英国文学John Bunyan

JohnBunyan1628—1688Milton&Bunyan----BothrepresentedtheextremesofEnglishlifeinthe17thcenturyandwrotethetworemarkableworksthathaveimbuedwiththemightyPuritanspirit.(1)MiltonA.wasthechiefPuritanpoet;B.gaveustheonlyepicsinceBeowulf;C.voicedthePuritanidealsfortheeducatedclass;(2)BunyanA.wasthechiefPuritanwriterofprose;B.gaveustheonlygreatallegory----ThePilgrim’sProgress;C.spokeforthecommonpeople.Life&Works(1)Bunyanwasofhumbleorigin,thesonofatinsmithinthevillageofBestow,nearBedford,wherehewasborn.HislifecoveredtheperiodofthegreatestcrisisinthePuritanstruggleforthesurvivaloftheirvariousversionsofextremeProtestantfaith,andhehimselfwasofBaptistsympathies.(1)HetookpartintheCivilWar,butnexttonothingisknownofhissoldieringcareer.AftertheRestorationofCharlesII,thePuritansunderwentseverepersecution&hehimselfwasimprisonedtwiceforhispreaching,oncefor12years.(2)Thoughnominallyanuneducatedman,Bunyanwasfedbyarich,butinsomewaysprimitive,culture.ThemainsourceofthiswastheEnglishBiblewhich,likeotherPuritans,heknewwithextraordinarythoroughness.(3)Thereisanelementofpopularsecularculturefromhisyouth.ThereisalsotheallegorizingtraditionofthevillagesermonwhichpersistedintohisyouthfromtheMiddleAges,verylittleaffectedbytheReformation.(4)ItwasduringBunyan’ssecond&shortertermimprisonmentthathewrotePartIofhismasterpiece;themildertoneofPartIImaybepartlyarefectionofthespiritofgreatertoleranceofreligiousdifferenceprevailinginEnglandlaterinhislife.(5)ThegreatreputationofPilgrim’sProgressarisesfromthedepthofBunyan’sexperience,thespaciousnessofhisimagination,andthecourage,honesty,andnobilityofhispersonality,allofwhichraisethebookfaraboveitsnarrow,sectarian(宗派的)basis.ThePilgrim’sProgress(1678)Introduction(1)Itwaswrittenintheformofallegoryanddream.ItisaproseallegorydepictingthepilgrimageofahumansoulinsearchofSalvation.Itisintwoparts:PartIwaswrittenin1678,andpartIIin1684.(2)PartItellsofthereligiousconversionofChristian,andofhisreligiouslife(conceivedasapilgrimage)inthisworld.IttellsofChristian’spilgrimagefromhishometotheCelestialCity,andofhisexperiencesandadventuresonhisjourney.(3)PartIIdescribesthesubsequentconversionofhiswifeChristianaandtheirchildren,andtheirsimilarjourneywithagroupoffriends.ButinPartII,therearemoreriddlesandparablesandlighterscenesthaninPartI.PartIIismuchinferiortoPartI.BriefOutlineofPartI•Thewholebookbeginswiththeauthor’sdream,Inwhichtheauthortellshowhe“sawamanclothedwithrags,standinginacertainplace,withhisfaceturnedfromhisownhouse,abookinhishand,andagreatburdenuponhisback”.•Helooked,andsawthemanopenthebookandreadtherein;andasheread,hewept,andtrembledandnotbeingablelongertocontain,hebrokeoutwithalamentablecry,saying“whatshallIdo?”•ThemanisChristian,thepilgrim,andthebookistheBible,andtheburdenonhisbackistheweightofworldlycaresandconcerns.FromthebookChristianlearnsthatthecityinwhichheandhisfamilydwellwillbeburnedwithfire.•Hetriestoconvincehiswife,childrenandneighborsofthedangerswhichthreatenthemandtoaskthemtoaccompanyhiminhissearchforsalvation.Buttheythinkhimmadandwillnotlisten.•Sohedecidestostartoutalone,buthisfriendPliableofferstogowithhim.TheysoonstumbleandfallintotheSloughofDespond,atwhichPliableisdiscouragedandturnsback.•Christianbravelystruggleson,butispersuadedtoturnofffromtherightpathbyMr.WorldlyWisemanwhoassureshimthataMr.Legalitynearbycanshowhimamucheasierwaytogetridofhisburden.•WiththehelpofMr.Evangelist,heeventuallygetsbacktothemainroad,andisovertakenbyaneighborFaithful,whohassetsoutlaterbuthasmadebetterprogress.•Thetwocontinuetogetherthroughmanyadventures,includingthegreatstrugglewithApollyon,rulerofthisworld,whoclaimsthemashissubjectsandrefusestoaccepttheirallegiancetoGod.•AftermanyotherexperiencestheytrytopassthroughVanityFairwherebotharearrestedasforeignagitators.Broughttotrialbeforealordofthefair,JudgeHate-Good,Faithfuliscondemnedandtorturedtodeath.•Christian,however,escapesandcontinuesonhisway,assistedbyanewfriend,Hopeful,whohasbeenconvertedbyFaithful’smartyrdom.•Theyholdtothehighroaddespitemanydifficultiesanddangersbutfinally,theirfeetbeingwearyandtheroadgrowinghourlymorehard&rocky,theyaretemptedtotakeabypaththroughapleasantmeadowwhichseemstofollowthesamegeneralroute.•Itsoondiverges,however,andtheywarnedbarelyintimebythefateofMr.Vain-Confidencewho,rushingahead,fallsintoadeeppit&isdashedtopieces.•Unabletowinbacktotherightroadbeforenightfall,theyarecapturedbyGiantDespairandthrownintothedungeonofDoubtingCastle.Heretheyarealmostdriventosuicide,butagainescapeandgoontheirway,postingawarningtohelpotherpilgrimsavoidtheirmistakes.•AtlasttheyreachtheCelestialCity,whichtheyentertoenjoyeternallifeinthefellowshipoftheblessed.SuchisthebriefoutlineofthefirstpartofThepilgrim’sProgress.Thegreatpopularityofthebookledtheauthortowriteasequel,thesecondpartofThePilgrim’sProgress.VanityFair(1)Themostsignificantthingisthatthesatiresinthebookarecenteredupontherulingclass.Especiallywell-knownarethedescriptionsofVanityFairandoftheexperienceofChristianandFaithfulinit,(1)forhereBunyannotonlygivesusasymbolicpictureofLondonatthetimeoftheRestor