The Pilgrim's Progress

“The Man therefore Read it, and looking upon Evangelist very carefully; said, Whither must I fly? Then said Evangelist, pointing with his finger over a very wide Field, Do you see yonder Wicket-gate? The Man said, No. Then said the other, Do you see yonder shining light? He said, I think I do. Then said Evangelist, Keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto, so shalt thou see the Gate; at which when thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.”

The dialogue between Evangelist and Christian gives Christian a clear goal and propels the story. He has to get to the Wicket Gate. Bunyan uses imagery to enhance the allegorical meaning: The gate is “shining” because it reflects the light (truth, goodness, etc.) of God, and the field is “wide” because of the length of the Christian journey.

“[Y]e cannot be justified by the Works of the Law; for by the deeds of the Law no man living can be rid of his burden: therefore Mr. Worldly-Wiseman is an alien, and Mr. Legality a cheat: and for his Son Civility, notwithstanding his simpering looks, he is but an hypocrite, and cannot help thee.”

Evangelist emphasizes the themes of Human Laws and Customs Versus Christian Devotion and Faith’s Necessity for Salvation. With a confident tone, Evangelist makes it clear to Christian that the law—including the law set forth in the Bible—isn’t the path to salvation.

“This fire is the work of Grace that is wrought in the heart; he that casts Water upon it, to extinguish and put it out, is the Devil.”

Imagery helps the Interpreter explain to Christian how grace works and how the devil tries to overcome it. The quote reveals the double-sided symbolism of fire, which can represent hell or faith depending on the context.

“Now as he stood looking and weeping, behold three shining ones came to him, and saluted him, with Peace be to thee: so the first said to him, Thy sins be forgiven. The second stript him of his Rags, and cloathed him with change of Raiment. The third also set a mark in his forehead, and gave him a Roll with a Seal upon it, which he bid him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the Celestial Gate.”

After Christian sees the cross, angels arrive and transform him. Imagery shows how his burdens vanish and his clothes improve. The quote establishes the crucial goal for Christian: Make it to the Celestial Gate. It also foreshadows a later problem, as Christian loses the certificate.

“Simple said, I see no danger; Sloth said, Yet a little more sleep: and Presumption said, Every Fatt must stand upon his own bottom, what is the answer else that I should give thee? And so they lay down to sleep again, and Christian went on his way.”

Bunyan reinforces the antagonistic characterization of Simple, Sloth, and Presumption by giving them each a line of dialogue. He juxtaposes the three men and Christian; they refuse Christian’s help and choose stagnancy. Their complacency symbolizes ungodliness, and due to their sinful ways, they wind up hanged in Part 2.

“If I can get to the Celestial City, I am sure to be in safety there. I must venture: To go back is nothing but death, to go forward is fear of death, and life everlasting beyond it. I will yet go forward.”

Christian’s tone is confident and emphasizes the importance of perseverance in faith. He must confront the challenges of his journey to get to heaven. Bunyan uses repetition: The word “death” appears twice. If Christian faces his journey, he doesn’t have to fear death because he’ll receive a better life in heaven. If he goes home, he faces spiritual death because there will be no heaven for him.

“Cain hated his Brother, because his own works were evil, and his Brothers righteous; and if thy Wife and Children have been offended with thee for this, they thereby shew themselves to be implacable to good; and thou hast delivered thy soul from their blood.”

Through Charity, Bunyan alludes to the story of Cain and Abel without explicitly explaining it. The mention of Cain further associates Christian with biblical figures and reinforces the catechism symbology of the book. The passage reflects the theme of Human Laws and Customs Versus Christian Devotion: Via the Old Testament story of Cain and Abel, Charity justifies Christian’s choice to leave his family.

“[N]ow the Monster was hidious to behold, he was cloathed with scales like a Fish (and they are his pride) he had Wings like a Dragon, feet like a Bear, and out of his belly came Fire and Smoak, and his mouth was as the mouth of a Lion.”

