Jane of the Jungle
I’m going to guess that throughout this article, you’ve been wondering about Jane and if she’s also inspired by a real person. I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but Tarzan’s lady friend, who first showed up in Tarzan of the Apes in 1912, appears to be a pure figment of Burroughs’ imagination.
Photo by Moviestore Collection / Shutterstock
Jane’s character was such a hit among readers that it led Burroughs to write a series of tales about Tarzan and Jane’s life together in the jungle. And word has it that the fictional Jane actually inspired a real-life Jane to live among the beautiful furry creatures in Africa. Jane Goodall has been reported as saying, “Silly man. He married the wrong Jane.”