The Return of Tarzan · Chapter
The Castaways explained
Clayton, Jane Porter, and Monsieur Thuran survive a month on a jungle beach, building a tree shelter and struggling for food.
What happens
Clayton, Jane Porter, and Monsieur Thuran survive a month on a jungle beach, building a tree shelter and struggling for food. Thuran's true character emerges as selfish, cowardly, and menacing, leading to conflicts with Clayton. Jane reflects on Tarzan's bravery and rejects Thuran's slander. A lion attack nearly kills them, but a mysterious spear fells the beast. In the aftermath, Jane breaks her engagement to Clayton, declaring she cannot marry a less brave man. Meanwhile, the other castaways from the Lady Alice, including Lord Tennington's well-armed party, camp a few miles north, unaware of the trio's plight.
Themes in this chapter
Survival and Physical Prowess
The castaways struggle to find food, build shelter, and defend against predators, highlighting the contrast between civilized weakness and jungle harshness.
Love and Sacrifice
Jane breaks her engagement out of loyalty to her love for Tarzan, sacrificing social convention for emotional truth.
Deception and Betrayal
Thuran lies about Tarzan's character to slander him and manipulate Jane, revealing his own treachery.
Characters to notice
- Jane Porter
Breaks her engagement to Clayton after a lion attack, realizing she cannot marry a less brave man than Tarzan.
- William Cecil Clayton
Struggles to protect Jane from Thuran and the jungle; his cowardice during the lion attack leads to Jane ending their engagement.
- Monsieur Thuran
Reveals his selfish, cowardly, and lustful nature; slanders Tarzan to Jane and faints during the lion attack.
- Tarzan
Mentioned by Jane as the bravest man she ever knew; his cabin lies five miles north, unknown to the castaways.
- Lord Tennington
Leads the well-armed party of eighteen castaways from the Lady Alice, maintaining order and hope.
- Professor Archimedes Q. Porter
Oblivious to danger, he rows out to sea to consult a scientific monograph, requiring rescue by Mr. Philander.
Key passages
“The only real man, I think, that I have ever known.”
Jane declares that Tarzan is the only truly admirable man she has ever met.
Jane contrasts Tarzan's bravery with the cowardice of Clayton and Thuran.
“I have lived a thousand years in the past brief moments. I have learned in the face of death how to live.”
Jane says the near-death experience has given her clarity about her life and feelings.
She uses this insight to break her engagement to Clayton.
“Never has Professor Porter been more difficult—er—I might say, impossible.”
Mr. Philander complains that Professor Porter's behavior is more troublesome than ever.
Philander recounts Porter's absurd attempt to row to New York for a scientific pamphlet.