英国文学简史结课论文ThePilgrim27sProgress.docVIP

A Brief History of English Literature The Pilgrim’s Progress Name: Number: Class Number: Teacher: The Pilgrim’s Progress As Banyun’s most significant work, The Pilgrim’s Progress met with warm reception after it came out. It’s not strange that The Pilgrim’s Progress became a book owned by almost every family in England for two following centuries, a record perhaps only next to the Bible itself. Translated into over 200 languages, The Pilgrims Progress is one of the most famous classics of literature. Ⅰ.The Author John Bunyan (1628一1688), the author of The Pilgrims Progress, is recognized as one of the most famous English allegorists. John Bunyan was born into a tinkers family in 1628. He was sent to school for a short time, but he was soon busy in his fathers shop. When he was not yet sixteen his mother died; in two months his father married again. In 1642 he joined the parliamentary army and in 1647 was honorably discharged. Then he married a wife whose piety redeemed him from his delight in rural sport and the habit of profane swearing. He got interested in religion and in a few years joined a small group of non-conformists. His influential preaching astonished and enraged the authorities and then upon his refusal to leave off preaching, the justice committed him to Bedford jail, where he lay for nearly thirteen years. And it was here, in this period, he wrote the wonderful The Pilgrims Progress. Ⅱ.The Plot Layout It is an allegorical novel, describing a Christians journey through life to reach heaven. In this allegory, Christian and his company progress on a spiritual pilgrimage according to the instructions in the Bible. Despite their occasional diversions, they always hold to the Divine truth. Therefore all of them get an access to the world of eternal blessing, honor, glory and power. The readers must have exulted at the desirable salvation of the Christian family, because they are pilgrims on the same road. They encount