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The holy war
made by Shaddai upon Diabolus, for the regaining of the metropolis of the world; or, the losing and taking again of the town of Mansoul. By John Bunyan, ...
First published 1865 · 6336 pages
A grand, allegorical siege of the human soul, where cosmic forces clash over the citadel of the heart.
What it feels like
Reading this classic allegory feels like watching a cosmic battle unfold on the intimate stage of the human heart. The narrative moves at a steady, deliberate pace, steeped in the earnest, reverent tone of seventeenth-century Puritan thought. You are immersed in a spiritually charged, often somber mood as the forces of light and darkness lay siege to the metaphorical town of Mansoul. The prose is stately and archaic, demanding a slow, contemplative reading rhythm that rewards patience with profound theological insights. It is an experience of profound internal conflict that ultimately arcs toward triumphant grace. This book will deeply satisfy readers who love classic Christian literature, rich metaphors, and timeless explorations of temptation, redemption, and spiritual warfare.
- Mood
- contemplative
- somber
- spiritually charged
- triumphant
- Tone
- earnest
- didactic
- reverent
- allegorical
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- spiritual warfare · redemption and grace · the battle for the soul · temptation and frailty · divine sovereignty
- The writing
- Stately, archaic, and deeply metaphorical, steeped in the rhythms and vocabulary of seventeenth-century biblical prose.
- The arc
- Begins in the despair of spiritual capture and moves through arduous internal conflict toward a triumphant, hard-won redemption.
- Who it's for
- Readers who relish classic Christian allegory and are willing to immerse themselves in dense, theological metaphors about the human condition.
Content notes
- allegorical violence
- spiritual distress
About the book
Wing "third" edition
"An advertisement to the reader" (t.p. verso) is a poem by Bunyan in which he defends his authorship of Pilgrim's progress
Error in paging: p. 167 misprinted 177
Imperfect: pages faded, taped, and tightly bound, with print show-through and some loss of print
Reproduction of original in Bodleian Library
Microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International, 1985. 1 microfilm reel; 35 mm. (Early English books, 1641-1700; 1663:26)
Description from Open Library.
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