Pilgrim's Progress

Pilgrim's Progress was published on February 18, 1678, by the Englishman John Bunyan. This book is a Christian allegory, divided into two parts. The first is about a pilgrim, called Christian, and his journey to the celestial city. The second is about how the other members of his family followed after him on pilgrimage.

Virtually every colonial home in New England had a copy of Pilgrim's Progress, and it was a best-seller worldwide.

Here is a sample from the book:

Christian ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending, and upon that place stood a cross ... So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back.

Part One Synopsis

The narrator recounts the dream he has about a man called Christian. Christian has become desperate after reading from a book that the city where he lives will be destroyed. He is advised by a man named Evangelist to travel toward a light in the distance until a reaches a wicket-gate. He convinces his neighbor Pliable to come with him but his other neighbor Obstinate refuses to follow him. Soon Christian and Pliable encounter a deep slough called Despond. Pliable decides to return to the City of Destruction but Christian continues his journey. He is rescued from the Slough of Despond by a man named Help.

Next he encounters Mr. Wordly Wiseman from the town of Carnal Policy. He advises Christian to go to seek Mr. Legality from the village of Morality on the top of Mount Sinai in order to be relieved of his burden. Christian is stopped by Evangelist who urges him to turn back from the path that avoids the cross and search the strait gate instead, which leads to salvation. Christian finally reaches the wicket-gate which is opened by a man named Good-will. He warns Christian that the castle near the gate is ruled by Beelzebub who attempts to shoot anyone who goes through the gate and Christian quickly goes through it. Good-will advises him to continue his journey until he reaches the place of deliverance and is relieved of his burden. Good-will guides him into the house of the Interpreter who shows him various allegorical visions with moral lessons.

Then Christian encounters a wall named Salvation which he follows until he finds a cross and a sepulcher under it. At the sight of the cross he is relieved of his burden which falls into the sepulcher and meets three shining ones who remove his clothes, give him new ones, press a mark on his forehead and give him a roll with a seal on it which he must give at the Celestial Gate. He soon meets two men called Formalist and Hypocrisy who have gone around the wall rather than through the gate. They travel together until they reach the Hill Difficulty. While Christian climbs the hill, the two men follow two paths that go round it called Danger and Destruction and eventually meet their death.

While climbing the hill Christian falls asleep and loses his roll but manages to find it after returning to search for it. He is warned about lions guarding a nearby palace named Beautiful by two men called Mistrust and Timorous but when encountering the lions the porter of the palace's lodge named Watchful tells him that the lions should not be feared as they are chained and are merely a trial of faith. The porter welcomes him to the palace which he reveals was built as a place of rest for pilgrims by the lord of the hill, the son of the Ancient of days. In the palace he meets four women called Discretion, Piety, Charity and Prudence. When morning has arrived the women accompany him down the hill and Christian arrives to the Valley of Humiliation.