Article #92-1 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar, by Edgar Rice Burroughs

“I cannot love you, La,” said Tarzan in a low voice. “I do not know
why, for you are very beautiful. I could not go back and live in Opar—I
who have the whole broad jungle for my range. No, I cannot love you but
I cannot see you die beneath the goring tusks of mad Tantor. Cut my
bonds before it is too late. Already he is almost upon us. Cut them and
I may yet save you.”

A little spiral of curling smoke rose from one corner of the pyre—the
flames licked upward, crackling. La stood there like a beautiful statue
of despair gazing at Tarzan and at the spreading flames. In a moment
they would reach out and grasp him. From the tangled forest came the
sound of cracking limbs and crashing trunks—Tantor was coming down upon
them, a huge Juggernaut of the jungle. The priests were becoming
uneasy. They cast apprehensive glances in the direction of the
approaching elephant and then back at La.

“Fly!” she commanded them and then she stooped and cut the bonds
securing her prisoner’s feet and hands. In an instant Tarzan was upon
the ground. The priests screamed out their rage and disappointment. He
with the torch took a menacing step toward La and the ape-man.
“Traitor!” He shrieked at the woman. “For this you too shall die!”
Raising his bludgeon he rushed upon the High Priestess; but Tarzan was
there before her. Leaping in to close quarters the ape-man seized the
upraised weapon and wrenched it from the hands of the frenzied fanatic
and then the priest closed upon him with tooth and nail. Seizing the
stocky, stunted body in his mighty hands Tarzan raised the creature
high above his head, hurling him at his fellows who were now gathered
ready to bear down upon their erstwhile captive. La stood proudly with
ready knife behind the ape-man. No faint sign of fear marked her
perfect brow—only haughty disdain for her priests and admiration for
the man she loved so hopelessly filled her thoughts.

Explanation

This excerpt from Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar (1916), the fifth novel in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan series, captures a climactic moment of tension, sacrifice, and primal conflict. The scene is steeped in the adventure-pulp tradition of the early 20th century, blending exoticism, romantic longing, and violent action. Below is a detailed breakdown of the passage, focusing on its textual dynamics, themes, literary devices, and significance within the broader narrative.

Context of the Scene

The novel follows Tarzan as he returns to the lost city of Opar, a decadent, Atlantis-like civilization ruled by the High Priestess La, who is obsessed with him. Opar is a place of ritualistic cruelty, human sacrifice, and treasure—embodying the "lost world" trope popular in Burroughs’ works. Earlier in the story, Tarzan is captured by La’s priests and bound to a pyre, set to be sacrificed to the "Flame God" (a recurring motif in Opar’s religion). Meanwhile, Tantor (Tarzan’s loyal elephant) is rampaging toward the city, drawn by the scent of danger.

This excerpt occurs at the moment of Tarzan’s impending execution, where La must choose between her love for him and her duty to Opar’s brutal traditions.

Themes in the Excerpt

Primal vs. Civilized Love
- Tarzan’s rejection of La is framed in terms of freedom versus confinement. He cannot love her because she represents the claustrophobic, ritual-bound world of Opar ("I could not go back and live in Opar—I who have the whole broad jungle for my range"). His love is tied to the wild, untamed jungle, while La’s love is tied to power and possession.
- La’s love is hopeless and tragic—she knows Tarzan will never reciprocate, yet she saves him anyway, embodying the romantic trope of the "doomed lover."
Sacrifice and Redemption
- La’s act of cutting Tarzan’s bonds is a moment of rebellion against her own people. She defies the priests, risking her life to save a man who does not love her. This aligns with Burroughs’ recurring theme of individualism triumphing over collective tyranny.
- Tarzan, in turn, repaid her trust by protecting her from the priests, reinforcing his role as a noble savage who operates by a personal code of honor.
Violence and Survival
- The scene is visceral and brutal, with Tarzan hurling a priest "high above his head" and the priests described as "frenzied fanatics." This reflects Burroughs’ Darwinian worldview, where strength and cunning determine survival.
- Tantor’s approach adds to the chaos, symbolizing the uncontrollable force of nature (and Tarzan’s connection to it) disrupting Opar’s ordered cruelty.
Colonialist and Gender Dynamics
- La is exoticized—described as a "beautiful statue of despair" with a "perfect brow," fitting the "orientalist" portrayal of non-Western women in pulp fiction as alluring yet passive.
- Tarzan’s dominance is physical and moral; he is the only one who can act decisively, while La’s agency is limited to emotional sacrifice. This reflects the gender and racial hierarchies of Burroughs’ time, where white male heroes "rescue" or "control" non-white characters.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices

