The pilgrim's progress

The Pilgrim's Progress

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The Pilgrim's Progress is Bunyan's chief
work and one of the most popular books in
the English language. It is written in the
old fashioned medieval form of allegory
and dream and it is usually read and
appreciated as a religious allegory. It tells
of Christian's pilgrimage from his home to
the Celestial City, and of his experiences
and adventures on his journey.
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Allegory
• A story in which the characters, settings,
and events stand for abstract or moral
concepts.
• Allegories have two meanings: literal and
symbolic

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Story
The whole book begins with the
author's dream, in which the author
sees a man called Christian who
starts a journey from home with a
book, the Bible, in hand and a
great burden, the weight of worldly
cares and concerns, on back. By
the guidance of the Bible, Christian
wants to leave his hometown, the
City of Destruction. His wife,
children and neighbors all refuse to
go with him except his friend
Pliable.
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Story
But Pliable retreats after they
meet the difficulties in Slough
Despond. Christian alone goes
on. Then he is overtaken by a
neighbor, Faithful. They two
continue the journey together
through many adventures,
including the great struggle
with Apollyon, ruler of this
world. Then they come to
Vanity Fair where Faithful is
tortured to death by the Judge
Hate-Good.
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Story
And at last they reach the
Celestial City and enter to
enjoy eternal life. That ends
the first part of the book. The
second part describes the
pilgrimage of Christian's wife,
Christiana, her children and
two neighbors. They also go
through various adventures,
but eventually reach their
destination successfully.
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The book The Pilgrim's Progress is a faithful
panoramic reflection of England in the 17th
century. It is strongly realistic.
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• Firstly, the characters in the book impress the reader like
real persons.
• Secondly, the places that Christian meets on the way are
English scenes.
• Thirdly, the book is written in the simple and lively prose
style, and the conversations vividly repeat the language
of his time.
• Fourthly, the most significant aspect of the book is the
satires which are centered on the ruling class.
Some of Christian's unfortunate experiences are just the
symbolic pictures of London at the time of Restoration.
Vanity Fair is just London at Bunyan's time, where all
things are bought and sold, including honours, titles,
lives and others, and where cheating and roguery,
murders and adultery are normal.
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John Bunyan’s Statue

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Excerpt
Introduction: The following excerpt is from chapter
6, Book I, which is perhaps the best-known
episode in the book. It contains a description of
Vanity Fair and an account of the experience of
Christian and his companion Faithful. Bunyan
characteristically turns one of the most familiar
institutions in contemporary England — annual
fairs — into an allegory of universal spiritual
significance. The vivid picture of Vanity Fair is a
biting satire on the English society.
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•

Then I [1] saw in my dream, that when they [2] were
got [3] out of the wilderness, they presently saw a town
before them, and the name of that town is Vanity; and at
the town there is a fair kept, called Vanity Fair. It is kept
all the year long; it beareth [4] the name of Vanity Fair,
because the town where it is kept is lighter than vanity;
and also because all that is there sold or that cometh
thither is vanity. As is the saying of the wise, all that
cometh is vanity.

• Notes
1. I: the author himself
2. they: Christian and his friend Faithful
3. were got: had got
4. beareth: bears
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•

This fair is no new-erected business, but a thing of
ancient standing; I will show you the original [5] of it.
　 Almost five thousand years agone [6], there were
pilgrims walking to the Celestial City [7], as these two
honest persons [8] are; and Beelzebub, Apollyon, and
Legion [9], with their companions, perceiving by the path
that the pilgrims made, that their way to the city lay
through this town of Vanity, they [10] contrived here to
set up a fair; a fair wherein should be sold all sorts of
vanity, and that it should last all the year long:

• 5. original: origin
6. agone: (archaic)ago
7. the Celestial City: Paradise
8. these two honest persons: Christian and Faithful
9. Beelzebub, Apollyon, and Legion: All are fellows of
Satan. Legion: basic army unit of Roman
10. they: Beelzebub, Apollyon, and Legion
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Apollyon

Legion

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American Legion Riders

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• therefore at this fair are all such merchandise sold, as
houses, lands, trades, places, honours, preferments
[11], titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and
delights of all sorts, as whores, bawds [12], wives,
husbands, children, masters, servants, lives, blood,
bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and
what not [13].
And, moreover, at this fair there is at all times to be
seen juggling, cheats, games, plays, fools, apes [14],
knaves, and rogues, and that of every kind.
• 11. preferments: promotions
12. bawds: procuresses
13. and what not: and other things of similar kind
14. apes: mimics, imitators
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“Vanity Fair is
the city of
Destruction in its
gala dress, in its
most seductive
sensual
allurements. It is
this world in
miniature, with
its various
temptations. It is
Satan’s theme
park and world of
carnal dreams”
- George Cheever
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17th Century Market

