Pilgrim’s Progress

John Bunyan

Abdul Ghaffar (T.A)

Usindh Laar Campus Badin
 OUTLINES

Lifeand work of John Bunyan

Background of ‘’Pilgrim’s Progress’’
Summary
Themes
Characters
Symbolism
Life and work John Bunyan

Born : 28 November 1628

Elstow, Bedfordshire, England
Occupation : Writer, preacher
Major Works : The Pilgrim’s Progress, The Holy War
Died : 31 August 1688 (aged 59)
London, England
Prose writer of Puritan Age
Pilgrim’s Progress 1778
Background of “Pilgrim’s Progress”

ALLEGORY:
A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a
hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
The Pilgrim's Progress, religious allegory by the English
writer John Bunyan, published in two parts in 1678 and 1684.
The work is a symbolic vision of the good man's pilgrimage
through life. At one time second only to the Bible in
popularity, The Pilgrim's Progress is the most
famous Christian allegory
John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress being an
allegorical writing contains two fold meaning in it,
one showing the dangerous adventure of a brave
man, and another expressing and advocating the
lifestyle and way of particular religious group and
doctrine, including the indications of Bunyan’s
own life and contemporary
Summary Part( 01)

 City of Destruction
 The city stands as a symbol of the entire world as it is,
with all of its sins, corruptions, and sorrows. No one
living there can have any hope of salvation.
 Celestial City
 where he can enjoy eternal life in the happy company
of God and the Heavenly Host.
Slough of Despond
 A swamp, a bog, a quagmire, the first obstacle in Christian's course. Pilgrims
are apt to get mired down here by their doubts and fears
 Village of Morality
 Near the village Christian meets Mr. Worldly Wiseman, who, though not
religiously inclined, is a friendly and well-disposed person.
 The end could only be hunger, pain, and death.
 Wicket Gate
 Christian reads the sign on the gate: "Knock and it shall be opened unto you.
 gatekeeper, a "grave person" named Good-will, who comes out to ask what
Christian wants
 he is let through the gate, which opens on the Holy Way, a straight and
narrow path leading toward the Celestial City.
 Interpreter's House
On
 Good-will's advice, Christian makes his first stop at the
large house of Interpreter, a character symbolizing the Holy
Spirit.
Interpreter shows his guest a number of "excellent things.

Bible in his hand and a crown of gold on his head; a dusty

parlor which is like the human heart before it is cleansed with
the Gospel
The Cross

Beyond Interpreter's House, Christian comes to the Cross,

which stands on higher ground beside the Holy Way.
Below it, at the foot of the gentle slope, , is an open sepulcher.

When Christian stops by the Cross, the burden on his back
suddenly slips from his shoulders, rolls down the slope
 three Shining Ones (angels) appear. They tell him all his sins are
now forgiven, give him bright new raiment to replace his old
ragged clothes, and hand him a parchment, "a Roll with a seal
upon it." For his edification and instruction, Christian is to read
the Roll as he goes along, and when he reaches the Pearly Gates,
he is present it as his credentials a sort of passport to Heaven
 Difficulty Hill
 The Holy Way beyond the Cross is fenced in with a high wall
on either side.
 The Holy Way beyond the Cross is fenced in with a high wall on
either side.
 Christian is passing along, two men — Formalist and
Hypocrisy — climb over the wall and drop down beside
him
 where three paths join and they must make a choice.
One path goes straight ahead up the steep slope of
the hill; another goes around the base of the hill to
the right; the third, around the hill to the left.
Christian argues that the right path is the one leading
straight ahead up Difficulty Hill. Not liking the
prospect of much exertion, Formalist and Hypocrisy
decide to take the easier way on the level paths going
around the hill. Both get lost and perish.
Palace Beautiful
 A narrow path leads off the Holy Way to the lodge in front of Palace
Beautiful. Starting up the path, Christian sees two lions, stops, and turns
around as if to retreat
 four virgins come out to the lodge, all of them "grave and beautiful
damsels": Discretion, Prudence, Piety, and Charity. Satisfied with
Christian's answers to their questions, they invite him in, introduce him to
the rest of the family, serve him supper, and assign him to a beautiful
bedroom — Peace — for the night.
 rarities" of the place’’ the library, filled with ancient documents
 the library, filled with ancient documents dating back to the beginning of
time; next, the armory, packed with swords, shields, helmets, breastplates,
and other things sufficient to equip all servants of the Lord,
Valley of Humiliation
 Here Christian is attacked and almost overcome by a "foul fiend"
named Apollyon — a hideous monster with scales like a fish, wings
like a dragon, mouth like a lion, and feet like a bear; flames and
smoke belch out of a hole in his belly. Christian, after a painful
struggle, wounds the fiend with his sword and drives him off.
 Valley of the Shadow of Death
 This is a wilderness, a land of deserts and pits, inhabited only by
yowling hobgoblins and other dreadful creatures. The path here is
very narrow, edged on one side by a deep, water-filled ditch in which
many have drowned; on the other side, by a treacherous bog.
 old friend, Faithful, one of his neighbors in the City of Destruction.
Vanity Fair
 the town holds a year-round fair at which all kinds of things are
bought and sold "houses, lands, trades, titles, . . . lusts,
pleasures, . . . bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones,
and what not." Christian and Faithful infuriate the merchandisers
by turning up their noses at the wares offered them, saying that
they would buy nothing but the Truth
 Their presence and their attitude cause a hubbub in the town,
which leads the authorities to jail them for disturbing the peace.
 charge of disrupting trade, creating dissension, and treating with
contempt the customs and laws laid down for the town by its
prince, old Beelzebub himself.
 Faithful is convicted and sentenced to be executed
Doubting Castle and Giant Despair
 In a manner only vaguely explained, Christian gets free and goes
on his way — but not alone, for he has been joined by Hopeful, a
native of Vanity Fair who is fleeing in search of better things
 sparkling stream, the River of the Water of Life, which meanders
through beautiful meadows bright with flowers.
 Next morning, they are surprised and seized by the prince of By-
path Meadow, a giant named Despair. Charging them with
malicious trespassing, he hauls them to his stronghold, Doubting
Castle, and throws them into a deep dark dungeon, where they lie
for days without food or drink
 Locked in Doubting Castle."
 Finding that the magic key works, the prisoners are soon out in the
open and running as fast as they can to get back onto the Holy Way
 Ease of By-path Meadow.

