Plot of The Pilgrim's Progress

First Part

The entire book is presented as a dream sequence narrated by an omniscient narrator. The allegory's protagonist, Christian, is an everyman character, and the plot centres on his journey from his hometown, the“City of Destruction”(“this world”), to the“Celestial City”(“that which is to come”: Heaven) atop Mount Zion. Christian is weighed down by a great burden-the knowledge of his sin-which he believed came from his reading“the book in his hand”(the Bible). This burden, which would cause him to sink into Hell, is so unbearable that Christian must seek deliverance. He meets Evangelist as he is walking out in the fields, who directs him to the“Wicket Gate”for deliverance. Since Christian cannot see the“Wicket Gate”in the distance, Evangelist directs him to go to a“shining light, ”which Christian thinks he sees. Christian leaves his home, his wife, and children to save himself: he cannot persuade them to accompany him. Obstinate and Pliable go after Christian to bring him back, but Christian refuses. Obstinate returns disgusted, but Pliable is persuaded to go with Christian, hoping to take advantage of the Paradise that Christian claims lies at the end of his journey. Pliable's journey with Christian is cut short when the two of them fall into the Slough of Despond, a boggy mire-like swamp where pilgrims' doubts, fears, temptations, lusts, shames, guilts, and sins of their present condition of being a sinner are used to sink them into the mud of the swamp. It is there in that bog where Pliable abandons Christian after getting himself out. After struggling to the other side of the slough, Christian is pulled out by Help, who has heard his cries and tells him the swamp is made out of the decadence, scum, and filth of sin, but the ground is good at the narrow Wicket Gate. Finally Christian has a rough time because of his past sins wearing him down, but Hopeful helps him over; and they are welcomed into the Celestial City.

Second Part

The Second Part of The Pilgrim's Progress presents the pilgrimage of Christian's wife, Christiana; their sons; and the maiden, Mercy. They visit the same stopping places that Christianvisited, with the addition of Gaius' Inn between the Valley of the Shadow of Death and Vanity Fair, but they take a longer time in order to accommodate marriage and childbirth for the four sons and their wives. The hero of the story is Great-Heart, a servant of the Interpreter, who is the pilgrims' guide to the Celestial City. He kills four giants called Giant Grim, Giant Maul, Giant Slay-Good, and Giant Despair and participates in the slaying of a monster called Legion that terrorizes the city of Vanity Fair.

The passage of years in this second pilgrimage better allegorizes the journey of the Christian life. By using heroines, Bunyan, in the Second Part, illustrates the idea that women as well as men can be brave pilgrims.

Comments on The Pilgrim's Progress

The Pilgrim's Progressis a book that combines with theology and literature,but at firstitis a work of religious literature. Bunyan is a religious fanaticism at that time. At this point, his work can't put up without his religion.So the Bible becomes his original to create this masterpiece. Also the life experience of Bunyan gives him a lot of creation material. What's more, the English Bibleis the model ofit.He makes The Pilgrim's Progress with his genius.In this book,you can find the shadow and lingering charm of the Bible.