旅者踏上旅程之動機為何？在旅程中追尋之物為何？當他敘述旅行見聞時是否說了真話？而旅者的焦慮從何而來？這些貌似簡單的問題在這篇論文裡，卻呈現了豐富的文學議題。康拉德的中篇<<黑暗之心>>，不論從其旅行之主題，殖民主題，或層層細膩的敘述框架技巧觀之，旅行論述之多面性在此浮現出來，並與當代的後結構理論銜接。這篇論文試圖為一個具長久歷史之文類：旅行文學，做一個往前延伸與往後銜接的工作，在傳統旅行文學偏重主題式的探討架構下，試圖為其添加現代文學理論，特別是有關於心理學、符號學、觀光學、及敘述理論，以挖掘"旅行論說"作為一個文類的複雜多面。此論文架構不僅合適探討<<黑暗之心>>這本小說，也適於一般旅者思索自我的靈魂之旅，讓讀者為此文類擴充架構。

　　What sets the traveler on road? What makes him search for the higher truth during his journey? Does he tell the truth while recounts his story? Where does traveler's anxiety come from? How does a traveler's mind change after making a journey? In this issue, those issues can play an important role in the study of literary text. With <u>Heart of Darkness</u> in mind, I will probe into colonial discourse, the neatly embedded narrative frame, and the multi-facet levels of travel narrative. This thesis attempts to adopt some strands of contemporary literary theory, such as psychology, semiotics, tourism, and narratology. By adding new dimension to the time-honored travelogue, this thesis tends to explore the travel narrative as a complex and multifarious form of expression.