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{{overview}}'''The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come''' is an allegorical novel by [[John Bunyan]]. It was first published 1678.
{{topics}}* Bunyan wrote the book while imprisoned in 1675 for violations of the Conventicle Act which punished people for conducting unauthorised religious services outside of the [[Pilgrim's Progress (text)Church of England]]* [[John . An expanded edition, with additions written after Bunyan]]was freed, appeared in 1679.
{{opinions}}The allegory tells of Christian, an Everyman character who must make his way from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City of Zion. During his travel, he must make his way past hazards such as the ''Slough of Despond'', temptations like ''Vanity Fair'', and foes like the ''Giant Despair''. Due to the long popularity of this devotional book, many of these phrases have become proverbial in English. In a second book, his wife and children, who once denounced his ideas, follow his path to the Celestial City.
{{quotes}}The allegory of this book has antecedents in a large number of Christian devotional works that speak of the soul's path to Heaven, from the ''Lyke-Wake Dirge'' forwards. Bunyan's allegory stands out above his predecessors because of his simple and effective, if somewhat naïve, prose style, steeped in [[Bible|Biblical]] texts and cadences. He confesses his own naïveté in the verse prologue to the book:
Just added a wikipedia link for George Offor, the editor.
{summary {Infobox_Contents | texttopic_name = Pilgrim's Progress |subtopics ="[[Text:Pilgrim's Progress|The text of Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come" is an allegorical novel by ]]* [[John Bunyan]]. It was first published 1678. He wrote the book while imprisoned for violations of the Conventicle Act which punished people for conducting unauthorised religious services outside of the * [[Church of EnglandThe Pilgrim's Progress (opera)]].|opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |}}
: ''. . . I did not think: ''To shew to all the World my Pen and Ink'': ''In such a mode; I only thought to make'': ''I knew not what: nor did I undertake'': ''Thereby to please my Neighbour; no not I;'': ''I did it mine own self to gratifie.'' Its explicitly Protestant theology also made it much more popular than its predecessors. Finally, Bunyan's gifts and plain style breathe life into the abstractions of the anthropomorphized temptations and abstractions Christian encounters and converses with on his course to Heaven. Samuel Johnson said that "this is the great merit of the book, that the most cultivated man cannot find anything to praise more highly, and the child knows nothing more amusing." Three years after its publication, it was reprinted in colonial America, and was widely read in the Puritan colonies. The book was the basis of an opera by Ralph Vaughan Williams, premiered in 1951. ==Extract—Apollyon==<!-- 2017_06_15 Wikipedia, etc, will not apparently allow a <style>...</style> block defining classes, so the classes have been replaced by explicit style info, repeated. -->But now,in this Valley of Humiliation, poor Christian was hard putto it; for he had gone but a little way, before he espied a foulfiend coming over the field to meet him; his name is Apoll­yon. Thendid Christian begin to be afraid, and to cast in his mind whetherto go back or to stand his ground.<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Christian no armour for his back.</span>But he considered again, thathe had no armour for his back;and, therefore, thought that to turnthe back to him might give him the greater advantage, with ease topierce him with his darts.Therefore he resolved to venture and stand his ground;<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Christian's resolution at the approach of Apoll­yon.</span>for, thoughthe, had I no more in mine eye than the saving of my life, it wouldbe the best way to stand. So he went on, and Apoll­yon met him. Now the monster washideous to behold; he was clothed with scales, like a fish (andthey are his pride), he had wings like a dragon, feet like a bear,and out of his belly came fire and smoke, and his mouth was as themouth of a lion. When he was come up to Christian, he beheld himwith a disdainful countenance, and thus began to question with him. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apol.</span> Whence come you? and whither are you bound? <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chr.</span> I am come from the City of Destruction, which is the place ofall evil, and am going to the City of Zion. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apol.</span> By this I perceive thou art one of my subjects, for all thatcountry is mine, and I am the prince and god of it.<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Discourse betwixt Christian and Apoll­yon.</span>How is it,then, that thou hast run away from thy king? Were it not that Ihope thou mayest do me more service, I would strike thee now, atone blow, to the ground. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chr.</span> I was born, indeed, in your Dominions, but your servicewas hard, and your wages such as a man could not live on, 'for thewages of sin <i>is</i> death,' <span style="font-size:80%;">Ro. vi. 23;</span>therefore, when I was come toyears, I did as other considerate persons do, look out, if, perhaps,I might mend myself. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apol.</span> There is no prince that will thus lightly lose his subjects,<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Apoll­yon's flattery.</span>neither will I as yet lose thee;but since thou complainest of thyservice and wages, be content to go back; what our country willafford, I do here promise to give thee. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chr.</span> But I have let myself to another, even to the King of princes;and how can I, with fairness, go back with thee? <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apol.</span> Thou hast done in this according to the proverb,<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Apoll­yon undervalues Christ's service.</span>'Changed a bad for a worse;'but it is ordinary for those thathave professed themselves his servants, after a while to give himthe slip, and return again to me. Do thou so too, and all shallbe well. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chr.</span> I have given him my faith, and sworn my allegiance to him;how, then, can I go back from this, and not be hanged as a traitor? <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apol.</span> Thou didst the same to me,<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Apoll­yon pretends to be merciful.