Bunyan Characters, Volume 1

Bunyan Characters is one of the representative works of the Scottish pastor Alexander Whyte (1836–1921), growing out of his series of sermons at St. George's Free Church, Edinburgh. The first series focuses on the characters in Part I of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, analyzing one by one the personality, psychology, and spiritual condition of these allegorical figures. Whyte does not treat Bunyan's characters as abstract symbols of virtue but, with delicate strokes, writes them as recognizable, almost conversable real fellow beings, letting readers see their own weakness, struggle, and hope in his commentary. This volume discusses in turn the "Introductory," Evangelist, Obstinate, Pliable, Help, Mr. Worldly-Wiseman, Goodwill the Gatekeeper, The Interpreter, Passion and Patience, Simple, Sloth, and Presumption, the Three Shining Ones at the Cross, Formalist and Hypocrisy, Timorous and Mistrust, Prudence, Charity, Shame, Talkative, Judge Hate-Good, Faithful in Vanity Fair, By-Ends, Giant Despair, Knowledge, Experience, Watchful, Sincere, and other characters and scenes. Throughout, the book proceeds by wide citation and blended narrative and commentary, balancing literary appreciation with pastoral exhortation; it can serve as a companion to reading The Pilgrim's Progress or be read as independent moral and devotional essays. This is Volume 1 of the series, corresponding to the First Series. Note: no authoritative complete Chinese translation has been found, so translator and Chinese publisher information is unavailable; this entry is based mainly on English editions.