The Pilgrim's Progress, Modern English Edition

John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was the second most widely and deeply read book in the English-speaking world for many, many years, the Bible being the first. Bunyan lived during the turbulent times of English Civil War and strife between the Established Church of England and the Nonconformists. Parliment and the Nonconformists went to war against King Charles and the Church of England (1642-1648). At age sixteen, Bunyan was drafted into the Protestant army and served two years. The Nonconformists, under Oliver Cromwell won, and Bunyan returned to Bedford, married, was baptized, and travelled the preaching circuit, where he became widely known for his powerful message. When Oliver Cromwell died, his dictatorship fell with him, and Charles II, (son of the beheaded Charles I) came to power, as did the Church of England. Bunyan was sent to jail in 1660 because he refused to stop preaching, and remained there for twelve years, until Charles II suspended all laws against the Nonconformists. The first part of Pilgrim's Progress, most of which had been written in jail, was published in 1678. Part two was published in 1684. As originally written, John Bunyan's narrative of the pilgrim Christian and his wife, Christina, is difficlut to read and out of date. For the person who may love to read passages over and over, with a dictionary of middle English and Anglo-Saxon words in his lap, the orginal edition is a delight. However, hurdle after hurdle destroys the cadence and rhythm of Bunyan's prose. Nor is the average reader aware that many of the words used by Bunyan have changed in meaning, at times drastically. It is the translation of obscufre medievel Anglo-Saxon words which is this edition's most valuable contribution. For the reader anxious to return to the language of Bunyan's original edition, he or she may now do so fully armed with knowledge of the change of meaning in words, and a true "translation" of the more obscure passages of The Pilgrim's Progress.