Kurtz is the most discussed figure in Heart of Darkness, yet he says very little and appears late. For much of the novella he exists as a reputation, assembled from the accounts of the manager, the Russian, and Marlow himself. Students who miss this end up writing about a character that the text hardly shows.

The typical weak essay labels Kurtz as evil, mad, or corrupted and then lists examples. It treats him as a fixed person with a fixed nature. The assignment asks for analysis, and analysis requires asking how the text constructs him.

Stronger essays notice that every description of Kurtz is filtered. Marlow hears about him before he sees him, and even then his own story shapes what he reports. A student who builds an argument around that filtering is engaging with the novella's craft, not only its plot.

Another mark of a strong paper is attention to change. Kurtz began, according to some accounts, as an idealist, and the report he wrote for a society devoted to suppressing savage customs reveals both eloquence and horror. Essays that trace this arc show real command of the text.

Criteria worth including in your rubric

Your rubric should reward essays that treat Kurtz as a constructed figure and that tie their claims to specific passages. It should also give credit for handling the tension between his eloquence and his conduct. These features separate close reading from character labeling.

• Explains how other characters' accounts shape the reader's view of Kurtz
• Uses evidence from several parts of the novella, not only the final scenes
• Addresses the contradiction between Kurtz's ideals and his actions
• Considers what Kurtz reveals about Marlow, the Company, or Europe
• Avoids treating a single label as a complete reading of the character

Common problems to flag

Watch for essays that rely heavily on the famous last words. The line is memorable, but a paper built around it often ends up with a lot of feeling and little argument. Ask the student what they think it means and how they know.

Watch also for psychological diagnosis. Students may conclude that Kurtz is simply insane. A useful comment asks whether the text suggests other explanations, including the influence of power and isolation.

Writing feedback that opens the character up

Questions again work better than corrections. "Where do we actually see Kurtz act, and where are we only told about him?" gives students a lens they can apply across the whole essay. Most will find the answer surprising.

If you use an AI feedback tool, choose one that works from your own rubric. GraideMind can draft comments that reflect criteria like these across a full set of essays, leaving you to adjust the tone and add personal observations where the paper deserves them.

Encouraging deeper readings

The phrase that all of Europe contributed to the making of Kurtz opens up a wider argument for students who are ready for it. It invites them to see him as a product of a system rather than an aberration. Not every essay will go there, but the ones that do are worth highlighting.

Share one or two strong excerpts with the class after grading. Seeing what a persuasive reading looks like gives students a model for their next essay.