</span>and yet I am willing to pass byall, if now thou wilt yet turn again and go back. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chr.</span> What I promised thee was in my nonage; and besides, Icount the Prince under whose banner now I stand is able to absolveme; yea, and to pardon also what I did as to my compliance withthee; and besides, O thou destroying Apoll­yon! to speak truth,I like his service, his wages, his servants, his government, hiscompany, and country, better than thine; and, therefore, leave offto persuade me further; I am his servant, and I will follow him. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apol.</span> Consider again, when thou art in cool blood,<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Apoll­yon pleads the grievous ends of Christians, to dissuade Christian from persisting in his way.</span>what thouart like to meet with in the way that thou goest. Thou knowestthat, for the most part, his servants come to an ill end, becausethey are transgressors against me and my ways. How many of themhave been put to shameful deaths! and, besides, thou countest hisservice better than mine, whereas he never came yet from the placewhere he is to deliver any that served him out of their hands; butas for me, how many times, as all the world very well knows, haveI delivered, either by power or fraud, those that have faithfullyserved me, from him and his, though taken by them; and so I willdeliver thee. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chr.</span> His forbearing at present to deliver them is on purpose to trytheir love, whether they will cleave to him to the end; and as forthe ill end thou sayest they come to, that is most glorious in theiraccount; for, for present deliverance, they do not much expect it,for they stay for their glory, and then they shall have it, whentheir Prince comes in his and the glory of the angels. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apol.</span> Thou hast already been unfaithful in thy service to him; andhow doest thou think to receive wages of him? <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chr.</span> Wherein, O Apoll­yon! have I been unfaithful to him? <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apol.</span> Thou didst faint at first setting out, when thou wast<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Apoll­yon pleads Christian's infirmities against him.</span>almost choked in the Gulf of Despond; thou didst attempt wrong waysto be rid of thy burden, whereas thou shouldest have stayed tillthy Prince had taken it off; thou didst sinfully sleep, and losethy choice thing; thou wast, also, almost persuaded to go back, atthe sight of the lions; and when thou talkest of thy journey, andof what thou hast heard and seen, thou art inwardly desirous ofvain-glory in all that thou sayest or doest. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chr.</span> All this is true, and much more which thou hast left out;but the Prince, whom I serve and honour, is merciful, and ready toforgive; but, besides, these infirmities possessed me in thy country,for there I sucked them in; and I have groaned under them, beensorry for them, and have obtained pardon of my Prince. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apol.</span> Then Apoll­yon broke out into a grievous rage, saying,<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Apoll­yon in a rage falls upon Christian.</span>I am an enemy to this Prince; I hate his person, his laws, andpeople; I am come out on purpose to withstand thee. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chr.</span> Apoll­yon, beware what you do; for I am in the king's highway,the way of holiness, therefore take heed to yourself. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Apol.</span> Then Apoll­yon straddled quite over the whole breadth of theway, and said, I am void of fear in this matter: prepare thy selfto die; for I swear by my infernal den, that thou shalt go nofurther; here will I spill thy soul.And with that he threw a flaming dart at his breast; butChristian had a shield in his hand, with which he caught it, andso prevented the danger of that.Then did Christian draw; for he saw it was time to bestir him: andApoll­yon as fast made at him, throwing darts as thick as hail;<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Christian wounded in his understanding, faith, and conversation.</span>by the which, notwithstanding all that Christian could do to avoid it,Apoll­yon wounded him in his head, his hand and foot. This madeChristian give a little back; Apoll­yon, therefore, followed his workamain, and Christian again took courage, and resisted as manfullyas he could. This sore combat lasted for above half a day, eventill Christian was almost quite spent; for you must know, thatChristian, by reason of his wounds, must needs grow weaker andweaker. Then Apoll­yon, espying his opportunity, began to gather up<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Apoll­yon casteth down to the ground the Christian.</span>close to Christian, and wrestling with him, gave him a dreadfulfall; and with that, Christian's sword flew out of his hand. Thensaid Apoll­yon, I am sure of thee now. And with that he had almostpressed him to death; so that Christian began to despair of life:but as God would have it, while Apoll­yon was fetching of hislast blow, thereby to make a full end of this good man,<span style="clear:left;float:left;max-width:98.5%;max-width:15em;font-size:80%;border-style:dotted;border-width:0.1em;margin:0.4em 0.5em 0.4em 0;padding-left:0.75%;padding-right:0.75%;padding-top:0.2em;padding-bottom:0.2em;">Christian's victory over Apoll­yon.</span>Christiannimbly stretched out his hand for his sword, and caught it, saying,'Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise,' <span style="font-size:80%;">Mi. vii. 8;</span>and with that gave him a deadly thrust, which made him give back,as one that had received his mortal wound. Christian perceivingthat, made at him again, saying, 'Nay, in all these things we aremore than conquerors, through him that loved us.' <span style="font-size:80%;">Rom. viii. 37.</span> Andwith that Apoll­yon spread forth his dragon's wings, and sped himaway, that Christian for a season saw him no more. <span style="font-size:80%;">Ja. iv. 7.</span><ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Offor Offor G] (1859), "The works of John Bunyan", Vol 3, Blackie & Son. For download from archive.org .There is also a version with seventeenth century spelling, that is, Bunyan J (1847), "Pilgrim's Progress", Ed Offor G, Hanserd Knollys Society.</ref> ==Quotes== ==References=={{reflist}} ==Links== {{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Christian literature]] [[Category:Christian literature]]
