THE COST OF REDEMPTION IN CONRAD'S LORD JIM

This paper asks, why does the eponymous hero of Joseph Conrad's Lord Jim fail to obtain absolution despite two confessional attempts, and then seek his own death' By using narratological distinctions togedier widi an analysis of the confessional structures of Jim's narratives, we find diat his confessions fail for diree reasons: he never fulfils his promise to Madow to plot die ‘fundamental why’ of his jumping ship, his father's ‘easy morality’ condemns him even before he abandons the Patna, and Marlow faik to meet his role as confessor.