Aouda is a woman who stands at the crossroads of two opposing cultures, those of India and England during British imperialist expansion. She is the wife of an elder Indian rajah, or prince, and the daughter of a wealthy English merchant. Aouda had an English education and lives in the upper castes of India. She was given over to the rajah after her father’s death, most likely as a pawn or payment owed by her father. In this way, Aouda represents the role placed on women at that time between the two cultures. Aouda is charming, respectful, and quiet and remains a fairly undeveloped character until her feelings for Fogg begin to emerge over the course of their journey. She’s revealed as a clever woman, capable of thwarting scenarios that might engage Fogg in dispute, and she is formidably brave. Aouda is just as adventurous as Fogg or Passepartout, and her resourcefulness gets the group out of sticky situations. Despite her bravery and intellect, Aouda often apologizes to Fogg and blames herself for his predicaments, a trait demonstrating the expectation of women’s lower stature at the time. In the end, her warmheartedness, devotion, and gratitude to Fogg lead her to fall in love with him, and she proposes marriage to him in a bold, uncharacteristic gesture. Most importantly, Aouda proves to be the charm that opens Fogg’s heart and broadens his perspective on what matters in life.