The Sentence of Death explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Power and Corruption

  Lu-don manipulates religious authority to condemn Tarzan, revealing the corrupt use of divine office for personal and institutional control.

• Religion and Superstition

  The trial hinges on claims of divinity and the expectation of divine intervention; Tarzan's challenge exposes the superstition underlying the priesthood's power.

• Survival and Adaptation

  Tarzan adapts to the threat by using cunning and physical prowess to escape, shifting from diplomacy to violent self-defense.

Characters to notice

• Tarzan

  Condemned as an impostor by Lu-don; challenges the high priest to prove his divinity; escapes by throwing a priest and leaping the temple wall.

• Lu-don

  High priest who condemns Tarzan to death; refuses to invoke divine lightning; is struck by a thrown priest but survives.

• Ja-don

  Defends Tarzan, arguing that the son of god need not proclaim himself; openly smiles at Tarzan's escape.

• Ko-tan

  King of A-lur; secretly pleased by Lu-don's discomfiture; does not immediately order pursuit.

• Pan-at-lee

  Slave of Princess O-lo-a; forced to testify against Tarzan but admits he seemed more than mortal; feels relief at his escape.

• O-lo-a

  Princess of the house of Ko-tan; her testimony is used by Lu-don via her slave Pan-at-lee.

Key passages

• ““Enough,” cried Lu-don. “The evidence is clear. The creature is an impostor and I, the head priest of Jad-ben-Otho in the city of A-lur, do condemn him to die.””

  Lu-don declares the evidence sufficient and sentences Tarzan to death as an impostor.

  Lu-don pronounces the death sentence based on the testimony presented.

• ““You dare not,” taunted Tarzan, “for you know that I would be struck dead no quicker than were you.””

  Tarzan challenges Lu-don to invoke divine lightning, implying the high priest's own lack of faith.

  Tarzan's taunt exposes the hypocrisy of Lu-don's claim to divine authority.

• “Before Lu-don or any other could guess what was in the mind of the condemned, Tarzan with all the force of his great muscles dashed the screaming hierophant in the face of the high priest, and, as though the two actions were one, so quickly did he move, he had leaped to the top of the altar and from there to a handhold upon the summit of the temple wall.”

  Tarzan throws a priest at Lu-don and in one swift motion leaps onto the altar and then to the top of the temple wall.

  Tarzan's rapid and violent escape surprises everyone and allows him to flee.