The tale of “El Dorado” dates to the Spanish people in the sixteenth century. Allegedly, this story discusses a mythical tribal king of the indigenous people who covered himself in gold and submerged himself in Lake Guaravita (“El Dorado”). However, there have been various locations mentioned over the years of where “El Dorado” truly resides as well as interpretations of the story throughout history. Historians have been able to piece together the true details of the myth over the years. The surviving objects from El Dorado have been placed into the British Museum as well as the Museo del Oro. In Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the members of the company mention this tale to Marlowe as he is embarking on his journey through the Congo. They speak of the tale and the gold that could possibly be found if they are able to reveal the location of the golden objects.

Works Cited

Cooper, Dr Jago. “El Dorado: The Truth behind the Myth.” BBC News, BBC, 14 Jan. 2013, https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20964114.

“El Dorado.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Apr. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Dorado.