conrad used Leggatt as a doppelgnger to facilitate the captain come terms with himself.In 1880, Conrad was part of the crew of the Cutty Sark. On this ship, Sidney smith killed a black man, John Francis. The captain of the Cutty Sark secretly helped metalworker to an American ship, the Colorado. Four days later, Smith committed suicide (Daleski 171). Smith had not wanted to be tried for his murd er. This experience is particularly fire when one compares it to Conrads short story, The Secret Sharer. Conrad directly used his knowledge of the occurrences aboard the Cutty Sark for that particular story.The Secret Sharer is a psychological masterpiece that dramatizes the act of eleemosynary identification with an outlaw. Also, it deals with the achievement of self-mastery when the secret self is exorcised (Graver 150). In it, the character Leggatt is the shape of the captains personality yet, he is not any higher or overturn than the captain. Hes only different. He is one side, to a double-sided coin.In the story, the captain of a ship discovers a man named Leggatt. Leggatt had committed murder on the Sephora, on which he was first mate. Not wanting to face a trial, he escaped. The captain and Leggatt form an immediate bond (Conrad 702). Comparing the two, they are some(prenominal) of the same stature, same background. The captain even refers to Leggatt as his double, othe r self, or secret sharer closely 40 times (Graver 152). Conrad specifically implies that Leggatt is a doppelgnger, or the captains double.They do, however, possess middleman differences in their personalities. Where the captain is apprehensive and uncertain of himself, Leggatt is full of calmness and sureness (Conrad 702). In fact, part of the attractiveness that Leggatt has, is based on his obvious self-command (Graver 152). Yet, it must be remembered that Leggatt killed a man.