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Pilgrims Progress in Today's English

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I decided to go ahead and get this version of Pilgrims Progress in spite of...nay even because of the unfavorable reviews. I noticed that those who revere the antiquated English of the original version wrote their reviews in modern English, and I would guess that they also speak in modern English. Therefore why must one labor through a book written in an antiquated language when a more readable version...written in language closer to that which you use everyday...is available? Put it this way...if you enjoy reading your Bible in the King James version then by all means stick with the original Pilgrims Progress. If you prefer to read your Bible in one of the more modern English formats, then you will enjoy this version. I think you will find it delightful, inspiring and thought provoking. Don't let the lit snobs guilt you into buying what you may not like and therefore won't read. This has nothing to do with dumbing down or lack of reading comprehension or anything like that. It is simply personal preference.

For those who have longed to read Pilgrim's Progress but have put it off this is the version to start with. Many have wanted to read this Christian Classic but did not want to start with trying to understand the 17th Century English of the original. To those this book is a blessing. It is very easy to read but amazingly true to the original. It is great as a stand alone reading, but even better when used as a prelude to the original text.

I would advise reading the Moody version and then immediately reading the old text.

Consider these three passages:

As I was walking through the wilderness of this world, I came to a place where there was a cave. I laid down in that place to sleep, and as I slept I had a dream in which I saw a man dressed in rags standing in a certain place and facing away from his own house. He had a Book in his hand and a great burden on his back. As I looked, I saw him open the Book and read out of it, and as he read, he wept and trembled. Unable to contain himself any longer, he broke out with a sorrowful cry, saying, "What shall I do?" (L. Edward Hazelbaker - The Pilgrim's Progress in Modern English)

As I walked through the wilderness of the world, I came to a place where there was a den. There I lay down to sleep; and as I slept, I dreamed a dream. In my dream I saw a man clothed in rags, standing by a path with a book in his hand and a great burden upon his back. His face was turned from his own house, which stood nearby. I saw him open his book and read, then begin to weep. No longer able to control his feelings, he broke out with a mournful cry, saying, "What shall I do?" (James H. Thomas - Pilgrim's Progress in Today's English)

As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place, where there was a Den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep: And as I slept, I dreamed a Dream. I dreamed, and behold I saw a man cloathed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a Book in his hand, and a great Burden upon his back. I looked, and saw him open the Book, and read therein; and as he read, he wept and trembled; and not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, What shall I do?

The first two are intended to be modernizations and clarifications of the too-difficult third version, the one actually penned by John Bunyan in 1678. (If any of you scholarly types are now itching to inform me that there are questions relating to the ur-text, I am aware of them--and I consider them to be irrelevant to the point I am making.) Dr. Johnson once commented that Alexander Pope's brilliant version of Homer's Iliad possessed every virtue of a translation except fidelity to the original. I shudder to speculate on what he might have had to say about Messrs. Hazelmaker and Thomas.

Let it be clear that I am commenting on "The Pilgrim's Progress" as literature, indeed, as great literature. The religious content of the book is plain in any version. From Bunyan, it is a plain-spoken tale effectively told by a plain-spoken and popular preacher. Bunyan's book, though, is far from being the touchy-feely, ecumenically-friendly thing that the modernized versions might suggest. After all, Bunyan managed to get himself into hot legal water in 1658 when the Puritan-dominated English Republic was in power and then again when the Anglican-dominated Restoration of Charles II came along. Bunyan was obstreperously a one-man sect. The closest thing he ever had to a real congregation was a mixed body of Congregationalists and Baptists, both of which now lay not very enthusiastic claim to him. He devoted a whole book to denouncing those notorious heretics and scoundrels, the Quakers [!] and in "The Pilgrim's Progress," the frightful "Giant Pope" pops up to make things tough for the faithful.

Bunyan's style is plain-spoken but it is far from unsophisticated. Read it aloud. Think how a powerful preacher would caress some words, savor the significant pauses and then thunder away: "I dreamed ... and BEHOLD, I saw a man cloathed in RAGS" or "and as he READ, he WEPT and TREMBled" or "he brake out with a LAMentable cry ... saying, WHAT shall I DO?" Now read Hazelmaker and Thomas out loud. They are anti-alchemists: they turn gold to lead.

