Classics of World Spirituality

The Pilgrim's Progress is the tale of two spiritual, Homeric journeys taken by a man and a woman, who each have quite different experiences. Written by John Bunyan whilst in prison for religious dissention under Charles II, it has become a classic of Christian literature and deals with themes such as madness, despair, faith and supreme joy. Extreme negative emotions had been felt by the author in the early part of his life, when he wrestled with his mental health, fearing eternal damnation and Hell. He overcame this with study of the Bible, the influence of which can be seen throughout this work. Like his father, Bunyan was a tinker by trade, and the wide range of people he spoke to when travelling from place to place, not only affected the work, but also help to paint an interesting picture of 17th Century England. Book jacket.