First Among Bunyan's Critics: T. S., Imitative Sequel Writer

According to her reading, although in The Second Part it is obvious that its author is opposed to High Church practice, his book appeals to a church tradition and weaves into the text a liturgical pattern.13 It is certainly true that T. S. stresses the importance of communion. To help us understand...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBunyan studies no. 21; pp. 55 - 72
Main Author Garrett, Christopher E
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Newcastle Upon Tyne Northumbria University, Department of Humanities, Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences 01.01.2017
Subjects
17th century
Allegory
Authenticity
Authorship
British & Irish literature
Bunyan, John (1628-1688)
Bunyan, John (1628-88)
Christianity
Collaboration
English literature
Folklore
Literary characters
Literary criticism
Literary devices
Literary influences
Meditation
Narrative techniques
Publishing
Publishing industry
Readers
Reading
Religion
Remakes & sequels
Spirituality
Theology
Truth
Writers
New York
United Kingdom > UK
United States > US
England
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Summary:According to her reading, although in The Second Part it is obvious that its author is opposed to High Church practice, his book appeals to a church tradition and weaves into the text a liturgical pattern.13 It is certainly true that T. S. stresses the importance of communion. To help us understand T. S.'s importance as Bunyan critic, we should turn our attention to U. Milo Kaufmann's scholarship. Besides emphasizing the influence of the Puritan meditative tradition in Bunyan's writing, Kaufmann wishes to pursue a much larger argument in which he employs two key terms: mythos (action; also related with imagination) and logos (thought; synonymous with reason and the Word). According to Kaufmann, the 'spiritual progenitor of Puritanism, John Calvin, was oriented toward logos rather than mythos as the fit vessel of truth'.17 He argues that writers like Baxter, Sibbes, and Bunyan begin to defuse the Puritan mistrust of allegory and imagination, and a movement commences among Puritan authors toward mythos. [...]according to Tindall, 'in answer to T. S.'s advocacy of the general call, Christiana received an individual letter from God [...] asking her particularly to set out'.29 Whether or not Tindall is correct in his surmises here, there certainly is greater emphasis on the benefits of spiritual community in Bunyan's Second Part.
ISSN:0954-0970