Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar · Chapter
Tarzan Becomes a Beast Again explained
Werper abandons his plan to murder Tarzan, fleeing with the stolen jewels as a lion approaches.
What happens
Werper abandons his plan to murder Tarzan, fleeing with the stolen jewels as a lion approaches. Tarzan awakens fully alert, drives off the lion, and discovers Werper's desertion. He reverts to a primitive state, observing the Waziri from a tree with vague familiarity. He hunts, kills a zebra, and later faces a pride of lions before a charging rhinoceros intervenes, leading to a battle in which Tarzan spears Buto. The episode ends with Tarzan feeding, drinking, and resting contentedly in the jungle, having fully shed his civilized identity.
Themes in this chapter
Survival and Adaptation
Tarzan fully embraces his primal instincts, hunting, fighting lions and a rhinoceros, and living entirely in the moment without concern for his former life.
Identity and Duality
The chapter marks Tarzan's complete reversion to the ape-man, with Lord Greystoke ceasing to exist as he loses connection to his civilized past.
Greed and Betrayal
Werper's cowardly desertion and theft of the jewels highlight his greed and betrayal of Tarzan's trust.
Characters to notice
- Tarzan
Awakens from a deep sleep to find Werper gone; reverts to a purely primitive state, hunting and fighting as an ape-man.
- Albert Werper
Stands over Tarzan with a knife but fears to strike; flees with the jewels when a lion approaches.
- Basuli
Seen in the distance preparing a morning meal with his warriors; Tarzan observes him with vague recognition.
- Numa
A lion approaches Tarzan while he sleeps, but retreats when Tarzan rises; later Tarzan encounters a pride of seven lions.
- Buto
Charges Tarzan from behind during the standoff with the lions; is speared by Tarzan and later dies from the wound.
Key passages
“For a moment Werper had stood above the sleeping ape-man, his murderous knife poised for the fatal thrust; but fear stayed his hand.”
Werper hesitated to kill Tarzan because he was afraid the blow might not be instantly fatal.
Werper's fear prevents murder.
“Again was he Tarzan of the Apes, sentient, vigilant, ready.”
Tarzan instantly became fully alert and prepared for action.
Tarzan's primal instincts return.
“Lord Greystoke had ceased to exist.”
Tarzan had completely abandoned his civilized identity.
Tarzan's reversion to the ape-man is complete.
“It was the man-made weapon which killed the great beast that might easily have survived the assault of seven mighty lions.”
Tarzan's spear, not the lions, was what ultimately killed the rhinoceros.
Human ingenuity triumphs over raw nature.