Around the World in Eighty Days - Jules Verne

Summary

"Around the World in Eighty Days" by Jules Verne is an adventure novel that follows the meticulous and wealthy British gentleman Phileas Fogg, who makes a daring wager at his London Reform Club that he can circumnavigate the globe in exactly eighty days. Accompanied by his newly hired French valet, Jean Passepartout, Fogg embarks on an incredible journey utilizing every available mode of transport of the late 19th century: trains, steamships, elephants, and even a sled. Their trip is complicated by the constant pursuit of Detective Fix, a Scotland Yard agent who mistakenly believes Fogg is a bank robber fleeing justice. Along the way, they rescue a young Indian woman named Aouda from a ritualistic sacrifice, who subsequently joins them on their travels. Despite numerous obstacles, delays, and thrilling escapes, Fogg, Passepartout, and Aouda race against time, only to arrive in London seemingly five minutes too late. However, a crucial realization about crossing the International Date Line reveals they have gained a day, winning the wager and transforming their lives forever.

Book Sections

Section 1: The Wager at the Reform Club

The story begins in London, in the year 1872. Phileas Fogg, a wealthy and enigmatic British gentleman, leads a life of precise routine and solitude. He is a member of the exclusive Reform Club, where he spends his afternoons reading newspapers and playing whist. On October 2, 1872, Fogg dismisses his former valet for a minor infraction and hires a new French valet named Jean Passepartout, who seeks a quiet, orderly life after a varied past. That evening, at the Reform Club, Fogg engages in a discussion with fellow members about a newspaper article claiming it's now possible to travel around the world in eighty days, thanks to new railway lines and steamship routes. The other members are skeptical, arguing that unforeseen delays would make it impossible. Fogg, confident in his calculations and meticulous planning, accepts a wager of £20,000 (half of his fortune) that he can complete the journey within the specified timeframe. He promises to return to the Reform Club at 8:45 PM on December 21, 1872. With Passepartout, he leaves immediately, taking only a small bag with essential items and the wager money.

| Character | Characteristics | Motivations |
| Phileas Fogg | A wealthy, precise, and solitary British gentleman. Known for his methodical habits and adherence to routine. |
| Jean Passepartout | Fogg's newly appointed valet; agile, loyal, easily excitable, good-natured, former circus performer and fire chief. | Seeks a calm and stable life after a varied career; drawn to Fogg's methodical nature. Desires to serve his master well. | Phileas Fogg | Phileas Fogg is a wealthy, solitary, and meticulously punctual British gentleman. He lives by an unshakeable routine and is known for his calm, precise, and almost emotionless demeanor. He is honorable and takes his commitments, including the wager, very seriously. Despite his apparent coldness, he proves himself to be chivalrous and loyal. | His primary motivation is to uphold his honor and prove his point to the members of the Reform Club that the world can indeed be circumnavigated in eighty days. He is also driven by a desire for accuracy and precision, finding satisfaction in the successful execution of a well-planned endeavor. |
| Jean Passepartout | Fogg's newly appointed valet; agile, loyal, easily excitable, good-natured, former circus performer and fire chief. | Seeks a calm and stable life after a varied career; drawn to Fogg's methodical nature. Desires to serve his master well. |
| Fogg's Fellow Club Members |
| Phileas Fogg | A wealthy, solitary, and meticulously punctual British gentleman. Known for his unwavering routine and calmness under pressure. His precision extends to his life choices and habits. |
| Fogg's Fellow Club Members | Wealthy, conservative, and traditional gentlemen of the Reform Club. They are initially skeptical of Fogg's claim but ultimately respect his determination. |
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| Reform Club Members | The gentlemen with whom Phileas Fogg makes his audacious wager. They are generally skeptical, traditional, and wealthy men, accustomed to the comforts of their club. |
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| Fogg's Fellow Club Members | The gentlemen with whom Phileas Fogg makes his audacious wager. They are generally skeptical, traditional, and wealthy men, accustomed to the comforts of their club. They represent the established, conservative views that Fogg challenges. | Their motivation is to engage in intellectual and financial challenges within the comfortable confines of their club, and to uphold what they perceive as practical realities against Fogg's seemingly impossible ambition. They are motivated by the prestige and potential profit of the wager. |

Section 2: Leaving London and Meeting Detective Fix in Suez

Phileas Fogg and Passepartout embark on their journey at 8:45 PM on October 2nd, taking the train from London to Dover, then a steamer across the English Channel to Calais, and onward by train to Paris and eventually to Brindisi, Italy. From Brindisi, they board the steamer Mongolia bound for Bombay, via the Suez Canal.