Sensory Imagery & Pacing
- Visual: The "spiral of curling smoke," "licking flames," and La as a "statue of despair" create a cinematic, high-stakes atmosphere.
- Auditory: The "cracking limbs and crashing trunks" of Tantor’s approach build suspense, while the priests’ "screams of rage" heighten the chaos.
- Tactile: The "goring tusks," "upraised bludgeon," and Tarzan’s physical struggle make the violence immediate and visceral.
Dramatic Irony & Tension
- The reader knows Tantor is coming, but the priests (and initially La) do not fully grasp the imminent threat, creating suspense.
- Tarzan’s calm rationality ("Cut my bonds before it is too late") contrasts with the priests’ hysterical fanaticism, emphasizing his superiority.
Symbolism
- The Pyre: Represents both sacrifice (La’s love) and destruction (Opar’s corrupt rituals). Fire is a recurring symbol in Opar, tied to their god and their self-destructive nature.
- Tantor: Symbolizes Tarzan’s wild freedom and the unstoppable force of nature that Opar’s "civilization" cannot contain.
- La’s Knife: Her readiness to fight alongside Tarzan shows her loyalty, but also her isolation—she stands alone against her own people.
Characterization Through Action
- Tarzan: His economy of words ("I cannot love you") and physical prowess (hurling the priest) reinforce his stoic, almost superhuman nature.
- La: Her silent despair and sudden defiance ("Fly!") make her a tragic yet strong figure—more complex than the typical "damsel" of pulp fiction.
- The Priests: Their blind rage and fanaticism ("Traitor! For this you too shall die!") paint them as villainous and irrational, foils to Tarzan’s nobility.

Significance in the Broader Narrative

La’s Arc
- This moment is the climax of La’s emotional journey. She begins as a ruthless priestess (earlier in the novel, she nearly sacrifices Tarzan’s wife, Jane) but evolves into a self-sacrificing figure. Her act here foreshadows her later redemption.
- Her unrequited love mirrors the doomed nature of Opar itself—a once-great civilization now decaying.
Tarzan’s Moral Code
- Despite rejecting La, Tarzan protects her, showing that his loyalty is based on honor, not romance. This reinforces his role as a noble savage—wild yet ethical.
- His physical dominance over the priests cements his status as the ultimate alpha male in Burroughs’ universe.
Opar as a Cautionary Tale
- Opar’s ritualistic violence and internal betrayals (the priests turning on La) highlight its self-destructive nature. The city’s downfall is foreshadowed by its inability to adapt—unlike Tarzan, who thrives in change.
Pulp Adventure Tropes
- The scene encapsulates Burroughs’ signature style:
  - Fast-paced action (escapes, fights, last-minute rescues).
  - Exotic settings (lost cities, jungle perils).
  - Clear moral binaries (noble hero vs. corrupt priests).
- It also reflects the racial and gender attitudes of early 20th-century adventure fiction, where non-white cultures are often depicted as savage yet alluring, and women are objects of desire or sacrifice.

Conclusion: Why This Scene Matters

This excerpt is a microcosm of the novel’s central conflicts:

Freedom vs. Confinement (Tarzan vs. Opar).
Love vs. Duty (La’s impossible choice).
Nature vs. Civilization (Tantor’s rampage vs. the priests’ rituals).

Burroughs’ pulp sensibilities—melodramatic emotion, violent action, and exotic spectacle—are on full display, but the scene also humanizes La, making her more than just a villainess. Her tragic nobility elevates the story beyond mere adventure, adding a layer of romantic pathos.

