# XXI: The Maniac explained — Tarzan the Terrible

> Chapter companion for Tarzan the Terrible by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

## What happens

Tarzan escapes from his prison cell and the palace grounds of Tu-lur, fighting off Ho-don warriors with clubs before fleeing into the forest. He plans to travel to A-lur to reunite with Jane. Meanwhile, a wounded and deranged Erich Obergatz, believing himself to be Jad-ben-Otho, wanders toward A-lur, shouting his delusion.

## Themes in this chapter

### Survival and Adaptation

Tarzan uses his jungle skills and learned combat techniques to escape and navigate hostile territory.

### Power and Corruption

Obergatz's delusion of being a god illustrates the corrupting influence of power and madness.

### Identity and Belonging

Tarzan feels at home in the jungle, contrasting with Obergatz's fractured identity and loss of self.

## Character check-ins

### Tarzan

Escapes from prison, fights Ho-don warriors, and flees into the forest toward A-lur.

### Jane Clayton

Mentioned in Tarzan's thoughts; she wounded Obergatz with a spear and plans to return home with Tarzan.

### Erich Obergatz

Crawls away wounded, becomes delusional, and proclaims himself Jad-ben-Otho while approaching A-lur.

### Mo-sar

Ruler of Tu-lur; Tarzan expects him to send warriors in pursuit.

### Om-at

Referenced as a source of Tarzan's knowledge of war club techniques.

### Ta-den

Referenced as a source of Tarzan's knowledge of war club techniques.

## Key lines

> The forest and the jungle were his birthright. No creature that went upon the ground upon four feet, or climbed among the trees, or crawled upon its belly had any advantage over the ape-man in his native heath.

Tarzan is unmatched in the jungle, his true home, where no animal can outdo him.

_Highlights Tarzan's innate mastery of the wild._

> I am Jad-ben-Otho! Come hither slaves and take your god to his temple.

Obergatz, in his madness, declares himself the supreme deity and demands worship.

_Shows Obergatz's complete mental breakdown and delusion of grandeur._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_the_terrible_se/chapters/xxi-the-maniac
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_the_terrible_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_the_terrible_se/chapters