Return of Tarzan...

Reading Edgar Rice Burroughs' stories of Tarzan and "The Professor and the Madman" (history of the OED) started me thinking about Victorian ideals. Burroughs is all about manly men and effeminate women, but seems to have very different ideas on the subject than I do. First of all, it is vital to him that Tarzan be of noble birth. It's interesting that nobility of blood is still so important in the 19th century, or maybe it's still really important and I'm just living the sheltered existence of a white boy among intelligentsia in the North East. On the other hand, there is something appealing about chivalry, great intelligence, and superhuman strength and agility...
All of these traits does E.R.B. ascribe to genetics and noble birth... hmmmmmm....