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Tarzan

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Tarzan is a famous fictional character known as a feral child. A feral child is a human raised in the wild without human society.

Tarzan and the Golden Lion
Tarzan and the Golden Lion

This character, also known as John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke, was raised in the Congo Basin. He lived among the Mangani, which are a species of great apes unknown to science. Tarzan is a heroic adventurer who often rejects civilization to return to the wild. The name Tarzan actually means "white-skin" in the language of the Mangani apes.

Tarzan's physical abilities are far beyond those of a normal human. His upbringing among the Mangani allowed him to master climbing, clinging, and leaping. He travels through the jungle at great speeds by swinging from vines. He can even use his feet like hands, a skill he learned from the anthropoid apes.

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

Tarzan possesses extraordinary strength, speed, stamina, and agility. He has wrestled many dangerous animals, including lions, rhinos, crocodiles, and leopards. He is also a highly skilled tracker who uses keen hearing and smell to find prey.

Despite his wild upbringing, Tarzan is highly intelligent and literate. He taught himself to read by visiting a log cabin from his infancy. There, he studied children's primer books and eventually read his father's entire book collection.

Bookplate of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Bookplate of Edgar Rice Burroughs

This self-education made him aware of geography and world history. He is also a skilled impressionist who can mimic sounds, such as a gunshot. Tarzan is a polyglot, meaning he speaks many languages. He can communicate in English, French, Swahili, Arabic, and even the language of the great apes.

Edgar Rice Burroughs created the character for the novel *Tarzan of the Apes*. The story first appeared in a magazine in 1912 and as a book in 1914.

Bookplate of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Bookplate of Edgar Rice Burroughs

Burroughs wrote 23 sequels to expand the character's world. Over the years, Tarzan has appeared in many media, including radio, television, and comic books. The character's influence is so large that the community of Tarzana, Los Angeles, was named after him. This community sits on the former Tarzana Ranch, which was once owned by Burroughs.

Tarzan's life changed significantly when he met Jane Porter. Jane was an 18-year-old woman from Baltimore, Maryland, who was marooned in the jungle.

Tarzan Broadway Musical
Tarzan Broadway Musical

Tarzan eventually left the jungle to find her, and the two later married. They had a son named Jack, who used the ape name Korak. Although they lived in England for a time, they eventually returned to sub-Saharan Africa. They established a home on an estate in British East Africa to serve as a base for adventures.

Many actors have portrayed Tarzan in film. Elmo Lincoln was the first actor to play the adult character in 1918.

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

Later, Johnny Weissmuller starred in a famous franchise of twelve films between 1932 and 1948. These movies often featured a chimpanzee companion named Cheeta. However, these films changed the character's personality. While the books describe Tarzan as a cultured aristocrat, the movies often showed him speaking "broken" or pidgin English. This version was a departure from the original literary character.

Critics have had many different opinions about the Tarzan stories. Some critics argued the writing was formulaic or that the characters were two-dimensional.

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

Even the author Rudyard Kipling joked about the quality of the work. However, other scholars have praised Burroughs for his ability to create a compelling "daydream figure." Philip José Farmer even wrote a biography titled *Tarzan Alive*, treating the character as if he were a real person. This shows how deeply the character has integrated into modern fiction and culture.

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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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