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Engraving from The
Pilgrim's Progress, published in London, 1778.
Pilgrim enters the
wicket gate, opened by Good-Will. Public domain image.
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John Bunyan’s seventeenth-century
book is the allegorical tale of Christian, a humble pilgrim, on his
journey from the town of Destruction to the Coelestial City, where
God resides. In its day, this classic sold more copies than any other
book except the Bible. It was particularly popular among the settlers
of the colonies in New England, who commonly referred to themselves
as "pilgrims."
Bunyan's book was meant to be a defense of his religious beliefs, and was written for the most part while he was in prison for refusing to conform to the mandated Anglican practices of the time. His Calvinist/Lutheran brand of religiosity assumed that it was the privilege of an elect group to enter into God's court - a group primarily composed of the poor and oppressed.
Bunyan's book was meant to be a defense of his religious beliefs, and was written for the most part while he was in prison for refusing to conform to the mandated Anglican practices of the time. His Calvinist/Lutheran brand of religiosity assumed that it was the privilege of an elect group to enter into God's court - a group primarily composed of the poor and oppressed.
Many of his characters were meant to
represent other sects of Christianity. He took frequent jabs at the
Quakers and the Catholics. Over and over, The Pilgrim's Progress
refutes the values of the elite culture of Bunyan's time, which was
swiftly moving towards the naturalistic/materialist worldview that
put England in a prime position for the Industrial Revolution.
The first book, which follows Christian exclusively, was so popular that imitations and fake sequels sprang up all over. There were some criticisms, though, concerning Christian's leaving his family behind (there were many women in Bunyan's congregation), as well as the esoteric nature of some of the symbolism used. In response to all these pressures, Bunyan wrote a second part, wherein Christiana and Christian's four children traverse the Way. This volume is typically included along with the first book in modern printings.
The second part attempts to explain the meanings behind Christian's travails while demonstrating the roles that women, children and others could play according to Bunyan’s theology. It suffers from certain faults, particularly in its allegorical style, which becomes strained and even nonsensical at times. Nevertheless, the two tracts are integral to one another. The first is captivating, and the second is necessary.
The first book, which follows Christian exclusively, was so popular that imitations and fake sequels sprang up all over. There were some criticisms, though, concerning Christian's leaving his family behind (there were many women in Bunyan's congregation), as well as the esoteric nature of some of the symbolism used. In response to all these pressures, Bunyan wrote a second part, wherein Christiana and Christian's four children traverse the Way. This volume is typically included along with the first book in modern printings.
The second part attempts to explain the meanings behind Christian's travails while demonstrating the roles that women, children and others could play according to Bunyan’s theology. It suffers from certain faults, particularly in its allegorical style, which becomes strained and even nonsensical at times. Nevertheless, the two tracts are integral to one another. The first is captivating, and the second is necessary.
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