When is the Tarzan story set?
The main narrative of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Tarzan novels is placed in the early 1900s, around the 1880s–1890s, with the first book, Tarzan of the Apes, beginning in the 1880s and the later series extending into the early twentieth century. Outside the novels, most film and TV adaptations reset the timeframe to align with their own production era or to reflect contemporary technology and sensibilities. This evergreen explainer summarizes the evidence from the books, compares key adaptation years, and clarifies how the setting differs across media.
Setting versus production year
It is important to separate the story’s internal timeline from the year a film or show was made. The setting refers to when the events occur in the world of the story; the production year is when a particular adaptation was released. Because Tarzan has been remade many times, each project can have a different production year while drawing from the same general period in the character’s origin. When people ask about the year of Tarzan, they are usually asking about the era in which the novels take place.
Context for the question
- People often confuse long-running fictional characters with the year a particular adaptation was produced.
- The Tarzan series spans multiple decades, so the “year” can refer to the novels or to specific movies and TV shows.
- Settings may shift slightly between versions, but the core era remains the late nineteenth century.
Evidence from the novels
Edgar Rice Burroughs’s original novels do not give an exact year, but scholars and fans infer a range from contextual clues such as technology, fashion, and historical references. The following table summarizes the most commonly cited periods for key works in the series.
| Work | Date or Period | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarzan of the Apes | 1880s–early 1890s | Narrative timeframe inferred from technology and social context | Textual analysis |
| Return of Tarzan | 1890s–1900s | Continues the timeline of the original novel | Textual analysis |
| The Beasts of Tarzan / The Son of Tarzan | Early 1900s | Sequels extend into the twentieth century | Publication data |
| Later series entries | Into the 1920s–1930s | Reflects the era of publication | Publication data |
Taken together, these works place the core arc of Tarzan’s story in the late nineteenth century, roughly the 1880s through the 1890s for the foundational narrative, with sequels moving into the early twentieth century.
Notable adaptation years
Film and television versions often choose a setting that matches their production era or the period costumes and sets they have available. The following snapshot compares a few prominent adaptations and their release years, which may differ from the novel setting.
| Adaptation | Release or Production Year | Typical Setting Used | Source Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarzan, the Ape Man (1932) | 1932 | Early twentieth century | Film record |
| Tarzan’s New York Adventure (1942) | 1942 | Contemporary for the era | Film record |
| Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981) | 1981 | Modern update, 1900s-inspired | Film record |
| Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan (1984) | 1984 | Victorian period, close to book origins | Film record |
| Disney’s Tarzan (1999) | 1999 | Early twentieth century, colonial era | Film record |
As the table shows, each adaptation may present a slightly different year, but many align broadly with the late nineteenth or early twentieth century when the books are set.
Why the time period matters
Placing Tarzan in the 1880s–1890s shapes the cultural and technological backdrop for the story. Colonial attitudes, limited technology, and the presence of European explorers affect character motivations and plotlines. Understanding this era helps explain why certain elements, such as clothing, transportation, and social structures, appear as they do in both the novels and older adaptations.
Common misconceptions
Because Tarzan films are produced across many decades, some viewers assume the story is set in the era when each movie was made. However, the literary origin anchors the character to a historical period that precedates most screen versions by decades. Clarifying this distinction reduces confusion about timeline shifts between books and adaptations.
Practical takeaways
- The primary book series is set in the late nineteenth century, approximately the 1880s–1890s.
- Individual adaptations may choose different years for production or updated settings.
- Checking the source material and adaptation notes helps distinguish story setting from release date.
Conclusion
In summary, Tarzan’s literary origins place the core story in the late nineteenth century, with the first novels unfolding in the 1880s and extending into the early twentieth century. Adaptations often adjust the timeframe for cinematic purposes, so the year can vary depending on whether you are referring to the books or a specific film or TV version. For a stable reference point, the novels are best associated with the 1880s–1890s period.