Summary
Christian meets up with his former fellow townsman Faithful,
who fled the City of Destruction shortly after Christian left. Faithful reports
that the townspeople discussed their impending doom, but that few
took it seriously enough to leave. Faithful says that Christian’s
old acquaintance Pliable returned to town and was mocked for the
dirt on his clothing from the Slough of Despond.
Faithful says he himself escaped the Slough but was tempted
by a wanton woman and by an old man named Adam the First, who promised
Faithful any of his three lusty daughters if he would stay. Faithful
reports that he declined the offer, knowing it would be slavery.
Even though he rejected Adam, Moses appeared to strike down Faithful
in punishment, Christian concludes, for secretly being attracted
by Adam’s offer. Faithful reports that shame tried to turn him from
his holy path, attacking religion as unmanly. Christian congratulates
Faithful on his fortitude and then tells him of his own adventures.
Another townsman named Talkative joins the two. Faithful
is initially impressed by Talkative’s devoutness, since Talkative
likes discussing religious topics. Christian sees otherwise and
takes Faithful aside to tell him that Talkative’s faith is all in
words, not in deeds. He knows Talkative from his life before and
knows that he has a fine tongue but little else. Rejoining Talkative,
Christian asks him to explain the difference between speaking out
against sin and abhorring it. Talkative has trouble seeing any difference
between the two, and Christian sets him straight. Irked, Talkative
leaves them.
Emerging from the wilderness, Evangelist meets Christian
and Faithful and congratulates them on overcoming their obstacles. Evangelist
says they will soon enter a powerful enemy city where one of them
will die. The narrator identifies this city as Vanity, home of a
great and ancient festival called Vanity Fair, where tawdry products
are traded and Beelzebub is worshipped. At Vanity Fair, Faithful
and Christian are mocked, smeared with dirt, and thrown in a cage.
Given a chance to repent, they stay true to their righteous hatred
of worldly possessions. They are condemned to death for belittling
Vanity’s false religion. Faithful tries to speak in his own defense
but is burned at the stake and carried off to heaven. Christian
is remanded to prison but escapes later.
Christian continues his journey joined by a new ally,
Hopeful, and a stranger named By-ends, who sees religion as a way
of getting ahead in the world. Christian refuses to let By-ends
accompany them unless he affirms that poverty is an aspect of faith.
By-ends is turned away and joins other religious fortune hunters,
who are stunned when Christian denounces them. Christian and Hopeful enter
the plain of Ease, where a gentlemanly figure named Demas entices
them with buried silver and dreams of wealth. They spurn him, telling
him they will not be nudged from their course by riches. On their
way, they notice the pillar that once was Lot’s wife who made the
mistake of looking back at what she had left behind on her own path
to salvation. Christian and Hopeful vow not to make the same mistake
themselves.
Moving onward, they follow a man who says he knows a shortcut
to the Celestial City. They realize it is not a shortcut after they fall
into a pit. A storm rises, and they nearly drown when the rain floods
their hole. When the rains abate, they come out and continue on.
They find shelter near the Doubting Castle owned by the Giant Despair,
where they sleep. The giant wakes them and says they must be punished
for trespassing. His wife, Diffidence, encourages the harshest punishments.
They are imprisoned and beaten and contemplate suicide, finally
deciding against it as a sin. Christian remembers he has a key called
Promise that will open any door in Despair’s castle. Christian and
Hopeful escape and mount a sign warning future travelers away from
Despair.