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• Here are to be seen, too, and that for nothing [15], thefts,
murders, adulteries, false swearers, and that of a booldred colour [16].
And as in other fairs of less moment [17], there are the
several [18] rows [19] and streets, under their proper [20]
names, where such wares are vended [21];
• 15. for nothing: free of charge
16. a blood-red colour: sth. very striking
17. monent: importance
18. several: different
19. rows: short streets
20. proper: own
21. vended: sold
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• so here likewise you have the proper places, rows,
streets (viz [22]. countries and kingdoms), where the
wares of this fair are soonest [23] to be found. Here
is the Britain Row, the French Row, the Italian Row,
the Spanish Row, the German Row, where several
sorts of vanities are to be sold.
• 22. viz: the shortened form for “ videlicet ” in Latin,
meaning “ namely ”
23. soonest: easiest

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• This is truly a world fair with cultural
diversity and unity of purpose.
– Many distinctive national displays
– Exotic cuisine and delicacies from all over are
exibited to maximum appeal

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• But, as in other fairs, some one commodity is as the chief
of all the fair, so the ware of Rome and her merchandise
[24] is greatly promoted [25] in this fair; only our English
nation, with some others, have taken a dislike thereat
[26].
• 24. the ware of Rome and her merchandise: the goods of
Roman Catholic church and her trade, implying that within
the Roman Catholic Church there was much corruption
and that many things were bought and sold there
25. promoted: publicized in order to sell
26. only our English nation, with some others, have taken
a dislike thereat: our English nation, with some others,
have disapproved of the ware of Rome (referring to the
separation of the Anglican Church from Roman Catholic
church). thereat: at “ the ware of Rome and her
merchandise ”
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Roman Catholic Church

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• Now, as I said, the way to the Celestial City lies just
through this town where this lusty [27] fair is kept; and he
that will go to the City, and yet not go through this town,
must needs [28] go out of the world. The Prince of
Princes [29] himself, when here [30], went through this
town to his own country, and that upon a fair day too;
yea [31], and as I think, it was Beelzebub, the chief lord
of this fair, that invited him to buy of [32] his vanities;
• 27. lusty: full of vitality, merry, cheerful
28. needs: necessarily
29. The Prince of Princes: Jesus Christ
30. when here: when he was alive
31. yea: (archaic) yes, moreover
32. of: some of
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• The Vanity planning commission has gone
to great lengths to ensure that transient
pilgrims are compelled to experience the
full force of the Fair’s bewitching display
• All pilgrims must encounter Vanity Fair

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• yea, would have made [33] him lord of the fair, would he
but [34] have done him reverence as he went through
the town. Yea, because he was such a person of honour,
Beelzebub had him from street to street, and showed
him all the kingdoms of the world in a little time, that he
might, if possible, allure the Blessed One [35] to
cheapen [36] and buy some of his vanities;
• 33. would have made: The subject of “ it ” is the
previous “ that. ”
34. would he but: if only he would
35. the Blessed One: Jesus Christ
36. cheapen: (archaic) buy
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• but he had no mind to the merchandise, and therefore
left the town without laying out [37] so much as one
farthing [38] upon these vanities. This fair, therefore, is
an ancient thing, of long standing, and a very great fair.
Now these pilgrims, as I said, must needs go through
this fair. Well, so they did: but, behold, even [39] as they
entered into the fair, all the people in the fair were moved
[40], and the town itself as it were in a hubbub [41] about
them; and that for several reasons: for• 37. laying out: spending, expending
38. farthing: former British coin, equal to 1/4 penny
39. even: just
40. moved: excited
41. in a hubbub: in a disturbance
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• First, the pilgrims were clothed with such kind of raiment
[42] as was diverse from [43] the raiment of any that
traded in that fair. The people therefore of the fair, made
a great gazing upon them: some said they were fools,
some they were bedlams [44], and some, they are
outlandish men [45].
Secondly, and as they [46] wondered at their apparel, so
they did likewise at their speech; for few could
understand what they said.
• 42. raiment: clothes
43. diverse from: different from
44. bedlams: madmen
45. outlandish men: foreigners
46. they: Christian and Faithful
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• The pilgrims make no attempt to
accommodate themselves to the worldly
ways of Vanity Fair, even under the
pretext of “communicating through their
culture”