Hazelmaker and Thomas are no more faithful to Bunyan's meaning than they are to his art. In the first sentence, Thomas to the contrary, it is obvious that Bunyan was referring to "this world," not "the world". "I came to a place where there was a cave," says Hazelmaker. "I came to a place where there was a den," says Thomas. But Bunyan says, "I lighted on a certain place, where there was a Den". To me, the obvious meaning of the phrases offered by Hazelmaker and Thomas is that the narrator is wandering about the countryside and, more or less by chance, has come upon a geologic feature. Bunyan's use of the words "lighted" (perhaps we would now say "alighted") and "certain" remove the element of chance. The narrator--Bunyan--is exactly where he intends to be. And where he intends to be is absolutely not in a cave. To make that point crystal clear, some editions have added a gloss at that very line; it says, "The Jail."

Bunyan spent much of his life in jail. He was there because he resolutely refused to obey the laws on preaching. Neither Puritans nor Anglicans ever said that he could not preach, they only wanted him to agree to do it at approved times and places in order to preserve the public peace in a religion-mad and revolution-riven land. He could have sprung himself at any time, doubtless with the relieved gratitude of his reluctant jailers, simply by saying that he would obey the law. In any case, his incarceration could not have been too onerous either by Seventeenth Century standards or by ours. He was free to write and publish, both at great length. He could and did preach to his fellow jailbirds. And he was even allowed on occasion to leave the jail to preach at large public meetings.

Don't waste your money on either Hazelmaker or Thomas. Stick with the original, a true classic of the English language. If you're still uncomfortable with Bunyan, take the money you've saved and buy a good dictionary.

"Pilgrim's Progress in Today's English" is a good introduction to Bunyan's famous allegory, particularly for anyone who's unwilling or unable to work through the 17th-century English of the original. This updated version, first published in 1964, is a polished effort, with contemporary but dignified language. It includes both Parts of "Pilgrim's Progress" -- the stories of Christian and Christiana -- and footnotes referring to the Bible passages that Bunyan cited. This version is broken up into chapters with informative titles, along the lines of a modern novel.

My only reservation about this "Pilgrim's Progress" is that it's not merely a retelling in modern English. It's actually a retelling *and a condensation.* All of Bunyan's poetry has been removed, and many episodes have been streamlined. To give just one example of the latter, when Christiana and her companions are on their way to the Interpreter's House, in the original they encounter two "ill-favored ones" (demons, presumably) who try to persuade Christiana to grant a "request." Christiana and the demons have words back and forth before the Reliever comes to Christiana's aid. In the "Today's English" version, this entire episode is boiled down to two sentences, with no dialog. (If you are interested in a modern English edition with no condensation, I recommend The Modern English Edition of Pilgrim's Progress.)

This kind of condensation is fine as long as the reader knows what he's getting. Unfortunately, the product description and cover blurb for this volume do not make it clear.

The Kindle version is well produced, with a linked table of contents and linked footnotes.

Quick easy read. Describes a Christian's walk with God to Heaven's gates. Includes many pitfalls we have all encountered or have been warned against. I could have included a few more from my personal life. 8^)

This version of John Bunyan's original makes for a light, yet poignant read. It provides an insight to Bunyan's own Christian journey and allows the reader to liken his/her own spiritual walk with that of this 17th century author.

my pastor suggested reading this (in today's English). I had never read it before and am enjoying it very much. He wants to read it after I've finished so am going to make sure it travels from home to home in my area so everyone can benefit from it's wonderful message and teachings.

What a great book. Excellent way to view the struggles that we encounter in our lives. Excellent way to explain CHRISTianity.I have read the original version and this version is much easier to read. It reads lilke a regular book

This is the best Christian book that i've ever read! And i've read a lot. I don't understand how anyone could give this book less tha 5-stars. Unless you are not a Christian. This book has changed lives over the centuries, and depicts "Authentic" Christianity. If your not interested in growing deeply in Christ, than don't buy it.

Great insight into spiritual matters. Allegories are as true today as they were in the 1600's.