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Tarzan

arts Maturity 9-11 Next article →

Tarzan is one of the most famous characters in all of literature.

Tarzan and the Golden Lion
Tarzan and the Golden Lion

He is a fictional hero known as a feral child. This means he was raised in the wild instead of by humans. Tarzan lived in the Congo Basin among a tribe of great apes called the Mangani. He was the son of British aristocrats who were left on the African coast. After his parents died, an ape named Kala became his mother. In the language of the Mangani, the name Tarzan means "white-skin."

The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) - 2
The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) - 2

He grew up to be a heroic adventurer who often chose the wild over civilization.

Growing up in the jungle gave Tarzan amazing physical abilities. He can climb, cling, and leap just like a great ape. To move through the trees at high speeds, he swings on vines. He even uses his feet like hands to help him move. Tarzan is incredibly strong, fast, and agile. He has used these skills to wrestle many different animals. These include lions, rhinos, crocodiles, and even tigers.

The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) - 2
The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) - 2

He is also a skilled tracker who uses his hearing and smell to find his way.

Even though he grew up in the wild, Tarzan is very intelligent. He is a self-taught reader who learned by looking at picture books. He found these books in a log cabin from his early childhood. He eventually read every book in his father's collection. This helped him learn about geography and world history. Tarzan can speak many different languages, such as English, French, and Swahili. He can even mimic the sound of a gunshot perfectly.

The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) - 2
The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) - 2

He can even communicate with many species of animals in the jungle.

Edgar Rice Burroughs created this character for his first novel. The book, titled Tarzan of the Apes, was published in 1914.

Bookplate of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Bookplate of Edgar Rice Burroughs

Burroughs wrote 23 sequels to tell more of Tarzan's adventures. The character has since appeared in many different forms of media. This includes films, radio shows, television, and comic books. One famous actor, Johnny Weissmuller, played Tarzan in many movies starting in 1932.

Poster - Tarzan the Fearless 01
Poster - Tarzan the Fearless 01

These movies often featured a chimpanzee friend named Cheeta.

Tarzan's stories connect to many other famous tales and people. For example, the character Mowgli from The Jungle Books is a similar story.

John Charles Dollman - Mowgli made leader of the Bandar Log
John Charles Dollman - Mowgli made leader of the Bandar Log

Many people enjoy the way Burroughs built a whole world for Tarzan. He even created a partial language for the great apes to speak. The character's popularity has lasted for over one hundred years. Some people even named a community Tarzana in Los Angeles after him.

Harikalar Diyari Tarzan 06014 nevit
Harikalar Diyari Tarzan 06014 nevit

Tarzan remains a symbol of adventure and the wild world.

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🖼️ Images & Media (9)
File:Tarzan and the Golden Lion.jpg
Tarzan and the Golden Lion.jpg
File:Harikalar Diyari Tarzan 06014 nevit.jpg
Harikalar Diyari Tarzan 06014 nevit.jpg
File:The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) - 2.jpg
The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) - 2.jpg
File:Poster - Tarzan the Fearless 01.jpg
Poster - Tarzan the Fearless 01.jpg
File:Travis Fimmel by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Travis Fimmel by Gage Skidmore.jpg
File:Tarzan Broadway Musical.jpg
Tarzan Broadway Musical.jpg
File:Calumma tarzan 01.jpg
Calumma tarzan 01.jpg
File:John Charles Dollman - Mowgli made leader of the Bandar Log.jpg
John Charles Dollman - Mowgli made leader...
File:Bookplate of Edgar Rice Burroughs.jpg
Bookplate of Edgar Rice Burroughs.jpg
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