Hopeful Character Analysis in The Pilgrim’s Progress

Hopeful, from the city of Vanity, witnesses Faithful’s brutal execution in Vanity Fair and is encouraged to follow Christian from then on; they become companions for the rest of their pilgrimage. While he and Christian are imprisoned in Doubting Castle, Hopeful is Christian’s encourager, reminding him of obstacles he’s overcome in the past and trusting that God will rescue them somehow. Later, on the Enchanted Ground, Hopeful is more susceptible than Christian to the sleep-inducing effects of that place, but he stays awake by telling Christian the story of his conversion. He used to love the indulgences Vanity Fair had to offer, but eventually felt a sense of conviction, or shame, over his sins. After much inner struggle, Hopeful had a vision of Christ telling him to believe, and he realized that he must simply trust Christ instead of his own failing efforts to reform his life. Hopeful has an easier time crossing the River of Death, encouraging Christian along the way, and together they enter the Celestial City.

Hopeful Quotes in The Pilgrim’s Progress

The The Pilgrim’s Progress quotes below are all either spoken by Hopeful or refer to Hopeful. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

The Burden of Sin and Salvation through Christ Theme Icon

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. What hardship, terror, and amazement hast thou already gone through, and art thou now nothing but fear? Thou seest that I am in the Dungeon with thee, a far weaker man by nature than thou art; also this Giant has wounded me as well as thee, and hath also cut off the Bread and Water from my mouth; and with thee I mourn without the light. But let's exercise a little more patience[.]

Related Characters: Hopeful (speaker), Apollyon, Christian, Giant Despair

Page Number and Citation: 121

Explanation and Analysis:

Well on Saturday about midnight they began to pray, and continued in Prayer till almost break of day.

Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half amazed, brake out in passionate speech: What a fool, quoth he, am I, thus to lie in a stinking Dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty. I have a Key in my bosom called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any Lock in Doubting Castle. […]

Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom, and began to try at the Dungeon door, whose bolt (as he turned the Key) gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came out.

Related Characters: Hopeful (speaker), Christian, Giant Despair

Page Number and Citation: 123

Explanation and Analysis:

I know my Lord’s will, and I have been a good liver; I pay every man his own; I Pray, Fast, pay Tithes, and give Alms […] Gentlemen, ye be utter strangers to me, I know you not; be content to follow the Religion of your Country, and I will follow the Religion of mine. I hope all will be well. And as for the Gate that you talk of, all the world knows that that is a great way off of our Country.

Related Characters: Ignorance (speaker), Hopeful, Christian

Related Symbols: Wicket-gate, Roll / Certificate / Scroll

Page Number and Citation: 129

Explanation and Analysis:

HOPE. […] Sleep is sweet to the labouring man; we may be refreshed if we take a nap.

CHR. Do you not remember that one of the Shepherds bid us beware of the Inchanted Ground? He meant by that, that we should beware of sleeping; wherefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober.

HOPE. […] I see it is true that the Wise man saith, Two are better than one[.]

[…] Now then, said Christian, to prevent drowsiness in this place, let us fall into good discourse.

Related Characters: Christian (speaker), Hopeful (speaker), Shepherds

Page Number and Citation: 141

Explanation and Analysis:

One day I was very sad […] and this sadness was through a fresh sight of the greatness and vileness of my sins: and as I was then looking for nothing but Hell, and the everlasting damnation of my Soul, suddenly as I thought, I saw the Lord Jesus look down from Heaven upon me, and saying, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. […] And then I saw from that saying, He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst, that believing and coming was all one; and that he that came […] ran out in his heart and affections after salvation by Christ, he indeed believed in Christ.

Related Characters: Hopeful (speaker), Christian

Page Number and Citation: 147

Explanation and Analysis:

They then addressed themselves to the Water; and entring, Christian began to sink, and crying out to his good friend Hopeful, he said, I sink in deep Waters; the Billows go over my head, all his Waves go over me[.]

Then said the other, Be of good cheer my Brother, I feel the bottom, and it is good. […] These troubles and distresses that you go through in these Waters are no sign that God hath forsaken you, but are sent to try you, whether you will call to mind that which heretofore you have received of his goodness, and live upon him in your distresses.

Related Characters: Hopeful (speaker), Christian (speaker)

Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 161

Explanation and Analysis:

The men then asked, What must we do in the holy place? To whom it was answered, You must there receive the comfort of all your toil, and have joy for all your sorrow; you must reap what you have sown, even the fruit of all your Prayers and Tears, and sufferings for the King by the way. In that place you must wear Crowns of Gold, and enjoy the perpetual sight and vision of the Holy one, for there you shall see him as he is. There also you shall serve him continually with praise, with shouting, and thanksgiving, whom you desired to serve in the World, though with much difficulty, because of the infirmity of your flesh.