The monster’s grotesque features come to life via imagery of scaly skin, dragon wings, huge feet, smoking stomach, and predatory mouth. Bunyan introduces this imagery through the literary device of simile—a comparison using a connecting word (usually “like” or “as”). Bunyan compares the monster to the terrifying, beastly things using a connecting word, “like.” The repetition of “like” compounds the horror of the monster.

“Then went the Jury out, whose names were Mr. Blind-man, Mr. No-good, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love-lust, Mr. Live-loose, Mr. Heady, Mr. High-mind, Mr. Enmity, Mr. Lyar, Mr. Cruelty, Mr. Hate-light, and Mr. Implacable, who every one gave in his private Verdict against him among themselves, and afterwards unanimously concluded to bring him in guilty before the Judge.”

The names of the jury members are over-the-top, and their explicitness arguably creates a comical moment in the story. The off-putting names might allude to Bunyan’s real-life confrontations with the English judicial system. Some of the names feature alliteration because both parts start with the same letter (e.g., “love” and “lust”).

“First, we never strive against Wind and Tide. Secondly, we are alwayes most zealous when Religion goes in his Silver Slippers; we love much to walk with him in the Street, if the Sun shines, and the people applaud it.”

Mr. By-ends uses metaphors to convey his dislike for conflict and difficulty. The “Wind and Tide” symbolize adversity, so Mr. By-ends avoids it. The “Silver Slippers” and sunshine represent ease; Mr. By-ends embraces religion so long as it’s undemanding.

“Judas the Devil was also of this Religion, he was religious for the bag, that he might be possessed of what was therein, but he was lost, cast away, and the very Son of perdition.”

Christian uses the story of Judas to combat the idea that a person can exploit religion to further their earthly wealth. Christian’s explanation furthers the catechism symbology of the text and includes slang diction, as the informal phrase “for the bag” means that Judas betrayed Jesus for money (30 pieces of silver, according to Matthew 26:14-16).

“What a fool, quoth he, am I, thus to lie in a stinking Dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty? I have a Key in my bosom, called Promise, that will, (I am perswaded) open any Lock in Doubting-Castle.”

After hours of prayer, Christian realizes he already has a key that can free Hopeful and him from Doubting Castle. The “key” is allegorical and represents God’s promise to deliver humanity.

“Yes, that is a good heart that hath good thoughts, and that is a good life that is according to Gods Commandments: But it is one thing indeed to have these, and another thing only to think so.”

Christian uses repetition and juxtaposition to expose Ignorance’s dense thinking. He repeats the word “good” to emphasize its importance, and he contrasts a person who possesses a good heart, good thoughts, and godly life with a person who only thinks they have these spiritual qualities.

“But all the words that he spake, still tended to discover that he had horror of mind, and hearty fears that he should die in that River, and never obtain entrance in at the Gate.”

Bunyan builds suspense by hinting that Christian might not achieve salvation. Christian’s doubts link to the theme of faith. He’s afraid he might die—that is, not make it to heaven—but fear does not preclude one from having faith.

“The next night Christiana had a Dream, and behold she saw as if a broad Parchment was opened before her, in which were recorded the sum of her ways, and the times, as she thought, look’d very black upon her. Then she cryed out aloud in her sleep, Lord have mercy upon me a Sinner, and the little Children heard her.”

Christiana’s dream demonstrates her transformation and reinforces her growing spiritual conscience. Bunyan uses the image of a record book to illustrate her wayward past and dialogue to show her engagement with God as she repents.

“Then he took her by the hand, and led her in, and said also, Suffer the little Children to come unto me, and with that he shut up the Gate.”

Bunyan uses allusion to link the Keeper of the Gate to Jesus Christ. In Mark 10: 14, Jesus says, “Suffer the little children to come unto me.” The imagery of Jesus shutting the gate builds suspense; it makes Mercie afraid that she isn’t heading toward salvation.

