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Larger 1st Edition DJ G&D Colour Adaptation of 1st Ed. Tarzan of the Apes Covers ~ Publishing History ~ Summary Cast ~ Chapter Titles ~ Lord Greystoke's Cover Art Gallery See Part II: Japanese Edition Art |
 Tarzan
is the son of a British Lord and Lady who were marooned on the West coast
of Africa by mutineers. When Tarzan was a year old, his mother died of
natural causes, and his father was killed by Kerchak, leader of the ape
tribe into which Tarzan was adopted. Tarzan's tribe of apes is known as
the Mangani, Great Apes of a species unknown to science. Kala is his ape
mother. Tarzan (White-skin) is his ape name; his English name is John Clayton,
Lord Greystoke (the formal title is Viscount Greystoke according to Burroughs
in Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle; Earl of Greystoke in later, non-canonical
sources, notably the 1984 movie Greystoke). In fact, Burroughs, as narrator
of Tarzan of the Apes, describes both Clayton and Greystoke as fictitious
names – implying that, within the fictional world that Tarzan inhabits,
he may have a different real name.
As a young adult, Tarzan meets a young American woman, Jane Porter, who along with her father and others of their party is marooned at exactly the same spot on the African coast where Tarzan's parents were twenty years earlier. When she returns to America, he leaves the jungle in search of her, his one true love. In later books, Tarzan and Jane marry and he lives with her for a time in England. They have one son, Jack, who takes the ape name Korak ("the Killer"). Tarzan is contemptuous of the hypocrisy of civilization, and he and Jane return to Africa, making their home on an extensive estate that becomes a base for Tarzan's later adventures. In Tarzan, Burroughs created an extreme example of a hero figure largely unalloyed with character flaws or faults. He is described as being Caucasian, extremely athletic, tall, handsome, and tanned, with grey eyes and black hair. Emotionally, he is courageous, loyal and steady. He is intelligent and learns new languages easily. He is presented as behaving ethically, at least by Burroughs' definitions, in most situations, except when seeking vengeance under the motivation of grief, as when his ape mother Kala is killed in Tarzan of the Apes, or when he believes Jane has been murdered in Tarzan the Untamed. He is deeply in love with his wife and totally devoted to her; in numerous situations where other women express their attraction to him, Tarzan politely but firmly declines their attentions. When presented with a situation where a weaker individual or party is being preyed upon by a stronger foe, Tarzan invariably takes the side of the weaker party. In dealing with other men Tarzan is firm and forceful. With male friends he is reserved but deeply loyal and generous. As a host he is likewise generous and gracious. As a leader he commands devoted loyalty. In contrast to these noble characteristics, Tarzan's philosophy embraces an extreme form of "return to nature". Although he is able to pass within society as a civilized individual, he prefers to "strip off the thin veneer of civilization", as Burroughs often puts it.[6] His preferred dress is a knife and a loincloth of animal hide, his preferred abode is a convenient tree branch which happens to be nearby when he desires to sleep, and his favored food is raw meat, killed by himself; even better if he is able to bury it a week so that putrefaction has had a chance to tenderize it a bit. Tarzan's primitivist philosophy was absorbed by countless fans, amongst whom was Jane Goodall, who describes the Tarzan series as having a major influence on her childhood. She states that she felt she would be a much better spouse for Tarzan than his fictional wife, Jane, and that when she first began to live among and study the chimpanzees she was fulfilling her childhood dream of living among the great apes just as Tarzan did. |
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Feeling alienated from his peers due to their physical differences, he discovers his true parents' cabin, where he first learns of others like himself in their books, with which he eventually teaches himself to read. On his return from one visit to the cabin, he is attacked by a huge gorilla which he manages to kill with his father's knife, although he is terribly wounded in the struggle. As he grows up, Tarzan becomes a skilled hunter, gradually arousing the jealousy of Kerchak, the ape leader. Later, a tribe of black Africans settles in the area, and Kala is killed by one of its hunters. Avenging himself on the killer, Tarzan begins an antagonistic relationship with the tribe, raiding its village for weapons and practicing cruel pranks on them. They, in turn, regard him as an evil spirit and attempt to placate him. The twelve short stories Burroughs wrote later and collected as Jungle Tales of Tarzan occur in the period immediately following the arrival of the natives, the killing of Kala, and Tarzan's vengeance. Finally Tarzan has amassed so much credit among the apes of the tribe that the envious Kerchak at last attacks him. In the ensuing battle Tarzan kills Kerchak and takes his place as "king" of the apes. Subsequently, a new party of whites is marooned on the coast, including Jane Porter, the first white woman Tarzan has ever seen. Tarzan's cousin, William Cecil Clayton, unwitting usurper of the ape man's ancestral English estate, is also among the party. Tarzan spies on the newcomers, aids them, and saves Jane from the perils of the jungle. Absent when they are rescued, he is introduced further into the mysteries of civilization by French Naval Officer Paul D'Arnot, whom he saves from the natives. D'Arnot teaches Tarzan French and how to behave among white men, as well as serving as his guide to the nearest colonial outposts. Ultimately, Tarzan travels to Jane's native Baltimore, Maryland only to find that she is now in the woods of Wisconsin. Tarzan finally meets Jane in Wisconsin where they renew their acquaintance and he learns the bitter news that she has become engaged to William Clayton. Meanwhile, clues from his parents' cabin have enabled D'Arnot to prove Tarzan's true identity. Instead of claiming his inheritance, Tarzan chooses rather to conceal and renounce his heritage for the sake of Jane's happiness. |
THE BEGINNING
A page from that first-ever Tarzan story, written in Edgar Rice Burroughs'
own hand.
