The Pilgrim's Progress (Barnes & Noble Classics)

Description

&&LDIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LI&&RThe Pilgrim's Progress&&L/I&&R, by &&LB&&RJohn Bunyan&&L/B&&R, is part of the &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R&&LI&&R &&L/I&&Rseries, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R: &&LDIV&&RNew introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars Biographies of the authors Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events Footnotes and endnotes Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work Comments by other famous authors Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations Bibliographies for further reading Indices & Glossaries, when appropriateAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics &&L/I&&Rpulls together a constellation of influences―biographical, historical, and literary―to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works.&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R &&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&RFaith, Hope, Mercy, Envy, Ignorance, Guilt: These are not abstract concepts, but the names of vividly imagined, sharply drawn human characters encountered by Christian, the hero of &&LI&&RThe Pilgrim’s Progress&&L/I&&R. In &&LB&&RJohn Bunyan&&L/B&&R’s seventeenth-century allegory of the soul’s search for salvation, each step along the way becomes a dramatic rendering of an inner state of the human psyche. As Christian journeys from “the wilderness of this world” to the glory of the Celestial City, he confronts a seemingly endless array of temptations, threats, and dangers, including the nearly irresistible allure of material splendor at Vanity Fair; the crushing psychological burden of depression and despair in the Slough of Despond; and the fear and uncertainty that eats away at faith in Doubting Castle. &&LBR&&R&&LBR&&RThis edition includes both the first and second parts of &&LI&&RThe Pilgrim’s Progress&&L/I&&R, which collectively reflect the feverish intensity of Bunyan’s religious beliefs. What remains significant is Bunyan’s ability to transform this intensity into an allegory that speaks to people of all faiths and all eras.&&LBR&&R&&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&LSTRONG&&RDavid Hawkes&&L/B&&R&&L/B&&R is Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University. His books include &&LI&&RIdols of the Marketplace&&L/I&&R (2001) and &&LI&&RIdeology&&L/I&&R (second edition 2003), and he has contributed articles to &&LI&&RThe Nation&&L/I&&R, the &&LI&&RTimes Literary Supplement&&L/I&&R, and the &&LI&&RJournal of the History of Ideas&&L/I&&R.&&L/P&&R&&L/DIV&&R