The Pilgrim's Progress in Modern English (Pure Gold Classic) (Pure Gold Classics)

Access to Bunyan's scripture references gives the serious reader the opportunity to better his or her understanding of Bunyan's work while Hazelbaker's references and annotations also compliment the text. Hazelbaker, for example, elaborates on the importance of the seal that a Shining One (an angel) places upon Christian's forehead and on the Document given to him. Hazelbaker also offers his audience a clear and detailed understanding of the "Family" that resides in the palace called Beautiful. The reader will appreciate Hazelbaker's explanation of Bunyan's reference to "the goods of Rome" at Vanity Fair and why it would have been significant to the first readers of The Pilgrim's Progress. Hazelbaker also takes the time to explain to the reader why he uses the word "coat" for "bosom." These are only a few of the many helpful annotations Hazelbaker includes in his work.

In studying Hazelbaker's translation I referred to an early edition of Bunyan's several times. Each time I found Hazelbaker's translation true to Bunyan. Hazelbaker has made special effort to maintain the characteristic qualities and message of Bunyan's original work. In the translation process, he manages to preserve Bunyan's work by keeping himself removed from the text. This is his duty and obligation as a translator. His translation is, in all honesty, unabridged and non-paraphrased.

Of the 215 pages I have studied to date, I have found only one minor word choice in Hazelbaker's translation that I wish he would not have made. He translates Bunyan's "cartloads" with "truckloads" in the Swamp of Despondence episode. Although, by definition, "truckloads" is acceptable, it too easily causes confusion for the modern reader who thinks of pickups and tractor-trailers when he reads "truckloads." This is certainly a minor concern, but I mention it in an effort to objective.

Hazelbaker has done an exceptional job of making Bunyan's beautiful classic more appealing to the modern audience. This unabridged version is suitable for readers from middle and upper elementary ages to adults. I am glad to see that Hazelbaker has taken the time and made the effort to offer his audience a version of Pilgrim's Progress that is not watered-down and compromised. It definitely deserves a place in any library.


Inspring Way to learn the Truth.   May 9, 2001
Michael Desario (Stow, Ohio USA)
55 out of 59 found this review helpful

I first read this book back in the seventies. Since I have also used as a Bible study tool and great source of allegorical illustration of the Christina life. It is a wonderful story for Christians of all ages to study and enjoy. Surly God blessed John Bunyan with a special insight into Discipleship. I recommend strongly sticking with the Modern English version of the book because of the vast differences in past speech patterns. The book is well worth your time and effort. Any serious student of Scripture will certainly find it's contents valuable and very insightful.


Updated "Progress" another step in the dumbing of America (and Canada, too)   November 18, 2005
L. E. Cantrell (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada)
49 out of 61 found this review helpful

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, Bunyan has 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.


Christian's Journey   September 3, 2000
catherine guelph (milano, italy)
33 out of 35 found this review helpful

This was an enjoyable read for me. The allegory of Christian on the road to eternal life was interesting for the sense of adventure. It was also revealing in its depiction of experiences common to myself. I was surprised to see my own journey described so clearly in some parts. Just knowing that I am not alone in my experience is a great source of comfort in my spiritual relationship. John Bunyan (1628-1688) was a remarkable and courageous individual. He was a tinker inspired to preach the gospel. He was rewarded for his effort with a prison term lasting 12 years. His time in prison was well-spent because he wrote his first book "Grace Abounding" and started "Pilgrim's Progress" during his incarceration. Up until the 20th century, there was hardly an English-speaking household which did not own a copy of this book. It was often used as a reading primer. After the Bible (KJV), this classic allegory has been the best-selling Christian book and has influenced English literature and thought through the four centuries in which it has been in print. There are so many delightful and thought provoking tales in this book, there is not enough room to tell nearly enough of them. I will relate but one example: Presenting the subtle diversion which a desire for worldly success can bring, Bunyan writes, "'First,' said Mr Moneylove, 'becoming religious is a virtue, regardless of the means he employed to be so. Second - it's not unlawful to get a rich wife or to bring more business to his shop. Third - the man who gets these by becoming religious gets things that are good from them who are good by becoming good himself. So then, here are a good wife, good customers, and good gain; and he has gotten all these things by becoming religious, which is good. Becoming religious in order to get all these things, therefore, is a good and profitable intention.'"

To which, Bunyan counters, "Then Christian said, 'Even a babe in religion may answer ten thousand such questions. If it is unlawful to follow Christ to obtain loaves, as shown in John six, how much more abominable is it to make of Him and religion a stalking-horse to get and enjoy the world?'" If you are interested in Protestant preaching as it existed in 17th century England, or you would like to understand what the Christian journey is about, this book will be interesting to you.


Life change in Perspective....   November 5, 2000
Sonserae D. Leese-calver (Pasadena, CA USA)
23 out of 23 found this review helpful

I'm in the middle of reading this wonderful classic and am so excited about it that I am going to host a weekly Bible Study and use the book as a powerful study tool. The revised version edited by L. Edward Hazelbaker makes the translation as simple as reading a children's novel. At the end of each chapter there is a list of specific scriptures and notes for Biblical reference throughout the entire book which I found extremely helpful.

John Bunyon's insight on going through troubles and trials is inspiring. He points out that although we may think we are taking the "easy road" off the "Path of the Way" which is uphill, it ends up taking us to a dark, dreary, dangerous place instead. If we persevere with "Faith" and "Hopeful" up the hill, we will eventually reach the top of the mountain in our Christian Journey with God by our side. I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE not just people who call themselves Christians...For it is a book filled with powerful lessons all can learn from.