The New Student's Reference Work/Pilgrim's Progress

Pilgrim's Progress. This famous masterpiece was composed by John Bunyan (1628-88), a tinker of Bedfordshire, England. Having become converted to intense faith in the free-church point of view, he began to preach and was arrested for delivering sermons without a license. He was confined in Bedford Jail for over eleven years (1660-72), and during this period composed Pilgrim's Progress. This is an easily interpreted allegory describing the spiritual experiences of Christian, the pious man, on the way to the heavenly Jerusalem. He passes Neighbors Obstinate and Pliable, Worldly Wiseman, Apollyon, the Valley of the Shadow of Death, the Slough of Despond, Doubting Castle and Giant Despair. The allegory in a simple and yet brilliant way presents the religious notions current among the common people of the time.