Tales of Unrest

These five stories were collected and published as Tales of Unrest in 1898, shortly before Heart of Darkness, the first of Conrad's major novels. Ranging from the faraway and unfamiliar, where the acquisitiveness of colonial adventure is damningly exposed, to an ostensibly ordinary London household, these disparate tales display Conrad's ability to explore and lay bare human nature.

Set in Central Africa, 'An Outpost of Progress' is suffused with irony and represents a ruthlessly mocking view of European imperialism. 'Karain' and 'The Lagoon' are exotic tales of the Malay Archipelago, with the former telling of disharmony and discord between Western traders and the indigenous inhabitants. 'The Return' recounts the story of, in the author's own words, “a desirable middle-class town residence which somehow manages to produce a sinister effect”. The collection also includes 'The Idiots', the first of Conrad's short stories to be serialized in an English magazine.

Aceste cinci povesti au fost colectate si publicate ca Povesti de neliniste in 1898, cu putin inainte de Inima intunericului, primul dintre romanele majore ale lui Conrad. Plecand de la cele indepartate si necunoscute, unde achizitia aventurii coloniale este expusa in mod condamnabil, unei gospodarii aparent obisnuite din Londra, aceste povesti disparate arata capacitatea lui Conrad de a explora si a dezvalui natura umana. plin de ironie si reprezinta o viziune batjocoritoare fara indoiala a imperialismului european.