There have been few characters in history that have been recreated over and over again in movies, books and television than Tarzan. Burrough's works are canon, but everything else, including the many books afterward and its blatant rip offs, can't be counted.

Tarzan is the story of John Clayton, Viscount of Greystoke, who along with his parents were marooned on an island after their ship's crew mutinied. His mother died of natural causes and his father was killed by the leader of the ape tribe that would end up raising the infant. Tarzan grew into a powerful man with athletic abilities far beyond that of normal man and an intellect nearly unrivaled.

He meets Jane after she is marooned the same was as Tarzan. They fall in love, move to England, have a son and then move back to the jungle to escape the hypocrisy of civilization. Tarzan has been made into many films and television shows with many taking license with the plot. Perhaps the most famous was Greystoke starring Christopher Lambert and the Disney movies.

The signature yell that has become synonymous with Tarzan was created by film star Johnny Weissmuller in the popular serials from the 1930s. The main difference between the movie and literature versions is the portrayal of Tarzan as a noble savage. Burroughs crafted Tarzan as very intelligent man who could learn whole languages in days and the film versions general have him speaking broken English.

If you want to know the true Tarzan, then pick up Tarzan of the Apes and forget about what you've learned from television and movies.