We've all heard the saying "raised by wolves," but is it possible for someone to be raised by apes ? The idea that a person could actually grow up in the jungle and become a near-superhuman being with skills and abilities may sound crazy, but it turns out that a person can swing from one vine to another in the jungle. The idea of prima ballerina grace is not entirely a fantasy. Surprisingly, "Tarzan" is based on a true story, and the new film "The Legend of Tarzan" has more of a basis in reality than you might first think.
Click here to watch
That's not to say the new movie is completely realistic, but the fact is that Tarzan isn't a completely fictional character. There doesn't seem to be any indication that the professor and his daughter found a bushman and fell in love with their daughter during colonialism in Africa, and Jane's character and those story elements seem to be nothing more than writer Edgar Rice Burroughs' imagination force. However, it appears that there once was a jungle man from whom Burroughs may have drawn inspiration and used him as source material for the author's now famous Tarzan stories. Now, not much is known about the so-called bushman, but a man named William Charles Lord Midling, 14th Earl of Streatham, may have been the inspiration for Tarzan.
According to a 1959 ERBzine magazine article, William Charles Midlin was shipwrecked off the coast of Africa and lived in the jungle for 15 years between 1868 and 1883 before returning to England to regain his title and livelihood. After the death of the 15th Earl of Streatham, documents written by William Charles Lord Midling were discovered, recounting his time in the jungle.
When William first entered the jungle, he stumbled upon a group of apes. Apparently, the primates had never seen a white person before. Instead of running away from him, they drew closer, chattering excitedly and with interest.
"For some strange reason, I was not afraid of these strange creatures," [Meadlin wrote. ] "They look ugly, but they look benign and harmless."
As the orangutans' initial surprise wore off, they offered him discarded nuts, grubs, and roots, pushing the food towards him with their long, grotesque arms and hands. The hungry boy smiled gratefully, took the food and started eating.
"Then I became very ill, and the apes seemed to understand this. At one point, the ancient female bent over me and took me in her arms."
The manuscript goes on to describe Midlin's life with the apes and how he "joined" them as part of a group. However, he doesn't talk to the apes like Tarzan does, but he does manage his own communication style. This may seem very imaginative, but it turns out that communicating with apes through sign language is possible, so maybe Midlin's story isn't so crazy after all. Perhaps, Burroughs may have used this information to create Tarzan and his story. After all, we know that Tarzan's true identity is John Crichton, Viscount Greypick, so it's probably not too much of a stretch to assume that Burroughs used some of Midlin's tales when writing his own.
While there's no confirmation that Tarzan is actually based on Midling, it's possible. Burroughs lived at the same time as Midlin, and he may have heard of Midlin's adventures in some way and decided to create a character and story about it. Regardless, the character of Tarzan and his jungle adventures are still beloved today, and I don’t think people’s love for the vine-swaying jungle man will stop anytime soon, especially now that The Legend of Tarzan is about to be released.
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures
