Scholarly Perspectives on Henry Scobie: Morality in The Heart of the Matter Barbora Millerová College

Graham Greene’s novel The Heart of the Matter deals with compassion and surveillance, as well as religion at the times of the World War II. The main character, Henry Scobie, who is a middle-aged man working as an Assistant Commission of Police, goes through a desperate predicament of existential thoughts regarding to his sins, resulting in a tragic end. Critics have been discussing the personality traits and actions of Scobie and the reasons leading to them, mainly arguing whether his deeds are morally acceptable and justifiable from the philosophical and also religious point of view. In this essay, the main ethically questionable events of the novel, such as Scobie’s adultery or committing suicide are going to be elaborated and contemplated. Furthermore, the moral role of the character of Scobie is going to be discussed in comparison to moral philosophy.

The main themes connected to Henry Scobie’s emotions, which lead him to a confusing situation, are his excessive sense of guilt, pity and responsibility which he develops towards other people in his life. At the beginning of the novel, it is revealed that even the relationship with his wife is by a huge part motivated by the sense of responsibility he feels towards her, and it...