You'll see that ERB originally christened his jungle character "Zantar,"
then "Tublat Zan," then, finally, "Tarzan"!
Note that "Bloomstoke" became "Greystoke."
click for larger images
The story's title page shows that ERB submitted his work under the pseudonym
"Normal Bean."
But when the story was printed in "The All-Story Magazine," October
1912,
a transcription error transformed Burroughs' pen name into "Norman
Bean."
From the Pettee Sketchbook |
Click for full size |
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Deep in the savage African jungle, the baby Tarzan was raised by a fierce she-ape of the tribe of Kerchak. There he had to learn the secrets of the wild to survive—how to talk with animals, swing through the trees, and fight against the great predators. He grew to the strength and courage of his fellow apes. And in time, his human intelligence promised him the kingship of the tribe. He became truly Lord of the Jungle. Then men entered his jungle, bringing with them the wanton savagery of civilized greed and lust—and bringing also the first white woman Tarzan had ever seen. Now suddenly, Tarzan had to choose between two worlds.
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TARZAN OF THE APES Chapters I. Out to Sea
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John Clayton: Lord Greystoke, emissary to Africa
Cast List Ref: Clark A. Brady's Burroughs
Cyclopedia
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A.L Burt Edition Inscribed by ERB to his Secretary,
John Shea
"To John A. Shea, with best wishes from his friend
always, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzana Ranch"
I believe I have found the complete first book of "Tarzan of the Apes" serialized in "The Post" (I believe to be a Kentucky newspaper) from February of 1913. It seems like a very early printing before the book was printed and I am not sure if it's worth anything or how to find details on worth? The pages of the paper are all intact and nothing has been cut from the pages that were saved. I am currently scanning the comic "Osgar Und Adolf" form some of the top of the pages and was wondering if anyone might know anything on a value of the Tarzan story or know someone who would? -Steve Cottle |
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TARZAN OF THE APES by Edgar Rice Burroughs Part I See Part II PICTURIZED BY HAROLD FOSTER Companion Page at ERBzine 1602 |
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Neal Adams Ballantine Cover Art From ERBzine 3610 |
Robert Abbett Ballantine Cover Art From ERBzine 3351 |
Richard Powers Ballantine Cover Art From ERBzine 1014 |
Gold Key 155 |
Gold Key 178 |
From the Brian Bohnett Collection
Promotional Pin ~ 1989 Tarzana ECOF (Woodland Hills)
OTHER TARZAN OF THE APES
FEATURES IN ERBzine
ERBzine 0420: Tarzan
of the Apes in All-Story
ERBzine 0418: Tarak
and the Jewels of Louisville
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Hillman ERB Cosmos Patrick Ewing's First Edition Determinors John Coleman Burroughs Tribute ERBList Summary Project by ERB Fans J. Allen St. John Bio, Gallery & Links Edgar Rice Burroughs: LifeLine Biography Bob Zeuschner's ERB Bibliography J.G. Huckenpohler's ERB Checklist Burroughs Bibliophiles Bulletin |
Illustrated Bibliography of ERB Pulp Magazines Phil Normand's Recoverings ERBzine Weekly Online Fanzine ERB Emporium: Collectibles ~ Comics ~ BLBs ~ Pulps ~ Cards ERBVILLE: ERB Public Domain Stories in PDF Clark A. Brady's Burroughs Cyclopedia Heins' Golden Anniversary Bibliography of Edgar Rice Burroughs Bradford M. Day's Edgar Rice Burroughs: A Bibliography |
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ERBzine.com |
DantonBurroughs.com |
Tarzan.org |
BurroughsBibliophiles.com |
JohnColemanBurroughs.com |
Tarzan.com/tarzine |
JohnCarterOfMars.ca |
EdgarRiceBurroughs.ca |
Weekly Webzine |
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Pellucidar.org |
John Carter Film News |
ERB, Inc. Corporate Site |
ERB Centennial |
tarzana.ca |
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