Ultimately, the passage reinforces Tarzan’s mythos as the apex predator of the jungle, bound by no laws but his own, while Opar’s doom is sealed by its rigidity and cruelty. The fire that was meant to consume Tarzan instead foreshadows the city’s own destruction—a fitting metaphor for Burroughs’ view of "decadent" civilizations that lose touch with the primal virtues he idolizes.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s depiction of La’s decision to free Tarzan is most effectively read as an act that:

A. undermines the ideological foundations of Opar’s priestly authority by exposing its reliance on coercion rather than genuine devotion.
B. fulfills the romantic trope of self-sacrifice, reducing her agency to a passive surrender to emotional impulse.
C. aligns with Tarzan’s own moral code, suggesting she has internalized his values of individualism and physical prowess.
D. reflects a calculated political maneuver to undermine her rivals within the priesthood.
E. serves as a feminist rebuttal to the patriarchal structures of Opar, explicitly challenging gendered power dynamics.

Question 2

The narrative’s juxtaposition of Tantor’s approach with the priests’ reactions serves primarily to:

A. emphasize the priests’ cowardice in contrast to Tarzan’s bravery, reinforcing a binary of civilized weakness versus primal strength.
B. illustrate the inevitability of nature’s triumph over human ritual, positioning Opar as a doomed civilization.
C. heighten the suspense through auditory and visual cues, prioritizing sensory immersion over thematic depth.
D. critique colonialist assumptions by portraying the priests’ fear as a rational response to an uncontrollable force.
E. expose the fragility of institutional power when confronted with forces it cannot rationalize or control.

Question 3

Tarzan’s statement, “I cannot love you, La […] I do not know why, for you are very beautiful,” is most thematically resonant with which of the following interpretations?

A. A rejection of romantic idealism in favor of pragmatic survival, aligning with the novel’s Darwinian undertones.
B. An acknowledgment of the cultural barriers between them, implicitly critiquing the exoticization of non-Western women.
C. A moment of psychological realism, revealing Tarzan’s inability to articulate his own emotional limitations.
D. A narrative device to heighten La’s tragic status, ensuring the reader’s sympathy remains with her rather than Tarzan.
E. An assertion of the incompatibility between freedom and possession, framing love as a constraint antithetical to his identity.

Question 4

The priests’ reaction to La’s betrayal—“Traitor! For this you too shall die!”—is most effectively analyzed as:

A. a moment of dramatic irony, since the reader knows Tarzan will protect her while the priests do not.
B. an exposure of the priests’ hypocrisy, as their devotion to ritual collapses into personal vengeance when challenged.
C. a reinforcement of the novel’s gender dynamics, where female defiance is met with male violence as a matter of course.
D. a narrative contrivance to justify Tarzan’s subsequent physical intervention, prioritizing action over character development.
E. a commentary on the fragility of authoritarian regimes, which rely on unquestioning loyalty to maintain cohesion.

Question 5

The passage’s closing image—“only haughty disdain for her priests and admiration for the man she loved so hopelessly filled her thoughts”—primarily functions to:

A. romanticize La’s suffering, reducing her to a one-dimensional figure of tragic devotion.
B. underscore the paradox of her strength and vulnerability, complicating the pulp trope of the exoticized woman.
C. contrast her emotional depth with Tarzan’s stoicism, reinforcing his superiority as the novel’s hero.
D. foreshadow her eventual redemption, suggesting her defiance will lead to a moral transformation.
E. critique the limitations of her agency, as her admiration remains tied to a man who cannot reciprocate.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: A

Why A is most correct: The passage frames La’s act as a direct challenge to the priests’ authority, which is predicated on enforced conformity (e.g., human sacrifice). By freeing Tarzan, she exposes the priests’ reliance on violence and fear—their immediate turn to threats (“Traitor!”) reveals their lack of legitimate moral or spiritual power. This aligns with Burroughs’ broader critique of decadent, ritual-bound civilizations (like Opar) that suppress individualism. The act is politically subversive, not merely personal.