The Origins of Tarzan

The Origins of Tarzan He’s a heroic adventurer raised by the great Apes. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be taking a look at the origins of Tarzan. Tarzan was created by writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, and made his debut in the 1912 novel “Tarzan of the Apes.” Following this, he went on to star in twenty-five official sequels, as well as dozens of books and comics by other authors. Tarzan has even starred in countless stage plays, radio broadcasts, movie adaptations and television programs. Tarzan made his motion picture debut in the 1918 silent film “Tarzan of the Apes”, and its sequel “The Romance of Tarzan”, both of which starred actor Elmo Lincoln, and retold the events of the original novel. Despite this, the most famous portrayal of the character materialized in the form of eleven black and white films between 1932 and 1948, starring Johnny Weissmuller. Though many other actors would also play the ape-man, this particular talent has come to be regarded as the “Ultimate Tarzan” for his part in rooting the literary character in popular culture. Tarzan’s story began when he was just an infant. The son of John and Alice Clayton, a British Lord and Lady marooned on the West Coat of Africa, his mother died of natural causes, while the tribal leader of the great apes slaughtered his father. Left to fend for himself, he was adopted by the primates, and given the ape name “Tarzan”, which meant “White-Skin.” Feeling alienated from the other apes in the tribe, the truth of his origins were first revealed when he was still very young, having happened upon his parents’ cabin. There he discovered the existence of others like himself through books, after he taught himself to read. He also found his father’s knife, and used it to become a skilled hunter. Over the years, he also developed several unique abilities. These included the agility and cunning of several wild animals, the gift of being able to summon various land creatures to his aid with a primal scream, and knack for swinging through the jungle on vines. Due to this, the Ape’s leader “Kerchak” saw Tarzan as a threat. Challenged, Tarzan emerged victorious and became the newest “Ape King.” At only twenty-five years old, he stumbled upon other humans that had become marooned on his shores. Spying on them from afar, he eventually revealed himself in order to save them from the many dangers of the jungle. Soon after, he was taught to speak English, and fell in love with a young American woman named Jane Porter. Absent during their rescue, Tarzan was forced to remain in the jungle. However, he soon came upon a French Naval officer who taught him the ways of civilized man. At the same time, he helped Tarzan uncover his true identity, that of John Clayton, the Lord of Greystoke. Rather than claiming his inheritance, Tarzan travelled to Baltimore to rekindle his relationship with Jane. Eventually, they would marry and have a child together. However, they would later return to the jungles Tarzan called home, due to Tarzan’s deep dislike of civilized society. There, he created a home for his family, and embarked on countless adventures. These outings would see Tarzan take on countless challenges, often alongside his chimpanzee sidekick “Cheeta”, who emerged as the series’ comic relief on the silver screen. A feral child turned heroic adventurer, Tarzan, otherwise known as “The Lord of Greystoke”, continues to be one of the world’s most iconic literary characters. This is due to his romantic portrayal of life beyond civilization.