Heart of Darkness Quote

"For there is nothing mysterious to the seaman unless it be the sea itself, which is the mistress of his existence and as inscrutable as Destiny" (68).
I found this quote to be quite interesting. It is very ironic that the sailors, who spend much time around the sea, see the sea as the one true mystery. The author also shows how familiar things can still be mysterious, with his comparison of destiny. Everyone is familiar with the idea of destiny, but who really understands it completely. All the different faiths still leave questions unanswered. Also the reference to the sea being the "mistress" of  a sailor's existence is quite apt. For sailor's spend months out on the waters gazing out upon the sea. This paradox of familiarity juxtaposed with the unknown is very interesting and well-written. It is safe to assume we will be presented with many more paradoxes and perhaps different settings for the one above.