17C - The Pilgrim's Progress Lesson

The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come; Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream (The Pilgrim's Progress), written by John Bunyan and published in 1678, is an allegory of a Christian's (a believer in Christ) difficult journey from earth to Heaven. The main character named "Christian" travels from the "City of Destruction" to the "Celestial City" and passes through various areas such as the "Slough of Despond", the "Vanity Fair", the "Doubting Castle", and the "Valley of the Shadow of Death" which each represent an area of struggle for a Christian attempting to live a life like Jesus.

The Pilgrim's Progress appears as one of the most significant works of religious English literature and has been translated into more than 200 languages. Similar to Paradise Lost, before reading The Pilgrim's Progress, a deep understanding of Biblical literature remains necessary in order to recognize the heavy amount of Biblical allusions Bunyan includes in the allegory. Also, the elevated, poetic language of the epic creates a more difficult text to interpret, so take your time and consider reading a summary first. You will read excerpts from The Pilgrim's Progress in order to experience the elements of a religious allegory and understand the heightened importance of the church during the Seventeenth Century. 

About the Author: John Bunyan

Reading The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

Read Part I Section I

Part I Section I of The Pilgrim's Progress introduces the main character, Christian, who seeks knowledge of how to become saved from the "City of Destruction", or sin. Christian runs off on a journey seeking the eternal life promised by the Bible, and Part I Section I outlines the first experiences of his voyage. When reading, note the Biblical allusions and the allegorical connections of a man who experiences various pitfalls on a religious journey.

Part I Section I of The Pilgrim's Progress. Links to an external site.

Read Part I Section V

Part I Section V of The Pilgrim's Progress provides a metaphorical fight between Christian and Apollyon that represents how hard man must fight to progress in his goal to remain like Jesus. Christian also enters the Valley of the Shadow of Death, which is an allusion to the experiences of the Psalmist from the Old Testament.

Part I Section V of The Pilgrim's Progress. Links to an external site.

Read Part II Section I

Part II Section I reveals that Christian is in Heaven and sitting at the right hand of the Lord. However, Christian left his wife Christiana, who did not want to accompany him on the journey, behind in pursuit of eternal life. Part II Section I outlines the beginning of Christiana's journey with the rest of the family to reach Christian and the same eternal life he found.

Part II Section I of The Pilgrim's Progress Links to an external site.

Read Part II Section X

Part II Section X of The Pilgrim's Progress wraps up the journeys of the individuals from Part II. Bunyan provides a summary and closure with the surprising decision of Christiana and her children to stay behind and grow the church on earth.

Part II Section X of The Pilgrim's Progress. Links to an external site.