# William Cecil Clayton — Tarzan of the Apes character guide

> William Cecil Clayton in Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mr. William Cecil Clayton, Cecil Clayton, Cecil, Mister Clayton

**First appearance:** 0014-xiii-his-own-kind

## Snapshot

The polished English cousin who inherits the Greystoke title and courts Jane, unaware that the rightful heir is a jungle-raised ape-man watching from the trees.

## Who they are

Clayton is everything Tarzan is not: educated, well-mannered, and comfortable in drawing rooms, yet he proves surprisingly brave when the party is stranded in Africa. He genuinely cares for Jane and believes himself the legitimate Lord Greystoke, making his rivalry with Tarzan both romantic and existential. His presence sharpens the novel's tension between inherited privilege and natural nobility, forcing readers to ask which man truly deserves the title and the woman.

## In the story

### [At the Mercy of the Jungle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/xiv-at-the-mercy-of-the-jungle)

Gets lost in the jungle while searching for Professor Porter, is stalked by Sheeta and Numa, is rescued by Tarzan, and is led back toward the beach.

### [Brother Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/xxiii-brother-men)

Author of the letter left at the cabin, stating they have sailed and will never return.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/characters/william_cecil_clayton
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/characters