A harlequin is defined as a comedian or buffoon. Conrad uses his appearance in the novella much like that of a court jester – to infuse comedy into an otherwise tense, dry situation. The sight of the harlequin from the boat marks as shift in Marlow’s perception of Africa, as it no longer seems like a literally “dark continent” – it now has a more colorful flair, literally and figuratively.
Source:
"Harlequin - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary." Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. Web. 24 Aug. 2009. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harlequin.
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