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• They naturally spoke the language of Canaan [47], but they
that kept the fair were the men of this world; so that, from
one end of the fair to the other, they seemed barbarians
[48] each to the other [49].
　　 Thirdly, but [50] that which did not a little amuse [51]
the merchandisers, was that these pilgrims set very light by
[52] all their wares; they care not so much as to look upon
them;
• 47. Canaan: the Promised Land, ultimately conquered by
the children of Israel and settled by them, hence the
pilgrims speak the language of the Bible and of the true
religion, “God’s wisdom in mastery” which no one in Vanity
Fair understands
48. barbarians: foreigners. The Greeks and Romans
designated all those who spoke a foreign tongue.
49. each to the other: the two pilgrims and the other people
in the fair
50. Thirdly, but: But, thirdly
51. amuse: bewilder
52. set very light by: regard as valueless
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• and if they [53] called upon them to buy, they [54] would
put their fingers in their ears, and cry, Turn away mine
[55] eyes from beholding vanity, and look upwards,
signifying that their trade and traffic [56] was in heaven.
One chanced mockingly, beholding the carriages [57] of
the men [58], to say unto them, What will ye buy? But
they, looking gravely upon him, answered, We buy the
truth.
• 53. they: the tradesmen
54. they: Christian and Faithful
55. mine: my
56. trade and traffic: dealings, business
57. carriages: bearing, posture
58. the men: Christian and Faithful
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• At that there was an occasion taken to despise the men
the more; some mocking, some taunting, some speaking
reproachfully, and some calling upon others to smite
them. At last things came to a hubbub and great stir in
the fair, insomuch that all order was confounded. Now
was word presently brought to the great one [59] of the
fair, who quickly came down, and deputed some of his
most trusty friends to take these men into examination
[60], about whom the fair was almost overturned …

• 59. the great one: “ the chief lord of this fair ”
60. examination: investigation

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• (A trial is held, in which Faithful is accused by three
witnesses, Envy, Superstition, and Pickthank.)
Then went the jury out, whose names were Mr. Blindman, Mr. No-good, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love-lust, Mr. Liveloose, Mr. Heady, Mr. High-mind, Mr. Enmity, Mr. Liar, Mr.
Cruelty, Mr. Hate-light, and Mr. Implacable; who every
one [61] gave in his private verdict against him among
themselves, and afterwards unanimously concluded to
bring him in guilty before the Judge. And first, among
themselves, Mr. Blind-man, the foreman [62], said, I see
clearly that this man is a heretic.
• 61. who every one: every one of whom
62. the foreman: the head of the jury
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• Then said Mr. No-good, Away with such a fellow from
the earth. Ay, said Mr. Malice, for I hate the very looks of
him. Then said Mr. Love-lust, I could never endure him.
Nor I, said Mr. Live-loose, for he would always be
condemning my way. Hang him, hang him, said Mr.
Heady. A sorry scrub [63], said Mr. High-mind. My heart
riseth against him, said Mr. Enmity. He is a rogue, said
Mr. Liar. Hanging is too good for him, said Mr. Cruelty.
Let's despatch [64] him out of the way, said Mr. Hatelight.

• 63. A sorry scrub: a wretched, dwarfish person, here
referring to Faithful
64. despatch: dispatch, send away
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• Then said Mr. Implacable, might I have all the world
given me, I could not be reconciled to him; therefore, let
us forthwith bring him in guilty of death. And so they did;
therefore he was presently condemned to be had from
the place where he was, to the place from whence [65]
he came, and there to be put to the most cruel death that
could be invented.
　　 They therefore brought him out to do with him
according to their law; and, first, they scourged him, then
they buffeted him, then they lanced his flesh with knives;
after that, they stoned him with stones, then pricked him
with their swords; and, last of all, they burned him to
ashes at the stake. Thus came Faithful to his end.
• 65. whence: where
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• Now I saw that there stood behind the multitude a chariot
and a couple of horses, waiting for Faithful, who (so soon
as his adversaries had despatched him) was taken up
into it, and straightway was carried up through the clouds,
with sound of trumpet, the nearest way to the celestial
gate.
But as for Christian, he had some
respite, and was remanded back
to prison. So he there remained
for a space; but He that overrules
all things, having the power of their
rage in his own hand, so wrought
it about, that Christian for that time
escaped them, and went his way …
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Assignment
• Answer questions 5, 10, and 11 on page
424
• Complete the writing assignment on page
424 called The Jury is In

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The pilgrim's progress

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