To continue in the cultural category, I wanted to talk this week of an exhibition currently being held in Paris (eh! yes again!)! It deals with the myth of Tarzan and indirectly addresses the relationship of man to nature and animals!
( tribu fictive inventée par l'auteur; à ne pas confondre avec les Wazirs, une tribu Pachtoune d'Afghanistan et du Pakistan). June 16 to September 27, the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris invites you to discover, or rediscover, the myth of Tarzan in an exhibition titled: Tarzan and the Waziri in Rousseau (fictional tribe invented by the author at be confused with the Wazirs, a Pashtun tribe of Afghanistan and Pakistan).
Tarzan is a fictional character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912 in the novel "Tarzan of the Apes." It was published for the first time in France, comic, published by Fayard in 1926 under the title "Tarzan of the Apes." Movies, television series, radio programs devoted to the myth. It should be noted that the big screen has very little respected the original text. Following the success of this character, after many posters, figurines, records and other derivatives.
The character continues today to feed our fascination and evokes in us an Africa that is as yet imagined.
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The story of Tarzan
Tarzan, whose real name is John Clayton III Greystokeest Lord, is the son of English aristocrats who were landed in the African jungle following a mutiny. It will be collected at the death of his parents by apes that the author will call "orang". A fictional species may be related to gorillas, chimpanzees and early hominids. The name of Tarzan will be given him, it means "white skin"
The conditions of its survival in the jungle will enable it to develop outstanding physical abilities but also a flawless intellect. He speaks perfect English, a language he has learned through picture books carried away by his parents. Tarzan is not a dark Dumb As has often wanted to show the film!
Only in adulthood he finds the human race, then he will live many adventures: the atlantis, ruin of the Roman Empire, New York ...
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The link Man / Animal
Tarzan combines (see Source of inspiration: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarzan ):
- The myth of the noble savage as Friday in Robinson Crusoe, the first writings of JJ. Rousseau;
- The legend of the wild child Mowgli as the Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling or Romulus and Remus the legendary founders of Rome.
The author uses the theories of social Darwinism. Briefly, social Darwinism is a political doctrine of evolution emerged in the nineteenth century that natural selection governs society and leads to the elimination of less fit for survival and, therefore, of the fittest (survival of the fittest).
A detailed analysis of the work can see that many fields can float:
• The Analytical psychology: that primitive man is an archetype, a formation of the collective unconscious and represent the animus, the masculine side of women. As such, we can say that Tarzan is a character "Jungian" (Carl-Gustav JUNG, inventor of the concept, with that, further, the collective unconscious).
• The psycho-sexual themes: Jane would feel an erotic attraction for disorder and a form of primitive force and "bestial". Emerge when cultural and philosophical questions: Is Tarzan the archetype of the macho man dominating? Politically, is it not a subject of admiration and collective unconscious phenomenon of a "fascist" (the on-man, brute force ...)?
• Philosophy: are discussed saving the environment, respect for animal life, the relationship between nature / culture, animality of man, the aspect of nature and culture, science without conscience, deep ecology , criticism of the Europeo-centrism of the legend of Tarzan.
The exhibition
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"Through a series of objects from the collections of several French museums, as well as original drawings for comic books, film clips ... the exhibition offers the public to discover the legend of the famous character from Edgar Rice Burroughs referring to the imagery and collective representations it embodies and which underpin some of the strongest myth of our century. "Source: Museum brochure
Nature and origin of Tarzan character and myth are highlighted in order to rehabilitate the hero as a conservationist.
"All summer, the Quai Branly Museum will also switch the colors of Africa: storytelling tours, workshops and activities prolongenet the discovery and understanding of the exhibition. In the museum garden, a unique audio journey takes the walker in the African jungle ... ". Source: Museum brochure.
The opinion of the young Nicolas in vancances
Exposure rather short, count 30 to 45 minutes of visit. Instead of the myth is still easily understood and desired exposure was accessible to children. They will discover, in particular, the role of different senses in humans and challenged in our societies.
Take this opportunity to visit the excellent Musée du Quai Branly. You will realize that such people, seemingly at odds, share many animistic beliefs ... One topic on the subject would find its place on the blog ...
Take advantage also for a walk in the garden ... who knows maybe you'll see one too many species of endangered ...
If you can not visit this show, you can purchase the book (19.50 euros) available in all good bookshops!
For more information:
HOURS: Exhibition from June 16 to September 27, 2009. Museum open daily except Monday from 11h to 19h (until 21h on Thursday, Friday and Saturday)
PRICES: Admission € 8.50 (full price) / € 6 (concessions)
Links:
