Heart of Darkness Forum

In heart of darkness explain the significance of what happens at the end of the novel.?
when marlow returns the letters to kurtz's "intended". why does he say after answering her question about kurtz's last words "it seemed to me that...the heavens would fall upon my head?" what did he do to deserve such a punishment?

college student, not very good with english lit, any help would be greatly welcomed.

max..

the reason he deserves such a punishment is because he says earlier in the novel 'i hate, detest and can't stand a lie', and yet when it comes to answering the question of 'what were kurtz last words'.. he lies. this to him seems like the worst possible thing he could have done. when.. thinking about it really, it was the best for the intended.