Character List
Part I
Christian - Husband
and father stricken by spiritual crisis. Christian is told by a
messenger to leave his doomed city and begin a journey of progress
toward spiritual achievement.
Evangelist - The
messenger carrying the Gospel, or word of Christ, to Christian.
Evangelist spurs Christian on his journey to the Celestial City.
Obstinate - A
neighbor of Christian's in the City of Destruction who refuses to
accompany him.
Pliable - A
neighbor of Christian's who accompanies him for a while. After falling
in the Slough of Despond, Pliable is discouraged and returns home,
only to be mocked by the townsfolk.
Help - Fellow
pilgrim who helps pull Christian from the Slough of Despond.
Worldly Wiseman -
A reasonable and practical man whom Christian encounters
early in his journey. Worldly Wiseman tries unsuccessfully to urge
Christian to give up his religious foolishness and live a contented
secular life.
Formalist - A
traveler whom Christian meets along the wall of Salvation. With
his companion Hypocrisy, Formalist sneaks over the wall, instead
of following the strait and narrow as Christian did.
Hypocrisy - Formalist's
travel companion.
Discretion - One
of the four mistresses of the Palace Beautiful. Discretion takes
Christian in and feeds him.
Piety - One
of the four mistresses of the Palace Beautiful. Piety asks Christian
about his journey so far.
Prudence - One
of the four mistresses of the Palace Beautiful. Prudence tries to
understand Christian's purpose in traveling to Mount Zion.
Charity - One
of the four mistresses of the Palace Beautiful. Charity asks Christian
why he did not bring his family, which causes him to weep.
The Interpreter -
Spiritual guide who shelters Christian. The Interpreter
instructs Christian in the art of reading religious meanings hidden
in everyday objects and events, which he houses in his Significant
Rooms.
Apollyon - Fierce
monster with fish scales, bear feet, and dragon wings. Apollyon
threatens Christian and fights him with sword until Christian defeats
him.
Shining Ones - Three
celestial creatures who clothe Christian with new garments and give
him the certificate. The Shining Ones act as guardians throughout
Christian's journey.
Faithful - Fellow
pilgrim from Christian's hometown who reports on the city they both
left behind. Faithful loyally accompanies Christian until he is
executed in the town of Vanity for the crime of disrespecting the local
Satan-worshipping religion.
Talkative - Fellow
pilgrim who travels alongside Christian and Faithful for a while.
Talkative is spurned by Christian for valuing spiritual words over
religious deeds.
Mr. By-ends - A
user of religion for personal ends and social profit. Mr. By-ends
accompanies Christian briefly after Christian escapes from Vanity.
Hopeful - Pilgrim
who replaces Faithful as Christian's travel companion and confidant
after leaving Vanity, all the way to the Celestial City. Hopeful
saves Christian's life in the river before the gates to Mount Zion.
Giant Despair - Master
of the Doubting Castle. Giant Despair imprisons Hopeful and Christian
for trespassing on his domain and is later killed by Great-heart
and Christiana's sons.
Diffidence - Giant
Despair's wife. She encourages the harsh punishment of Hopeful and
Christian in the Doubting Castle.
Demas - Gentlemanly
figure who tries to entice Christian and Hopeful with silver and
dreams of wealth.
Temporary - A
would-be pilgrim whom Christian speaks of in a cautionary way, warning
of Temporary's backsliding before his spiritual progress was complete.
Part II
Sagacity - An
elderly man who visits the narrator in his dream. After the narrator
asks after Christian's family, Sacacity offers to take the narrator's
place as the storyteller and recount Christiana's journey.
Christiana - Christian's
wife and the titular pilgrim in Part II. As a spiritual voyager
and a guide to her children, Christiana shows remarkable strength
and resilience on the journey.
Mercy - Christiana's
neighbor employed by her as a servant on her pilgrimage. She later
marries Matthew, Christiana's eldest son.
Matthew - Christiana's
eldest son, who eventually marries Mercy. After stealing fruit from
the devil's garden, Matthew must be healed by Dr. Skill.
Joseph - A
son of Christiana.
Samuel - A
son of Christiana.
James - Christiana's
youngest son.
Ill-Favored Ones -
Two strangers who attempt to harm Christiana and
Mercy.
Reliever - Fellow
pilgrim who rescues Christiana and Mercy from the two Ill-Favored
Ones.
Mr. Great-heart -
The Interpreter's manservant. He protects and guides
Christiana and Mercy on their way up the hill of Difficulty and
toward the House Beautiful.
Watchful - Porter
of the House Beautiful.
Grim - Master
of the lions, who threatens Christiana and Mercy on their way to
the House Beautiful.
Maul - A giant
killed by Great-heart. He accuses Great-heart of kidnapping the
pilgrims.
Mr. Brisk - Mercy's
suitor. He ends their affair because she is too involved in charity
work.
Old Honest - An
elderly pilgrim. While accompanying Christiana and her group, he
relates the sad demise of the pilgrim Fearing.
Mr. Fearing - A
pilgrim who accompanies Honest for some time. Mr. Fearing is courageous
in the face of physical danger but insufficiently certain about
his desire to reach the Celestial City.
Gaius - A
homeowner and host who welcomes Christiana and her group. Two of
Gaius's daughters marry two of Christiana's sons.
Giant Good-Slay -
A giant slain by Gaius, Great-heart, and others. He
almost devours the pilgrim Feeble-mind.
Heedless - A
pilgrim who falls asleep near the end of his pilgrimage and talks
in his sleep, showing his basic failure to understand pilgrimage.
Too-bold - Heedless's
cohort.
Madam Bubble - A
tall, attractive, dark-skinned temptress. Madam Bubble offers Standfast
herself and her money if he will stay with her.
Standfast - The
last pilgrim met by Christiana. Standfast is found kneeling on the
ground and praying in thanks for having been delivered from the
temptation of Madam Bubble.
Mr. Feeble-Mind -
A mentally slow pilgrim captured and nearly killed
by the giant Good-Slay. Mr. Feeble-Mind is rescued by Gaius and
joins Christiana's group of pilgrims.
Mr. Ready-to-Halt -
A handicapped pilgrim who joins Christiana's group
on crutches.
Mr. Mnason - Pilgrim
with whom Christiana's group lodges. Two of Mnason's daughters are
married off to Christiana's sons.
Contrite - Friend
of Mnason's, who says that the locals feel a burden of guilt after
the unjust execution of Christian's friend Faithful.
Valiant-for-truth -
A strong, sword-wielding pilgrim. Valiant-for-truth
drives off three attackers single-handedly and joins Christiana's
group at the end of their journey.
