Edgar Rice Burroughs published Tarzan
in 1914, after successfully serializing it in 1912, and it quickly became a
modern myth: radio adaptations and movies followed as soon as technology could
catch up, as well as a bewildering 22 sequels from Burroughs himself. While the character of Tarzan is certainly
nothing new, as he is equal parts Caliban, Crusoe, and Mowgli, it goes much
further than any of these in its frankness about racial identity and the true
meaning of civilization. Few readers
know the ‘real’ Tarzan, as the 21st century has to combat the cultural
dissonance of the “Me Tarzan, You Jane” movies (he never says this or speaks
like ‘Tarzan’ in the books), or the New Age noble savage we find in
Disney. Probably the closest media
depiction of the book occurs in the 1984 film, The Legend of Greystoke,
which preserves many of the trademark elements of the book, and interestingly
casts Christopher Lambert, a Frenchman, as Tarzan (since Tarzan initially
learns to speak French, not English). What
we find in the book is astonishing and quite unusual: a Tarzan who kills
indiscriminately (often for the clothes on a natives’ back), yet is capable of compassion
and downright maudlin behavior. The book
is at once better than you were lead to believe while at times staying true to
its pulp origins. Is it great
literature? No, but it has the makings
of a great myth, and there are moments that match Kipling or Defoe, and at
times anticipate the darker worlds of Conrad. If nothing else, it merits its inclusion as a
seminal work of 20th century popular culture, and should be read widely (and by
young readers) because, when all is said and done (and making allowances for
some of the dated contents of the book), it is full of imagination and
delight.
