Tarzan of the Apes. By Edgar Rice Burroughs FULL Audiobook
Tarzan of the Apes is an adventure novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, published in 1914. The story revolves around a young man named John Clayton, who is raised by apes in the African jungle and his quest to discover his human heritage. The novel explores themes of escapism, civilization, racism, and colonialism, and has a complex legacy due to its controversial depiction of the native Africans.
The novel begins with John and Alice Clayton, the Earl and Countess of Greystoke, marooned on the western coast of Africa. They build a shelter in the jungle, and Alice gives birth to a son, whom they name John after his father. When the young John Clayton is just a year old, his mother dies. Shortly afterward, his father is killed by an ape named Kerchak. Young John Clayton is adopted by a female ape named Kala, who names him Tarzan. Tarzan grows up with the apes, fully aware that he is different from his ape family but unaware of his human heritage. He eventually discovers the shelter that his biological parents built, as well as a few of their possessions. He uses their books to teach himself how to read and write English. However, he has never had another human to talk to, so he is unable to speak the “language of men.”
Growing up in the jungle helps Tarzan become a fierce hunter and warrior. When the savage ape Kerchak attacks and tries to kill him, Tarzan wins the fight and takes Kerchak's place as the king of the apes. When Tarzan is just over 20 years old, he discovers a party of treasure hunters marooned on the coast. Tarzan protects them and saves a young American woman named Jane. Jane and Tarzan fall in love, and when Jane leaves Africa, Tarzan eventually decides to track her down by traveling to the U.S. During the journey, Tarzan learns how to speak French and English and tries to develop "civilized" manners. He also meets Paul D'Arnot, a French naval officer who discovers that Tarzan is the rightful heir to an esteemed English estate.
When Tarzan arrives in the U.S., he saves Jane from danger once again, but soon discovers she is engaged to a man named William Clayton. Ironically, William Clayton is Tarzan's cousin and is set to inherit the estate and title that rightfully belong to Tarzan. The novel ends with Tarzan returning to the jungle, where he belongs, and Jane returning to the U.S. with her fiancé.
The novel has been adapted into numerous films, television shows, and comic books. It remains a classic adventure novel, but the undercurrent of racism running through the text has led to a more complicated legacy. The novel's depiction of the native Africans has been criticized for being stereotypical and racist. Despite this, the novel's themes of escapism, adventure, and colonialism continue to resonate with readers today.
The above summary is based on the following sources:
: Karen Schweitzer. "'Tarzan of the Apes,' Summary, Characters, Analysis." ThoughtCo. November 1, 2018. .
: "Tarzan of the Apes." Wikipedia. .
: "Tarzan of the Apes Summary." SuperSummary. ..
More: Tarzan, Apes, Edgar Rice Burroughs
jungle, Africa, adventure
English lord, African ape, primitive weapons
human, American girl, marooned
continent, ocean, suitors
00:00:00 Tarzan of the Apes. I: Out to Sea
00:21:02 II: The Savage Home
00:39:32 III: Life and Death
00:52:41 IV: The Apes
01:06:54 V: The White Ape
01:22:14 VI: Jungle Battles
01:35:19 VII: The Light of Knowledge
01:57:58 VIII: The Treetop Hunter
02:09:16 IX: Man and Man
02:30:31 X: The Fear-Phantom
02:41:05 XI: “King of the Apes”
03:01:13 XII: Man’s Reason
03:17:29 XIII: His Own Kind
03:45:24 XIV: At the Mercy of the Jungle
04:05:08 XV: The Forest God
04:15:43 XVI: “Most Remarkable”
04:35:30 XVII: Burials
04:56:08 XVIII: The Jungle Toll
05:17:35 XIX: The Call of the Primitive
05:38:01 XX: Heredity
06:01:48 XXI: The Village of Torture
06:14:11 XXII: The Search Party
06:34:08 XXIII: Brother Men
06:50:54 XXIV: Lost Treasure
07:06:01 XXV: The Outpost of the World
07:26:40 XXVI: The Height of Civilization
07:46:41 XXVII: The Giant Again
08:11:28 XXVIII: Conclusion
