Now, when night was come, Mrs. Diffidence and her
husband began to renew their discourse of their prisoners.
The old giant wondered that he could neither by his blows
nor by his counsel bring them to an end.
And with that his wife replied. "I fear," said she, "that 10
they live in hopes that some will come to relieve them,
or that they have picklocks about them, by the means of
which they hope to escape."
"And sayest thou so, my dear?" said the giant. "I
will therefore search them in the morning." 15
Well, on Saturday, about midnight, they began to pray,
and continued in prayer till almost break of day.
Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one
half amazed, broke out into a passionate speech: "What
a fool am I, thus to lie in a dungeon! I have a key in 20
my bosom, called Promise, that will, I am persuaded,
open any lock in Doubting Castle."
Then said Hopeful, "That's good news, good brother;
pluck it out of thy bosom and try."
Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom and began 25
to try at the dungeon door, whose bolt, as he turned the
key, gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and
Christian and Hopeful both came out.
After that, he went to the iron gate, for that must be
opened too, but that lock went desperately hard: yet the 30
key did open it. Then they thrust open the gate to make
their escape with speed; but that gate, as it opened, made
such a creaking that it waked Giant Despair, who, hastily
rising to pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his
fits took him again, so that he could by no means go after
them. Then they went on, and came to the King's highway
again, and so were safe. 5
--_Pilgrim's Progress._
1. Who was traveling with Christian? What mishap
first befell them? Why did it occur? What next did
they encounter? What happened to the two in
Doubting Castle?
2. Explain what an allegory is. Remembering this is
an allegory, what do you think each of the
following represents in actual life: Bypath Meadow,
Vain-Confidence, Doubting Castle, Giant Despair,
Mrs. Diffidence, the key called Promise, the King's
highway?
3. What is the significance of the name of each of
the two leading characters?
4. Select and read aloud a short passage that
reminds you of the Bible. In what way is the
language of your passage like that of the Bible?
5. John Bunyan (1628-1688) was an Englishman,
believed to be the son of a gipsy tinker. He said
his youth was very ungodly; but he married a
religious woman and early became a preacher. At the
same time he began to write books of a religious
nature. Because he preached at "unlawful meetings"
he was thrown into prison, where he remained for
twelve years. It was while he was in the Bedford
jail that he wrote the first part of _Pilgrim's
Progress_, the book that has made his name one of
the best loved in literature. After his release
from prison, he became an elected pastor of the
Baptist faith, and spent his remaining years in
preaching and writing. What is there in the above
extract that may reflect his experiences in
Bedford?