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Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Pilgrim’s Progress, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Burden of Sin and Salvation through Christ
The World vs. Christianity
Obstacles on the Journey
The Centrality of the Bible
Women as Pilgrims
Summary
Analysis
Bunyan begins Part 2 with another long poem. He addresses his book in an apostrophe, telling it to go everywhere that the first part has gone, in order to tell Christiana’s story. If readers enjoyed Christian’s story, then they ought to welcome Christian’s wife and boys, who have now become pilgrims, too.
The second part of Pilgrim’s Progress was written about six years after the first part had already gained popularity. This sequel will follow Christian’s pilgrimage with the story of the family he left behind.
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In response to Christiana’s objection that she will not be well received because others have circulated counterfeit stories of Christian, Bunyan says that it will be obvious from his book’s language that it is authentic. Bunyan further argues that Christiana shouldn’t fear rejection, because in all lands—even among “Highlanders and Wild Irish,” and in New England—the first part has been warmly received. Young and old, men and women, city and country folk alike have enjoyed the first part.
In this part of the poem, Bunyan has his book “speak” in Christiana’s voice, expressing misgivings about her reception. Apparently, in response to the popularity of the first part of Pilgrim’s Progress across swaths of the English-speaking world (including parts that Bunyan views as “uncivilized”), unauthorized sequels were circulated.
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Bunyan again defends the use of seemingly obscure metaphors to “allure” readers’ minds and stick more firmly in their memories. Furthermore, the “Second Pilgrim” will reveal some things which the first left concealed. If people still refuse to read the Second Part, rejecting it as mere romance, then perhaps Bunyan’s writing is simply not to their taste.
Bunyan returns to the argument presented in the Apology, that allegory is a useful literary method for teaching and entertaining his audience. Although he believes the second part will usefully add to the first, he acknowledges that it won’t be to every reader’s taste.
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It’s Christiana’s job now to introduce not only herself and her sons, but her friends Mercy, Honest, Fearing, and many others with whose stories the reader might find something in common. He closes with the prayer that each “pilgrim,” and even some who have gone astray, will find something suited to their needs.
Bunyan hopes that the array of pilgrims’ experiences will speak to the diverse needs and experiences of his audience, too.
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