Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar · Character

Tarzan

Lord Greystoke stripped back to pure ape instinct, he walks into Opar's blood-soaked temple and out again with a stolen man and a priestess's curse on his heels.

major

Also known as Tarzan of the Apes, the Apes, Tarzan Recovers, the great Tarmangani, Bwana, the Great Bwana

First appearance: I: Belgian and Arab

As a major figure in Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar, Tarzan is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Mentioned as a wealthy enemy of Achmet Zek, whose wife is the target of the kidnapping plot.

In the storyI: Belgian and ArabOpen this moment free

Tarzan returns to the treasure vaults of Opar not as a lord but as a Mangani, and the temple's fanatics read his indifference as blasphemy. When La offers him godhood and herself, he refuses with a shrug that costs him an army of enemies and the memory of who he is. His amnesia after a blow to the head leaves him following a Belgian traitor through his own Waziri country without recognizing a single familiar face — the jungle's greatest hunter reduced to a stranger in his own life.

See Tarzan in I: Belgian and Arab Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Character Web

17 connections

A slice of how Tarzan sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Rivalry
Romantic
Psychological

Character groups

Protagonist
Human antagonists and allies

+12 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

La’s unprecedented departure from Opar and her pursuit of Tarzan with fifty priests marks the emotional and ps…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Albert Werper
rivalry · negative
Werper is a treacherous Belgian officer who repeatedly plots against Tarzan, driven by… How this plays out →
Jane Clayton
romantic · positive
La
psychological · ambivalent
Achmet Zek
rivalry · negative
Numa
rivalry · negative
Chulk
friendship · positive
Tantor
friendship · positive
Menelek
rivalry · negative
Jane Clayton
romantic · positive
Albert Werper
rivalry · negative
Werper is a treacherous Belgian officer who repeatedly plots against Tarzan, driven by… How this plays out →
Albert Werper
rivalry · negative
Werper is a treacherous Belgian officer who repeatedly plots against Tarzan, driven by… How this plays out →
La
psychological · ambivalent

Albert Werper
Werper is a treacherous Belgian officer who repeatedly plots against Tarzan, driven by greed and jealousy.
Jane Clayton
Jane is Tarzan's devoted wife, and their bond is central to the story, marked by deep love and mutual protection.
La
La, the high priestess of Opar, is obsessively in love with Tarzan and struggles between her passion and her priestly duties.
Achmet Zek
Achmet Zek is a direct enemy of Tarzan, frequently clashing with him over treasure and territory.
Numa
Numa the lion is a recurring natural adversary for Tarzan, representing the wild dangers of the jungle.
Chulk
Chulk is a loyal ape who serves as Tarzan's companion and ally in the jungle.
Tantor
Tantor the elephant is a trusted friend and ally of Tarzan, often aiding him in times of need.
Menelek
Menelek initially opposes Tarzan due to conflicting interests over treasure and influence in Africa.
Jane Clayton
Jane is Tarzan's devoted wife, and their bond is central to the story, marked by deep love and mutual protection.
Albert Werper
Werper is a treacherous Belgian officer who repeatedly plots against Tarzan, driven by greed and jealousy.
Albert Werper
Werper is a treacherous Belgian officer who repeatedly plots against Tarzan, driven by greed and jealousy.
La
La, the high priestess of Opar, is obsessively in love with Tarzan and struggles between her passion and her priestly duties.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Tarzan in I: Belgian and Arab

In the story

Tarzan appears across 19 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

I: Belgian and Arab
Mentioned as a wealthy enemy of Achmet Zek, whose wife is the target of the kidnapping plot.
On the Road to Opar
Peels off his civilized veneer and leads a party of Waziri toward Opar to retrieve gold, relishing the return to his savage nature.
III: The Call of the Jungle
Tarzan feels the call of the jungle, leaves his camp, hunts a deer, battles Numa, and kills the lion, displaying his primal instincts and savage prowess.
Prophecy and Fulfillment
Shows pity toward the dying witch-doctor, receives a prophecy of danger, and proceeds to Opar to retrieve gold. He is injured by a falling rock at the chapter's end.
The Altar of the Flaming God
Trapped and wounded in the treasure vault after the earthquake.
VI: The Arab Raid
Presumed dead after being trapped in the earthquake-collapsed passage; his absence leaves the estate vulnerable.
VII: The Jewel-Room of Opar
Recovers from a blow to the head, discovers the jewel-room, and kills a lion in the temple.
The Escape from Opar
Suffering from amnesia, Tarzan behaves like a wild beast, speaking in the language of the great apes and eating raw insects. He rescues Werper but shows no recognition of his past.
IX: The Theft of the Jewels
Reverted to a primitive state, shows no recognition of the Waziri, buries the jewels, and is suspicious of Werper.
Tarzan Becomes a Beast Again
Awakens from a deep sleep to find Werper gone; reverts to a purely primitive state, hunting and fighting as an ape-man.
La Seeks Vengeance
Sleeps unaware in the jungle after hunting; is ambushed and captured by La's priests and apes.
XIII: Condemned to Torture and Death
Bound and condemned to sacrifice, he refuses La's love and summons Tantor for rescue.
A Priestess but Yet a Woman
Rescues La from a mad elephant, negotiates with Oparian priests, and later tracks the thief of his jewels.
The Flight of Werper
Tarzan plans to search the Arab camp after darkness, moves south to hunt, and is absent from the main events of the chapter.
Tarzan Again Leads the Mangani
Reunites with the Mangani, is wounded by gunfire, delays pursuit, then ambushes and kills three Arabs to obtain disguises.
The Deadly Peril of Jane Clayton
Searches Achmet Zek's tent for his stolen pouch, then the hut for Jane; escapes the village and roams the jungle, missing Jane due to a wind shift.
The Fight for the Treasure
Hunts Bara, follows Werper and the Abyssinians, observes the battle for the gold, and recalls vague memories of the ingots.
Tarzan Recovers His Reason
Continues his quest for identity, recovers his pouch, and experiences the first clear stirrings of memory regarding his past life and the white woman.
Home
Rescues Jane from the Abyssinian camp and later discovers Werper's remains and the jewels.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Tarzan unlock in the free preview.

See Tarzan in I: Belgian and Arab