“You must learn of this Sheep, to suffer: And to put up wrongs without murmurings and complaints. Behold how quietly she takes her Death, and without objecting she suffereth her Skin to be pulled over her Ears. Your King doth call you his Sheep.”

The Interpreter uses the skinning of the sheep to illustrate the importance of bearing adversity bravely and stoically. As the final sentence notes, sheep are an important symbol in Christianity, signifying both Jesus’s meek and innocent suffering (as the “lamb”) and his relationship to humanity (as the “shepherd”). Once again, Bunyan uses dialogue between the characters to elucidate Christian principles.

“Tis the Kings High-way that we are in, and in this way it is that thou hast placed thy Lions; but these Women and these Children, tho’ weak, shall hold on their way in spite of thy Lions.”

Mr. Great-heart’s description of the women as weak and his association of them with children reflect 17th-century gender constructs, but these are also thematically significant within the work’s religious context. Strength (in the sense of power) is not a particularly Christian virtue because Christianity teaches that humans cannot save themselves; what matters is a person’s faith that God will help them through their trials.

“Now Mathew the eldest Son of Christiana fell Sick, and his Sickness was sore upon him, for he was much pained in his Bowels, so that he was with it, at times, pulled as ‘twere both ends together.”

Bunyan uses visceral diction to convey the all-consuming nature of Mathew’s illness. His bad health builds suspense and might make the reader think that death is near. The scene gives Mathew a more prominent role in the plot, although he and his three brothers do not play a big role in the overall journey.

“This is the place where Christian your Husband met with the foul Fiend Apollyon, and where they had that dreadful fight that they had. I know you cannot but have heard thereof. But be of good courage, as long as you have here Mr. Great-heart to be your Guide and Conductor, we hope you will fare the better.”

The quote is one of many passages that remind the reader of Part 1 so that Christian’s character and journey remain relevant in Part 2. Piety reinforces the heroic, manly role of Mr. Great-heart and advances gender norms that disqualify women from battling demons and engaging in dangerous conflicts independently of men.

“For my part, as I have told you already, I have gone often through this Valley, and have been much harder put to it than now I am, and yet you see I am alive. I would not boast, for that I am not mine own Saviour. But I trust we shall have a good deliverance.”

Mr. Great-heart testifies to his own heroism and masculinity through his confident tone. As a God-fearing person, Mr. Great-heart is careful not to overdo it. He doesn’t brag about his accomplishments. In the latter part of the passage, he switches to a humble tone and acknowledges that everything he does is ultimately thanks to God.

“There was he that was hanged up in a Basket in the Sun, for the Wasps to eat; and he who they put into a Sack and cast him into the Sea, to be drowned. ’Twould be impossible, utterly to count up all of that Family that have suffered Injuries and Death, for the love of a Pilgrims Life.”

Gaius uses imagery to give a graphic account of how Christian’s spiritual ancestors suffered for God. Although already in heaven, Christian is a frequent focal point in Part 2. The passage also develops the theme of Alienation and Antagonism Versus Self-Awareness and Community. Although Christians may be persecuted by their immediate community, they belong to a much more significant family of believers.

“Twas a Woman that washed his Feet with Tears, and a Woman that anointed his Body to the Burial. They were Women that wept when he was going to the Cross; And Women that followed him from the Cross, and that sat by his Sepulcher when he was buried. They were Women that was first with him at his Resurrection morn, and Women that brought Tidings first to his Disciples that he was risen from the Dead. Women therefore are highly favoured, and shew by these things that they are sharers with us in the Grace of Life.”

Gaius’s tone is effusive, and he uses repetition to emphasize how critical women were to Jesus Christ. The words “woman” or “women” appear seven times in the passage, complicating the motif of gender. Women can admiringly devote themselves to Christ, but they shouldn’t directly engage in spiritual battles.