The Bedford Jail was like all English jails of the day, a stink hole, filthy, no sanitation, little water or food, little warmth in the winter.
In 1666, John was briefly released for a few weeks, before being re-arrested - again, for preaching - and sent back to Bedford's County gaol, where he remained for a further six years. During that time, he wove taglaces to support his family and preached to his fellow prisoners - a congregation of about sixty. In his possession were two books, John Foxe's Book of Martyrs, the Bible, a violin he had made out of tin, a flute he'd made from a chair leg and a supply of pen and paper. Both music and writing were integral to John's Puritan faith. John Bunyan was released in January 1672, when Charles II issued the Declaration of Religious Indulgence.
The latter part was about Christian’s family, his wife and children. They also confronted numerous similar challenges, but our heroine succeeded with other’s helps and arrived in the same place as Christian. Bunyan was a Christian, and he wrote to announce his piety. Although the world, not only in the novel but also in the real society, was much wicked and immoral, the religious Christian chose to keep piety and pursue beauty and kindness. They trusted the God and they believed the world would become ideal one day with their sincere prayers and don
Christian allegory Two parts
The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come. Touches of tenderness and quaint humor, bursts of heart-moving eloquence, and pure idiomatic English.
In 1874, a bronze statue of John Bunyan, sculpted by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, was erected in Bedford. This stands at the south-western corner of St Peter's Green, facing down Bedford's High Street. The site was chosen by Boehm for its significance as a crossroads.
In March 1675, following Charles II's withdrawal of the Declaration of Religious Indulgence, John was again imprisoned for preaching. At some time during these imprisonments he wrote this book ,T he P ilgrim 's P rogre ss . It was published in 1678 and Bunyan was shocked at how successful it was. By the time of his death, eight editions had appeared as well as a French and Dutch edition.
Bunyan’s Death
John went to London to settle a dispute between a son and a father, as well as to preach. After reconciling the two men, he was unable to preach because of the torrential rain. He became soaked in the rain, fell sick with a fever and died at age 60.
John Bunyan
(1628~1688)
John Bunyan’s life
Jo h n B u n y a n w a s b o rn in 1628 to T h o m a s a n d M a rg a re t B u n y a n , in B u n y a n 's E n d in th e p a ris h o f E ls to w , B e d fo rd s h ire , E n g la n d . H is m o th e r d ie d w h e n h e w a s 15,a n d 13-ye a r-o ld sis te r d ie d a fe w w e e k s la te r. A fe w m o n th s la te r w h e n Jo h n w a s 16 h e w a s d ra fte d in to C ro m w e ll’s a rm y (w a r b e tw e e n p a rlia m e n t a n d th e K in g C h a rle s I)H e w a s ta u g h t th e tra d e o f a tin k e r b y h is fa th e r (a m e n d e r o f p o ts , u te n s ils ,) th is w a s n o t a h ig h ly re g a rd e d tra d e .
《天路历程》
The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come is a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan and published in February, 1678. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of religious English literature, has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been out of print.
Contents
This novel told a story combined by two parts, both of which were related to the arduous journeys of Christians. The protagonist in former part was named Christian, who originally lived in the City of Destruction, determined to take off the burden on his back and avoid being destroyed in his hometown, so he set out to seek for the Celestial City. He met with different people and various things on the way, which might guide him, mislead him, hurt him, help him or frighten him. Fortunately, he overcame all the difficulties and temptations, and eventually reached the Celestial City.
He was married at about 20 to his first wife (about which we know little, not even her name). She brought little to the marriage except for two books, one of which was an allegory . In 1658 his wife died, leaving John with 4 children, one of whom was blind. Aged 30, he was arrested for preaching at Eaton Socon and indicted for preaching without a license, but this offence did not result in imprisonment and he continued preaching. In 1659, Bunyan married again, to Elizabeth (surname unknown), by whom he had two more children Sarah (born 1667)and Joseph (born 1672).