Meanwhile, news has spread about a daring bank robbery at the Bank of England, where £55,000 was stolen by a well-dressed gentleman. Detective Fix of Scotland Yard is dispatched to Suez to intercept the suspect, as the route to India via Suez is a likely escape path. When Fogg's Mongolia arrives in Suez, Fix observes Fogg, who perfectly fits the description of the bank robber. Fogg's sudden departure, his large sum of money, and his unusual traveling habits only strengthen Fix's suspicions. However, Fix cannot arrest Fogg immediately as the warrant from London has not yet arrived. He decides to follow Fogg and Passepartout, hoping the warrant will catch up with them in India. Passepartout encounters Fix several times, unknowingly aiding Fix in tracking Fogg.

Section 3: India, Passepartout's Mistake, and the Rescue of Aouda

Fogg and Passepartout arrive in Bombay. Passepartout, in his excitement to explore the city, unwittingly commits sacrilege by entering a Hindu temple with his shoes on. This act angers three priests, who later seek to arrest him in Calcutta. Fogg and Passepartout then take the train from Bombay, heading towards Calcutta. However, a significant stretch of the railway between Kholby and Allahabad is incomplete. Fogg, unfazed, buys an elephant named Kiouni and hires a guide.

During their elephant journey through the jungle, they encounter a procession preparing for a Sati (suttee), a ritualistic sacrifice where a widow is burned alive on her deceased husband's funeral pyre. The young Parsi woman, Aouda, is being unwillingly prepared for this gruesome fate. Fogg, driven by a sense of justice and compassion (a rare display of emotion for him), decides they must rescue her. With Passepartout and the guide, they devise a plan. Passepartout, using his past circus skills, disguises himself as the deceased rajah and snatches Aouda from the pyre at the last moment. The rescue is successful, and Aouda, now an orphan with no family, gratefully joins their party. They continue their journey, reaching Allahabad and then taking a train to Calcutta, narrowly escaping the pursuing priests from Bombay who try to arrest Passepartout.

Section 4: Hong Kong, Yokohama, and the Opium Den

From Calcutta, the group takes a steamer to Hong Kong. Detective Fix, still following, realizes that the warrant from London will expire once Fogg leaves British territory, so he attempts to delay Fogg in Hong Kong. He approaches Passepartout and reveals a fabricated story about Fogg being a criminal, hoping to manipulate him. Passepartout, fiercely loyal, dismisses the claim. However, Fix then lures Passepartout into an opium den, gets him drunk, and incapacitates him, preventing him from informing Fogg about the change in ship's departure time to Yokohama.

Fogg, unaware of Passepartout's predicament, assumes his valet will meet him on the Carnatic, the ship to Yokohama. However, the Carnatic departs early, and Fogg, finding himself without Passepartout, misses the ship. Still unfazed, Fogg finds a pilot named John Bunsby who agrees to take him and Aouda to Yokohama on a small, fast schooner called the Tankadère. They face a typhoon during their journey but manage to arrive, albeit with significant delay, at Shanghai. They then catch another ship to Yokohama.

Meanwhile, Passepartout, recovering from his opium stupor, realizes he missed the Carnatic. Desperate and penniless, he manages to secure passage on the same Carnatic that Fogg was supposed to take. He eventually arrives in Yokohama, searches for Fogg, and, to earn money, joins a Japanese acrobatic troupe. Fogg and Aouda, having arrived in Yokohama, attend a performance by the troupe and are surprised and relieved to find Passepartout among the performers. The trio is reunited, and Fogg buys Passepartout's contract.

Section 5: Across America by Train

The reunited party, along with Fix (who continues to follow them, now with a new warrant he received in Hong Kong, convinced Fogg is guilty), board the steamer General Grant bound for San Francisco. They cross the Pacific Ocean, losing a day as they cross the International Date Line (though they are not yet aware of the implications).

Upon arrival in San Francisco, they immediately board a transcontinental train heading for New York. The journey across the vast American continent is fraught with challenges. They encounter a political rally, and Fogg, without hesitation, assists a General Francis Cromarty in a brawl, demonstrating his unexpected physical prowess. Later, their train is attacked by a band of Sioux Native Americans. Passepartout, displaying great courage, uncouples the locomotive from the rest of the train to prevent further carnage, but he is captured in the process. Fogg, risking precious time and his wager, organizes a rescue party of soldiers to save Passepartout and two other passengers. After a harrowing search, Passepartout is rescued.

With the train now delayed, Fogg must find another way to New York. He secures a sled-like vehicle equipped with sails, designed to travel across the snowy plains. This unconventional mode of transport helps them make up some lost time, but they still arrive at their destination later than planned.

Section 6: The Atlantic Crossing and Final Arrest

Fogg, Aouda, Passepartout, and Fix arrive in New York, only to find that the steamer to Liverpool, the China, has already departed. With only one direct steamer left, the Henrietta, Fogg discovers it's a cargo ship without passenger accommodations. Undeterred, Fogg offers the captain, Andrew Speedy, a significant sum of money for passage to Liverpool. Captain Speedy initially refuses, but Fogg's persuasive (and well-funded) arguments eventually convince him. The Henrietta sets sail for Liverpool.

