Season 5 Podcast 136 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 39 Chapter 7 G, “The Great Escape.”

A New Voice of Freedom

Season 5 Podcast 136 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 39 Chapter 7 G, “The Great Escape.”

In last week’s episode we met the Giant Despair in Doubting Castle and his wife Diffidence. They lock Christian and Hopeful in a dungeon. In this week’s episode we see how Christian and Hopeful effect their escape.

“Well, towards evening, the giant goes down into the dungeon again, to see if his prisoners had taken his counsel. But, when he came there, he found them alive; and truly, alive was all; for now, what for want of bread and water, and by reason of the wounds they received when he beat them, they could do little but breathe. But, I say, he found them alive; at which he fell into a grievous rage, and told them that, seeing they had disobeyed his counsel, it should be worse with them than if they had never been born.”

Remember that Christian and Hopeful are in By-path Meadow and cannot find their way back. The Giant Despair symbolizes the monumental misery they brought upon themselves by wandering off the safety of the straight and narrow path. They are lost. They are starving. They have been mercilessly beaten, and they are barely alive. Suicide appears to be their only escape. The Giant Despair goes into a rage when he discovers they haven’t followed his advice and threatens to kill them; however, he is helpless. When he tries to lay his hands on them, he falls into a fit. The only way he can Destroy Christian and Hopeful is to convince them to kill themselves.

“At this they trembled greatly, and I think that Christian fell into a swoon; but, coming a little to himself again, they renewed their discourse about the giant's advice and whether yet they had best to take it or no. Now, Christian again seemed for doing it; but Hopeful made his second reply as followeth:”

Cristian is leaning toward the idea of suicide. It is only Hopeful that makes him pause. Christians call Faith, Hope, and Charity the Three Heavenly Virtues. Faith always precedes hope. Christian’s previous traveling companion was Faithful who was martyred in Vanity Fair. It was only then that Hopeful joined Christian. Hopeful joined Christian only because he observed how valiant Christian and Faithful had been in the face of persecution in Vanity Fair.

Bunyan raises an interesting theological question, “What is the role of Hope in our lives?” His answer is very clear as we see from the above scene. Without Hope we fall into despair as symbolized by the Giant Despair, Doubting Castle, the very dark dungeon, and also Despair’s wife Diffidence, who symbolizes hesitance, reserve, timidity, and reticence They are actually weaknesses in Christian’s character. It has prevented them from even trying to escape. Bunyan is suggesting that first we bring about our own trials by abandoning the straight and narrow path, and second we prevent our own escape through our fear and timidity. Christian is intimidated by the Giant Despair, and he will do anything to escape the misery of the dungeon, even commit suicide.

Had Christian not brought Hopeful with him, he would have taken his own life. Hopeful was against Christian leaving the Straight and Narrow Path and going into the By-path Meadow. Christian’s argument was that the path they were on was too rough, they were tired, their feet were sore, and that By-path Meadow was the easier way. He was convinced that By-path Meadow would take him to the Celestial City. He discovered his error too late. He was not aware that he was trespassing on the property of the Giant Despair.

Without Hopeful Christian’s journey would have ended there. Hopeful said,

“HOPE. "My brother," said he, "rememberest thou not how valiant thou hast been heretofore? Apollyon could not crush thee, nor could all that thou didst hear, or see, or feel in the Valley of the Shadow of Death.