Related Characters: Hopeful (speaker), Christian (speaker), Shining Ones (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 164

Explanation and Analysis:

Hopeful Character Timeline in The Pilgrim’s Progress

The timeline below shows where the character Hopeful appears in The Pilgrim’s Progress. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

As Christian continues on his way, he is joined by a man named Hopeful, who witnessed Christian’s suffering and Faithful’s martyrdom. Hopeful “rises out of [Faithful’s] ashes.” He tells... (full context)

Christian and Hopeful encounter a man named By-ends, who comes from the wealthy town of Fair-speech and is... (full context)

...his good fortunes. Christian tells By-ends that if he wants to travel with him and Hopeful, he must be willing to resist the tide and also be content with a ragged... (full context)

By-end’s group decides to pose these same questions to Christian and Hopeful. When they catch up to the others, Mr. Hold-the-world explains the scenarios. Christian immediately replies... (full context)

Christian and Hopeful come to a silver-mine in a hill called Lucre. This area is dangerous: many people... (full context)

Christian and Hopeful arrive at a strange monument. It looks like a woman who has been turned into... (full context)

Christian and Hopeful walk along a pleasant river with fruit trees on its banks. They spend the next... (full context)

...falls into a deep pit and lies groaning. Then it begins to storm and flood. Hopeful admits that he’d feared being led astray, but that he didn’t speak up more boldly... (full context)

The place where Christian and Hopeful fall asleep is on the grounds of a Giant named Despair, whose home, Doubting Castle,... (full context)

...She tells him to beat them mercilessly the next morning, so he does. Christian and Hopeful are left unable to move; they can only lay in the dungeon groaning. The next... (full context)

Christian and Hopeful discuss what to do. Christian feels that death is better than life. Hopeful agrees that... (full context)

...still alive; he promises them a dreadful fate. Christian becomes dejected again and briefly faints. Hopeful encourages him by reminding him that neither Apollyon nor the Valley of the Shadow of... (full context)

That night, Diffidence advises Despair to take Christian and Hopeful outside and show them the bones of people he’s killed before, and warn them that... (full context)

In the dungeon, Christian and Hopeful spend all night praying. Just before morning, Christian suddenly realizes he has been a fool.... (full context)

Christian and Hopeful arrive at the Delectable Mountains and refresh themselves in the vineyards there. They find Shepherds... (full context)

Next the Shepherds show Christian and Hopeful a mountain named Caution. At a distance, they can see men, some of them blind,... (full context)

Then the Shepherds show Christian and Hopeful a byway to Hell in the side of a hill. Many hypocrites, who appeared to... (full context)

Finally, the Shepherds take Christian and Hopeful to the end of the mountains and offer them a perspective-glass through which they can... (full context)

Below the Delectable Mountains, Christian and Hopeful enter a country called Conceit. Here they meet a young man named Ignorance who’s on... (full context)

Christian and Hopeful see that Ignorance is “wise in his own conceit” and decide to walk along without... (full context)

The sight of the damned man reminds Hopeful of a story. In the town of Sincere lived a good man named Little-faith. While... (full context)

Hopeful and Christian compare the plight of Little-faith with that of Esau, who sold his birth-right,... (full context)

Sometime later, Christian and Hopeful arrive at an intersection and aren’t sure which way to go. While they’re thinking about... (full context)

...while, a Shining One approaches them, holding a whip in his hand. After Christian and Hopeful explain their predicament, the Shining One releases them from the net, then whips them both... (full context)

As Christian and Hopeful continue on their way, they meet an Atheist traveling in their direction. When Atheist hears... (full context)

...to a place called the Enchanted Ground, where the air tends to make newcomers drowsy. Hopeful immediately gets sleepy and suggests to Christian that they deserve a nap. Christian reminds him... (full context)

Hopeful explains that he used to take delight in those things bought and sold at Vanity... (full context)

Over time, Hopeful was painfully reminded of his sins—when he met a good person in the street, or... (full context)

Overwhelmed by his predicament, Hopeful talked with his friend Faithful, who explained that a sinner can only be justified by... (full context)

One day, however, while wrestling with the fear of Hell, Hopeful had a vision of Christ looking down on him from Heaven and telling Hopeful to... (full context)

After finishing his story, Hopeful glances back and sees Ignorance following behind them. Ignorance says that he prefers to walk... (full context)

...Ignorance doesn’t yet understand the nature of Christ’s righteousness. With a final urging, Christian and Hopeful part ways with Ignorance. (full context)

Christian and Hopeful continue discussing Ignorance, speculating that many people persist in a similar condition of ignorance regarding... (full context)

Though Christian and Hopeful are well past the Enchanted Ground by this time, they continue their discussion. Christian explains... (full context)

Christian changes the subject, asking Hopeful if he remembers a fellow named Temporary from the town of Graceless. Hopeful remembers that... (full context)

By this time, Christian and Hopeful have entered the country called Beulah. Here, the air is sweet, birds sing and flowers... (full context)

After they recover, Christian and Hopeful walk among the orchards and gardens of Beulah. After stopping to rest in a vineyard,... (full context)

Christian and Hopeful wade into the River. At once, Christian starts to sink, and he cries out to... (full context)

Christian is lost in thought for a while. Then, when Hopeful tells him to cheer up because Jesus makes him whole, Christian cries out with new... (full context)

The Celestial City sits atop a big hill, but Christian and Hopeful find it easy to climb because of the angels’ help. Also, they are no longer... (full context)

As Christian and Hopeful approach the Gate, an entire “Heavenly Host” and a group of the King’s Trumpeters welcomes... (full context)

...Evangelist, who prophesied the troubles to come in Vanity Fair. They discuss Faithful’s martyrdom and Hopeful’s resulting conversion. Soon, the group draws within sight of the town of Vanity themselves. They... (full context)

When the group arrives at By-path Meadow, where Christian and Hopeful were led astray to Doubting Castle, they argue about how best to proceed. They finally... (full context)

The Pilgrim’s Progress

Hopeful Character Analysis

Hopeful Quotes in The Pilgrim’s Progress

Part 1: Giant Despair and Doubting Castle Quotes

Part 1: Ignorance, Little-faith, and Flatterer Quotes

Part 1: The Enchanted Ground Quotes

Part 1: Beulah, the River of Death, and the Celestial City Quotes

Hopeful Character Timeline in The Pilgrim’s Progress