Original artwork, not a still
A Turbulent, Seditious, and Factious People: John Bunyan and his Church, 1628 - 1688 ‧ 1988
Just as Oliver Cromwell aimed to bring about the kingdom of God on earth and founded the British Empire, so Bunyan wanted the millennium and got the novel.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The speaker draws a wry parallel between religious ambitions and their claimed worldly results. Cromwell sought a godly kingdom but produced empire; Bunyan wanted the millennium but produced the novel. The comparison suggests that historical consequences can differ sharply from the ideals that inspire action.
Context reviewed