E. C. Hartwell

Books are like men: great ones are rare. Occasionally a book is written that affects the thinking of people for centuries. To this class belongs John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, published 1678-1684.

It is the story of the journey of a man named Christian the Pilgrim, who travels from the City of Destruction to the Holy City. On this journey Christian is beset by all manner of terrors, temptations, and evils. The story is an allegory, portraying life and its struggles if one attempts to live righteously. Its language is that of the Bible. Its dialogue and characters seem real, and its narrative is full of action.

Now I beheld in my dream that Christian and Hopeful
had not journeyed far until they came where
the river and the way parted, at which they were not a
little sorry; yet they durst not go out of the way. Now
the way from the river was rough, and their feet tender 5
by reason of their travel; so the souls of the pilgrims were
much discouraged because of the way. Wherefore, still
as they went on, they wished for a better way.

Now, a little before them, there was on the left hand of
the road a meadow, and a stile to go over into it; and that 10
meadow is called Bypath Meadow. Then said Christian
to his fellow, "If this meadow lieth along by our wayside,
let us go over into it." Then he went to the stile to see,
and behold a path lay along by the way on the other side
of the fence. 15

"'Tis according to my wish," said Christian; "here is
the easiest going; come, good Hopeful, and let us go over."

"But how if this path should lead us out of the way?"

"That is not likely," said the other. "Look, doth it
not go along by the wayside?"

So Hopeful, being persuaded by his fellow, went after
him over the stile. When they were gone over, and were 5
got into the path, they found it very easy for their feet;
and withal they, looking before them, espied a man walking
as they did, and his name was Vain-Confidence: so
they called after him, and asked him whither that way
led. 10

He said, "To the Celestial Gate."

"Look," said Christian, "did not I tell you so? By
this you may see we are right."

So they followed, and he went before them. But,
behold, the night came on, and it grew very dark; so that15
they who were behind lost sight of him that went before.
He, therefore, that went before—Vain-Confidence by
name—not seeing the way before him, fell into a deep
pit and was dashed in pieces with his fall.

Now Christian and his fellow heard him fall; so they 20
called to know the matter. But there was no answer,
only they heard a groan.

Then said Hopeful, "Where are we now?"

Then was his fellow silent, as mistrusting that he had
led him out of the way; and now it began to rain and 25
thunder and lightning in a most dreadful manner, and the
water rose amain, by reason of which the way of going
back was very dangerous.

Yet they adventured to go back; but it was so dark
and the flood so high, that in their going back they had 30
like to have been drowned nine or ten times. Neither
could they, with all the skill they had, get back again to
the stile that night. Wherefore, at last lighting under a
little shelter, they sat down there until daybreak. But
being weary, they fell asleep.

Now there was, not far from the place where they lay,
a castle, called Doubting Castle, the owner whereof was 5
Giant Despair; and it was in his grounds they now were
sleeping. Wherefore he, getting up in the morning early,
and walking up and down in his fields, caught Christian
and Hopeful asleep in his grounds. Then with a grim and
surly voice he bid them awake, and asked them whence 10
they were and what they did in his grounds.

They told him they were pilgrims, and that they had
lost their way.

Then said the giant, "You have this night trespassed
on me, by trampling in and lying on my grounds, and therefore 15
you must go along with me."

So they were forced to go, because he was stronger
than they. They also had but little to say, for they
knew themselves in a fault. The giant, therefore, drove
them before him and put them into his castle, in a very 20
dark dungeon.

Here, then, they lay from Wednesday morning till Saturday
night, without one bit of bread, or drop of drink, or
light, or any to ask how they did: they were, therefore,
here in evil case, and were far from friends and acquaintance. 25

Now Giant Despair had a wife, and her name was Diffidence.
So, when he was gone to bed, he told his wife that
he had taken a couple of prisoners, and had cast them into
his dungeon for trespassing on his grounds. Then he asked
her also what he had best do to them. So she asked him 30
what they were, whence they came, and whither they
were bound; and he told her. Then she counseled him
that when he arose in the morning he should beat them
without mercy.