Delectable Mountains

Christian and Hopeful next come to the Delectable Mountains,

where they find gardens, orchards, vineyards, and fountains of
water. Four shepherds — Experience, Knowledge, Watchful,
and Sincere — come to greet them.
Received paper from shepherd, instructing them on what to do
and what to avoid on the journey ahead.
 Country of Beulah
 This is a happy land where the sun shines day and night, flowers bloom
continuously, and the sweet and pleasant air is filled with bird-song.
There is no lack of grain and wine. Christian and Hopeful stop to rest
and enjoy themselves here, pleased that the Celestial City is now within
sight, which leads them to assume that the way there is now clear.
 Dark River
 A wide, swift-flowing stream.
 A Shining One appears and tells them that they must make their way
across as best they can, that fording the river is a test of faith, that those
with faith have nothing to fear.
Wading into the river, Hopeful finds firm
footing, but Christian does not He is soon
floundering in water over his head, fearing that
he will be drowned, that he will never see "the
land that flows with milk and honey." Hopeful
helps Christian by holding his head above
water, and the two finally achieve the crossing.
Celestial City

 On the far side of the river, two Shining Ones are waiting
for the Pilgrims and take them by the arm to assist them in
climbing the steep slope to the Celestial City, which stands
on a "mighty hill . . . higher than the clouds." Coming to the
gate of the city, built all of precious stones, Christian and
Hopeful present their credentials, which are taken to the
King (God). He orders the gate to be opened, and the two
weary but elated Pilgrims go in, to find that the streets are
paved with gold and that along them walk many men with
crowns on their heads and golden harps in their hands.
 Summary 2nd Part
 Part two begins with Christian's wife, Christiana's,
conversion experience, which includes a divine dream
and a messenger from heaven. She, her four sons, and
her pious young neighbor, Mercy, set out on a
pilgrimage, following in Christian's footsteps.
 Interpreter's
House, they are meet a guide, Mr. Great-
Heart, who will lead them on their journey
 The pilgrims arrive soon after at the Beautiful Palace,
where they stay and study for quite some time. Matthew
gets sick from eating the devil's fruit, but he soon
recovers.
Great-Heart is there to protect them
They pass through the Valley of Humiliation and the
Valley of the Shadow of Death without incident
The pilgrims meet Honesty along the road, and he joins
their band.
pilgrims arrive in Vanity. They stay with one of the few
good men in town, Mr. Mnason, and set off again without
incident.
Delectable Mountains, where the shepherds prepare them
for the final stage of their journey.
 Christianais summoned first, followed by the rest of
the men they picked up along the way.

 When they have entered triumphally into the City of

Zion, the boys (Christian and Christiana's sons) and
their wives decide to stay behind to grow the church
on earth.
Characters

The Narrator (John Bunyan)

John Bunyan narrates this story as if he were
seeing it in his dreams. The revelation of
Christian's journey is something he wishes to share
with community. He uses the first person
throughout the text, though somewhat infrequently,
and he often addresses the reader directly.
Evangelist
 The Evangelist appears to instruct Christian how to rid
himself of his burden. He tells Christian where to go and
occasionally reappears to set Christian back on track or
help him out of a tight spot during his journey. His name
is directly derived from the Bible, since the writers of
the gospel are referred to as the evangelists. The term
comes from the Greek word for "good news." The
Evangelist always comes with good news, for it is his
message that leads Christian to salvation.
Christian

