“My Pilgrim is with Some, Worth More than Gold”: the British Reception of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim’s Progress

Abstract

In my thesis I will focus on the history of the reception of John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress throughout the centuries, trying to outline how the developments in culture and aesthetic have determined the ebb and flow of its literary fortune within British culture. I will firstly summarise Bunyan’s life. Secondly, I will take a closer look at the workings and history of allegory, as the changing reactions to allegory as a literary device undoubtedly had an effect on the responses to Bunyan’s allegorical work. Lastly, I will explore the reception proper of The Pilgrim’s Progress, from the moment of its publication on – each chapter will be devoted to a particular century: how did the political and cultural concerns of the ages influence and shape the reception of Bunyan’s work? How was The Pilgrim’s Progress used, and to what purposes? How did later authors adapt and employ Bunyan’s themes and images in their own works?