Around the World in Eighty Days · Chapter
Chapter V: In which a new species of funds, unknown to the moneyed men, appears on 'Change. explained
The news of Phileas Fogg's wager spreads through London, sparking intense public debate and betting.
What happens
The news of Phileas Fogg's wager spreads through London, sparking intense public debate and betting. Most newspapers dismiss the venture as madness, though a few support him. The Royal Geographical Society publishes a detailed article arguing the impossibility of the journey. Public betting on Fogg declines sharply, and a telegraph from detective Fix identifying Fogg as a bank robber destroys what little support remained.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This chapter marks the dramatic climax because it presents the highest physical and symbolic point of the jour…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Determination and Resilience
Despite widespread ridicule and declining support, Fogg's venture continues, and Lord Albemarle's unwavering faith highlights the theme of persistence against odds.
- Time and Punctuality
The entire debate centers on the feasibility of completing the journey within a strict 80-day schedule, emphasizing the critical role of precise timing.
Characters to notice
- Phileas Fogg
Subject of public debate and betting; suspected of being the bank robber after Fix's telegraph.
- Fix
Sends a telegraph from Suez to Scotland Yard identifying Phileas Fogg as the bank robber.
- Lord Albemarle
The only remaining supporter of Fogg's venture, betting five thousand pounds on him.
Key passages
“If the thing is feasible, the first to do it ought to be an Englishman.”
If such a journey is possible, an Englishman should be the first to accomplish it.
Lord Albemarle's patriotic defense of Fogg's venture, reflecting Victorian national pride.
“I've found the bank robber, Phileas Fogg. Send without delay warrant of arrest to Bombay.”
I have identified the bank robber as Phileas Fogg. Please send an arrest warrant to Bombay immediately.
Fix's telegraph to Scotland Yard, which turns public opinion decisively against Fogg.