However, Captain Speedy quickly realizes Fogg intends for the ship to travel at its maximum speed purely for passenger transport, not cargo. A confrontation ensues, and Fogg, in a desperate move, buys the ship from Captain Speedy, effectively taking command. He orders Passepartout to stoke the boilers with all available fuel, including the ship's wooden parts, to maintain speed. The Henrietta becomes a stripped-down hulk as its timber is fed into the furnace.

They reach the coast of Ireland, but without a full ship, they can't directly dock at Liverpool. Fogg arranges for a small pilot boat to take them to Liverpool. As they disembark in Liverpool, just as Fogg believes he is about to reach London in time, Detective Fix steps forward and triumphantly arrests Phileas Fogg, presenting the long-awaited warrant for the Bank of England robbery. Fogg is imprisoned.

Section 7: The Revelation and Victory

Fogg is held in a Liverpool prison, seemingly defeated and out of time. Passepartout, overcome with rage at Fix's actions, confronts the detective and punches him. However, a few hours later, Fix rushes to Fogg's cell to inform him that the real bank robber, a man named James Strand, has been caught three days prior. Fogg is immediately released.

Despite his release, Fogg has lost precious time and the last direct train to London has departed. They charter a special train, but it's too late. They arrive in London five minutes after the deadline of 8:45 PM on December 21st, according to the clock at the Reform Club. Fogg is ruined, having spent nearly all his money on the journey and lost the wager.

The following day, Fogg and Aouda, who has grown to love Fogg and has become his companion, discuss their future. Aouda, feeling indebted to Fogg, proposes marriage, despite his ruined financial state. Fogg accepts, finding unexpected joy in her love. Passepartout is dispatched to arrange the marriage ceremony for the following day, Monday.

As Passepartout goes to the Reverend Samuel Wilson's house, he learns it is Sunday, not Monday. He realizes they have gained a full day by traveling eastward and crossing the International Date Line without accounting for it. They are not five minutes late; they are twenty-four hours early!

Passepartout rushes back to Fogg, who, still precise, calculates the exact time. He discovers he has just ten minutes to reach the Reform Club. Fogg makes a mad dash, arriving at the club just as the clock strikes 8:44 PM, one minute before the deadline. He wins the wager, saving his fortune and his honor.

The following day, Fogg marries Aouda. Although he spent nearly all of his remaining £20,000 to win the wager, the unexpected discovery of love and friendship makes the journey far more valuable than the money. Fogg remarks that he has truly "made" the world tour, even if he hasn't gained financially, he has gained in companionship.

Literary Genre

Adventure novel, travelogue, classic literature, proto-science fiction.

Author Facts

Jules Verne (1828–1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. He is best known for his "Voyages Extraordinaires" (Extraordinary Voyages) series, which includes Around the World in Eighty Days. Verne is often referred to as one of the "Fathers of Science Fiction," alongside H.G. Wells and Hugo Gernsback. His works often combined thrilling adventure with scientific and technological innovation, frequently predicting future inventions like submarines (in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas), air travel, and space exploration. He meticulously researched his novels, ensuring a degree of scientific and geographical accuracy within his imaginative narratives.

Morale

The primary moral of "Around the World in Eighty Days" is that while precision, determination, and meticulous planning are valuable traits, life's greatest treasures often lie in the unexpected detours and human connections made along the way. Phileas Fogg initially pursues the wager with a detached, almost mechanical focus on time and logistics. By the end, he realizes that the companionship of Passepartout and the love of Aouda are far more valuable than the money he wins or the validation of his punctuality. The journey, initially a cold calculation, transforms into a profound human experience, teaching Fogg the importance of friendship, loyalty, and love over mere material or temporal success. It also subtly champions human ingenuity and the spirit of adventure against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Curiosities

• Real-life Inspiration: The novel inspired several real-life attempts to circumnavigate the globe, most notably by American journalist Nellie Bly in 1889-1890, who completed the journey in 72 days.
• Serialized Publication: The book was originally published in serial form in Le Temps newspaper in France from 1872 to 1873. Many readers believed Phileas Fogg's journey was actually happening, and some placed bets on its outcome, mirroring the wager in the story itself.
• The Date Line Twist: The central plot twist revolving around crossing the International Date Line was a clever way for Verne to introduce a concept that was still relatively new and confusing to many in the 19th century. Traveling eastward gains a day, while traveling westward loses a day.
• Technological Optimism: The novel highlights the incredible advances in transportation technology during the Industrial Revolution, showcasing how steamships and railways were rapidly "shrinking" the world and making such a journey conceivable.
• Verne's Research: Jules Verne was known for his extensive research. For Around the World in Eighty Days, he consulted numerous travel guides, maps, and timetables to ensure the plausibility of Fogg's itinerary.
• Cultural Commentary: The story also offers glimpses into various cultures and colonial settings of the 19th century, sometimes reflecting the prevalent European attitudes of the time. The rescue of Aouda, for instance, highlights a European perspective on a traditional Indian practice.