So when he arose, he getteth him a grievous crab-tree
cudgel, and goes into the dungeon to them, and there first5
falls to rating of them as if they were dogs, although they
never gave him an unpleasant word. Then he fell upon
them and beat them fearfully, in such sort that they were
not able to help themselves or to turn them upon the floor.
This done he withdraws and leaves them there to condole 10
their misery and to mourn under their distress. So all
that day they spent their time in nothing but sighs and
bitter lamentations.

The next night she, talking with her husband further
about them, and understanding that they were yet alive, 15
did advise him to counsel them to make away with themselves.

So, when morning was come, he goes to them in a
surly manner as before, and perceiving them to be very
sore with the stripes that he had given them the day before, 20
he told them that, since they were never like to come out
of that place, their only way would be forthwith to make
an end of themselves, either with knife, halter, or poison.
"For why," he said, "should you choose to live, seeing it
is attended with so much bitterness?" 25

But they desired him to let them go. With that he
looked ugly upon them, and rushing to them, had doubtless
made an end of them himself, but that he fell into
one of his fits and lost for a time the use of his hands.
Wherefore he withdrew, and left them, as before, to 30
consider what to do.Then did the prisoners consult between themselves,
whether it was best to take his counsel or no. But they
soon resolved to reject it; for it would be very wicked to
kill themselves; and, besides, something might soon
happen to enable them to make their escape.

Well, towards evening the giant goes down to the dungeon 5
again, to see if his prisoners had taken his counsel; but
when he came there, he found them alive. I say, he found
them alive; at which he fell into a grievous rage, and told
them that, seeing they had disobeyed his counsel, it should
be worse with them than if they had never been born. 10

At this they trembled greatly, and I think that Christian
fell into a swoon; but, coming a little to himself again,
they renewed their discourse about the giant's counsel,
and whether yet they had best take it or no. Now Christian
again seemed for doing it, but Hopeful reminded 15
him of the hardships and terrors he had already gone
through, and said that they ought to bear up with patience
as well as they could, and steadily reject the giant's
wicked counsel.

Now, night being come again, and the giant and his 20
wife being in bed, she asked him concerning the prisoners,
and if they had taken his counsel. To this he replied,
"They are sturdy rogues; they choose rather to bear all
hardships than to make away with themselves."

Then said she, "Take them into the castle yard to-morrow,25
and show them the bones and skulls of those that
thou hast already dispatched, and make them believe thou
wilt tear them in pieces, as thou hast done their fellows
before them."

So when morning has come, the giant goes to them again, 30
and takes them into the castle yard, and shows them as his
wife had bidden him. "These," said he, "were pilgrims,
as you are, once, and they trespassed on my grounds,
as you have done; and when I thought fit, I tore them in
pieces; and so within ten days I will do to you. Get
you down to your den again."

And with that he beat them all the way thither. 5

Now, when night was come, Mrs. Diffidence and her
husband began to renew their discourse of their prisoners.
The old giant wondered that he could neither by his blows
nor by his counsel bring them to an end.

And with that his wife replied. "I fear," said she, "that10
they live in hopes that some will come to relieve them,
or that they have picklocks about them, by the means of
which they hope to escape."

"And sayest thou so, my dear?" said the giant. "I
will therefore search them in the morning." 15

Well, on Saturday, about midnight, they began to pray,
and continued in prayer till almost break of day.

Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one
half amazed, broke out into a passionate speech: "What
a fool am I, thus to lie in a dungeon! I have a key in 20
my bosom, called Promise, that will, I am persuaded,
open any lock in Doubting Castle."

Then said Hopeful, "That's good news, good brother;
pluck it out of thy bosom and try."

Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom and began 25
to try at the dungeon door, whose bolt, as he turned the
key, gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and
Christian and Hopeful both came out.

After that, he went to the iron gate, for that must be
opened too, but that lock went desperately hard: yet the 30
key did open it. Then they thrust open the gate to make
their escape with speed; but that gate, as it opened, made
such a creaking that it waked Giant Despair, who, hastily
rising to pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his
fits took him again, so that he could by no means go after
them. Then they went on, and came to the King's highway
again, and so were safe. 5

—Pilgrim's Progress.