This book sets out to elucidate Conrad s unique insight into the workings of human emotions for a readership of scholars and graduate students engaged in Conrad studies. It argues that the originality of Conrad s conception of human emotions lies in his comprehensive grasp of emotions in the broad framework of a contingent world; he regards emotions as fundamentally a manifestation of human defiance towards reality. The book takes up seven of Conrad s works which are of significance from the perspective of emotions and contingencies, including Heart of Darkness and Nostromo.