 Formerly known as Graceless, or just 'Man', Christian is the protagonist of

Bunyan's allegory. He is every man, and he is meant to inspire readers, just as
his story inspires other characters in Pilgrim's Progress.
 Obstinate
 One of the first men that Christian encounters as he leaves on his pilgrimage.
Obstinate eventually refuses to accompany Christian on his journey, and later
publicly mocks him for leaving.
 Pliable
 Pliable starts out as Obstinate's travelling partner, but he agrees to accompany
Christian even when Obstinate turns back. Pliable leaves Christian at the
Slough of Despond, however, because he is frustrated by the difficulty of the
journey and the limitations of Christian's knowledge.
 Help
 Help appears to assist Christian in his escape from the Slough of Despond.
Mr. Worldly Wiseman
He presents the first real temptation for Christian to
stray from his righteous path. He tells Christian to
ignore the Evangelist's advice, and that he can shed his
burden by going to the town of Morality and following
the guidance of Mr. Legality and his son.
Mr. Legality
He is the head of the town of Morality. Mr. Legality
represents the law, and though he doesn't ultimately
snare Christian, his smooth talking has snared many
other would-be pilgrims.
 The Interpreter
 TheInterpreter is a critical figure for both Christian
and Christiana as they make their pilgrimages.
 Shining Ones
 The Shining Ones are angels who appear periodically
throughout the book. Usually they appear alone or in
threes, a significant number in Christianity.
 The Lions
 TheLions represent the Restoration Government
responsible for quashing the religious dissent during
Bunyan's time.
 Watchful
 Watchful is the porter at the Beautiful Palace, the second
bastion of help along the way on Christian's journey.
 Discretion
 One of the damsels at the Beautiful Palace.
 Prudence
 One of the damsels at the Beautiful Palace. She quizzes
Christiana's sons and is impressed by their knowledge of
the faith.
 Piety
 Another damsel at the Beautiful Palace.
 Charity
 One of the damsels in the Beautiful Palace.
 Apollyon
 Apollyon is the fiendish monster who inhabits
the Valley of Humiliation.
 Beelzebub
 The leader of Vanity-Fair. Some scholars suggest
that Beelzebub is specifically supposed to
represent King Charles II. Beelzebub also owns
the orchards just beyond the Wicket Gate from
which Matthew steals fruit.
 Hopeful
 Inspired by Faithful's death, Hopeful joins Christian on
the pilgrimage as he leaves Vanity. A loyal companion
and good interlocutor, Hopeful and Christian are equals
on the pathway to heaven. Hopeful sees promise in
situations where Christian does not, like in the dungeon
of the Doubting Castle.
 Mr. Sagacity
 Mr. Sagacity only appears for the first few pages of the
second part. Mr. Sagacity relates the state of Christiana
and the rest of the City of Destruction after Christian
left, but he disappears after her conversion, and Bunyan
assumes the narration single-handedly.
 Christiana
 Christian's wife, who originally mocks Christian for his
pilgrimage, has a change of heart and takes to the road
herself. Able, intelligent, and a caring mother, she is a
model for female readers. She and her band of pilgrims
represent the church in the allegory, which must be led
by a pastor.
 Mercy
 Mercy is the virtuous young woman who sees the value in
Christiana's journey and undertakes it with her. Though not
called directly by God, he is gracious and sees she is
sincere and she is admitted through the Wicket Gate. She
eventually marries Matthew.
 Mr. Great-Heart
 Mr. Great-Heart is one of the Interpreter's servants who is
sent to guide Christiana and company on their pilgrimage.
He represents the pastor of a church. Without his steadfast
encouragement, guidance, and protection, the band of
pilgrims in part II would not have made it to the City of
Zion.
 James
 One of Christiana's sons. He marries Phebe.
 Matthew
 Christiana and Christian's eldest son. He marries Mercy.
 Joseph
 One of Christiana's sons.
 Samuel
 One of Christiana's sons.
 Mr. Brisk
 Mercy's suitor while the pilgrims are in residence at the Beautiful Palace.
 Mr. Skill
 The physician who treats Matthew when Beelzebub's fruit makes him ill.
 Mr. Mnason
 The inn-keeper in Vanity who houses the group of
pilgrims. He is one of the only good people in Vanity
and helps many pilgrims on their journey.
 Madam Bubble
 Madam Bubble is the witch who enchants the Enchanted
Grounds. She represents the world's temptations, but
with Great-Heart as their guide, she is unable to sway
Christiana and her group of pilgrims.
THEMES
 The cost of salvation
 Christian’s journey proves, the road to Heaven is not easy, the
cost is great.
 Man is full of sin, but this does not keep him from attaining
glory.
 Christian's journey moves from the City of Destruction to the
Celestial City.
 The more significant journey is the one that happens inside a
pilgrim.
 Christian must "cross the river and join in
 Heaven.
Superiority of the Poor over the Rich

 In the Pilgrim’s Progress Christian have no property

ties.
 He is free to live home, his wife and children; and they
also free to follow him.
 Faithful is brought up for trial in Vanity-Fair because of
telling truth.
 All rich man and women are against him because they
hate truth and God.
Knowledge Gained Through Travel

 Christianand his companions learning from their

mistakes on their journey.
 Itis not an option for a pilgrim to start and stop as he or
she pleases, or to undertake the journey with personal
designs.
 The pilgrim must move on spiritually.
Christian never makes the same mistake twice or meets
the same enemy twice
THANK YOU 