{\b John Bunyan}.

{\b Date of Birth}.: 1628

{\b Date of Death}.: 1688

{\b Works}.

English preacher and writer. His first works, Some Gospel Truths Opened 
(1656), and A Vindication (1657), were directed against the religious group 
known as the Quakers. His next major work was the autobiographical Grace 
Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666) which details the experiences which 
turned him to religion. After A Confession of My Faith and a Reason of My 
Practice (1672) he began work on his allegorical masterpiece The Pilgrim's 
Progress which appeared in two parts (1678 and 1684). His other important 
works are The Life and Death of Mr Badman (1680), and The Holy War (1682).

{\b Featured Works}.

The Pilgrim's Progress, 'Song, from The Pilgrim's Progress', 'The Shepherd 
Boy's Song, from The Pilgrim's Progress'.

{\b General Comment}.

John Bunyan was born in Elstow near Bedford, son of a tinker. He was drafted 
into the parliamentary army in 1644 and returned to Elstow the following year 
where, in 1649, he married a poor girl. A self-confessed 'villain' during his 
youth, he had a series of 'religious experiences' shortly after his marriage 
which dramatically altered the course of his life. These experiences, 
documented in Grace Abounding, prompted him into a detailed reading of the 
Bible and The Prayer Book. 

Influenced heavily by two other works which his wife had introduced him to, 
Plain Man's Pathway by Dent, and Bayly's Practice of Piety, he joined a 
Nonconformist church in Bedford in 1653. 

His first wife died in 1856 after bearing him four children. He re-married in 
1659 and was arrested for preaching without a license in 1660.

He spent most of the next twelve years in Bedford gaol where he wrote nine 
books including The Holy City, or the New Jerusalem which was inspired by the 
Book of Revelation.

He was released in 1672, granted a license to preach, and appointed pastor of 
his old church in Bedford. He was again imprisoned in 1673, however, and spent 
another six months in gaol. It is believed that it was during this period that 
he wrote the first part of his great work The Pilgrim's Progress which tells 
the story of Christian as he makes his allegorical journey from the City of 
Destruction to the Celestial City. The book derives its unique beauty from the 
simplicity of the language, the vividness of the characterisation and, not 
least, from its touches of humour. Its use of colloquial English meant that 
its appeal was universal. Its vast popularity is shown by the fact that it has 
been translated into over a hundred different languages.

After completing Part II of The Pilgrim's Progress, which recounts the efforts 
of Chistiana, Christian's wife, to join her husband in the Celestial City, 
Bunyan continued to preach and write unhindered until his death.