The Pilgrim's Progress is celebrated as the first great English novel, blending fact and fiction in an allegorical journey that has captivated readers for centuries. Its enduring appeal lies in its universal themes, memorable characters, and influence on literature.
The Pilgrim's Progress, written by John Bunyan, is not just a foundational English novel but a timeless allegory that continues to resonate with readers. Its narrative follows Christian's journey through various symbolic landscapes, encountering a cast of vivid characters that represent different virtues and vices. The book's strength lies in its ability to balance profound themes with accessible storytelling, making it a beloved classic across generations.
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The English novel begins behind bars, in extremis. Its first author, John Bunyan, was a Puritan dissenter whose writing starts with sermons and ends with fiction.
The Pilgrim's Progress is the ultimate English classic, a book that has been continuously in print, from its first publication to the present day, in an extraordinary number of editions.
There's no book in English, apart from the Bible, to equal Bunyan's masterpiece for the range of its readership, or its influence on writers as diverse as William Thackeray, Charlotte Bronte, Mark Twain, CS Lewis, John Steinbeck and even Enid Blyton.