# Mr. Bedford — The First Men in the Moon character guide > Mr. Bedford in The First Men in the Moon by H. G. Wells. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Bedford, this Bedford, this poor Bedford **First appearance:** 0002-i-mr-bedford-meets-mr-cavor-at-lympne ## Snapshot A failed speculator hiding out in Kent to write a play, Bedford stumbles into Cavor's antigravity secret and becomes the expedition's reluctant, sharp-eyed narrator. ## Who they are Bedford arrives at Lympne nursing wounded business pride, convinced he is a man of affairs temporarily reduced to scribbling drama for money. His practical, acquisitive instincts collide with Cavor's unworldly science, and once on the Moon he keeps calculating what the trip might be worth. His skeptical, self-aware voice shapes how the reader sees every wonder and danger that follows. ## Relationships ### [Mr. Cavor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/characters/mr_cavor) _friendship_ Bedford is Cavor's business partner and fellow lunar explorer, though their relationship is strained by fear and greed. ### [Tsi-puff](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/characters/tsi_puff) _rivalry_ Bedford attacks Tsi-puff in a panic during the Selenite pursuit, viewing him as a threat. ### [Phi-oo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/characters/phi_oo) _rivalry_ Bedford distrusts and fights Phi-oo when the Selenites capture him and Cavor. ### [Mr. Cavor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/characters/mr_cavor) _friendship_ Bedford is Cavor's business partner and fellow lunar explorer, though their relationship is strained by fear and greed. ## In the story ### [The First Men in the Moon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/the-first-men-in-the-moon) The narrator and protagonist, a financially struggling playwright who becomes an accidental astronaut. ### [Mr. Bedford Meets Mr. Cavor at Lympne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/i-mr-bedford-meets-mr-cavor-at-lympne) Narrator and protagonist; a failed businessman who retreats to Lympne to write a play and becomes Cavor's partner. ### [II: The First Making of Cavorite](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/ii-the-first-making-of-cavorite) Narrator and reluctant partner; observes the explosion and decides to persist with Cavor despite the risks. ### [The Building of the Sphere](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/iii-the-building-of-the-sphere) Bedford transitions from doubt to enthusiasm about the sphere project, but later experiences a night of terror and briefly decides not to go. ### [Inside the Sphere](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/iv-inside-the-sphere) Experiences fear and regret upon launch, then adapts to weightlessness. ### [The Journey to the Moon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/v-the-journey-to-the-moon) Narrates the journey, experiences disorientation and awe, reads a newspaper to ground himself, and questions the reality of their venture. ### [VI: The Landing on the Moon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/vi-the-landing-on-the-moon) Narrates the descent and landing, feels anxious and disappointed by the initial darkness and fog on the moon. ### [VII: Sunrise on the Moon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/vii-sunrise-on-the-moon) Narrates the sunrise; is blinded, bruised, and knocked unconscious by the violent upheaval. ### [A Lunar Morning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/viii-a-lunar-morning) Observes the lunar sunrise and the rapid growth of vegetation, expressing wonder and excitement. ### [Prospecting Begins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/ix-prospecting-begins) Struggles with lunar gravity at first, falls into a gully, and experiences both fear and exhilaration while learning to leap. ### [X: Lost Men in the Moon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/x-lost-men-in-the-moon) Panics upon realizing the sphere is lost; experiences hunger and thirst; suggests they keep together and hide. ### [XI: The Mooncalf Pastures](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xi-the-mooncalf-pastures) Crawls in terror with Cavor, observes mooncalves and Selenites, nearly falls into an abyss, becomes intoxicated by fungus, and is captured. ### [The Selenite's Face](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xii-the-selenite-s-face) Awakens bound and frightened, struggles to recall events, and is horrified by the Selenite's appearance. ### [Mr. Cavor Makes Some Suggestions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xiii-mr-cavor-makes-some-suggestions) Expresses bitter regret and anger at their predicament, blaming Cavor and science for their capture. ### [Experiments in Intercourse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xiv-experiments-in-intercourse) Observes the Selenites and the machinery with a mix of fear and wonder; suggests using geometry to communicate. ### [The Giddy Bridge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xv-the-giddy-bridge) Narrates the chapter; feels rage and desperation, kills a Selenite in self-defense, and leads the escape. ### [Points of View](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xvi-points-of-view) Argues for a practical escape plan, prioritizes survival and return to Earth with gold, dismisses Cavor's philosophical approach. ### [The Fight in the Cave of the Moon Butchers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xvii-the-fight-in-the-cave-of-the-moon-butchers) Leads the ascent, bends the grating bars, and engages in a violent fight with the Selenites, discovering his unexpected strength. ### [In the Sunlight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xviii-in-the-sunlight) Bedford reflects on their predicament, suggests setting fire to the scrub to find the sphere, and feels a stab of emotion as he and Cavor separate to search. ### [Mr. Bedford Alone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xix-mr-bedford-alone) Alone on the moon, Bedford searches for Cavor and the sphere, experiences existential reflection, and struggles with fear and indecision. ### [Mr. Bedford in Infinite Space](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xx-mr-bedford-in-infinite-space) Narrates his solitary journey through space, experiencing dissociation, megalomania, and a crisis of identity. ### [Mr. Bedford at Littlestone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xxi-mr-bedford-at-littlestone) Returns to Earth alone, lands at Littlestone, and struggles with gravity and fatigue. He tells his story to incredulous locals. ### [XXII: The Astonishing Communication of Mr. Julius Wendigee](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xxii-the-astonishing-communication-of-mr-julius-wendigee) Narrator who receives Wendigee's communication and travels to the observatory to assist in recording Cavor's messages. ### [An Abstract of the Six Messages First Received from Mr. Cavor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xxiii-an-abstract-of-the-six-messages-first-received-from-mr-cavor) Acts as editor and narrator, defending his own account against Cavor's version of events. ### [XXVI: The Last Message Cavor Sent to the Earth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xxvi-the-last-message-cavor-sent-to-the-earth) Narrates the chapter, interpreting the messages and imagining Cavor's fate. ### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/endnotes) Narrator reflecting on the lack of hunger and low carbonic acid production during the lunar journey. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/characters/mr_bedford - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/characters