Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Apollyon/Beelzebub/The Devil/Satan

All of these names are used alternately and in different scenarios throughout the story to refer to Christian's ultimate enemy: Satan. Faithful explains the reason for this antagonism best in his speech to Lord Hategood at Vanity Fair. Since Satan, the ruler of Vanity Fair, is opposed to the word of God, the Pilgrims, as followers of Christ, must be opposed to him.

The attitude of Satan himself toward the pilgrims, however, is more like a kind of envy. When Christian first passes through the Wicket Gate, for instance, Good-will must pull him though quickly to escape the capture of Beelzebub. In Christian's battle with Apollyon, farther along, that monster tries to win him over with promises of wealth and power, echoing Satan's temptation of Christ in the Gospels.

In this way, Satan is not a simple enemy bent on destruction of the hero. Rather, he's more directly the enemy of Christ and aims to use men like Christian in his larger eternal struggle against God's will. Game on!