Washington Irving Diedrich Knickerbocker; Geoffrey Crayon; Henry A. Buchanan; Jonathan Oldstyle. All were famous writers of the nineteenth century. All had one important thing in common-they are all one man-Washington Irving. Using these pen names, among many, Irving developed a legacy of utilizing European culture to cultivate American aspects of literature. Fred Lewis Pattee asserted, "American short story began in 1819 wit Washington Irving." (Gale Group 4) Irving is best known for
The Spectre Bridegroom Washington Irving is known for his famous works such as Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle (?) found in his collection of essays titled “The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent” or “The Sketch Book.” Another work found in the collection is a short story titled “The Spectre Bridegroom,” which deals with a wealthy family, an arranged wedding, and a spectre bridegroom hence the name of the story. The literary techniques Irving uses throughout his story such as setting, narration
says Washington Irving in a letter to a friend (Letters 446). This statement reveals Irving's intense emotional condition, and in many ways indicates the intense social atmosphere as well as his personal conflicts, during the composition of The Sketch Book. Upon the bankruptcy of his family's fortune, of which he depended on solely for his monetary security, Irving found himself flung into the "galling mortifications of independence" (Letters 487). In response to this trauma, he sailed to England
live an observational, carefree life as a well-off child in New York city. Those conditions enabled Irving’s multiple trips to Europe, where he could experience the culture and eventually launch his writing career. In his collection, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent, Irving wrote “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” the tale of a materialistic foreigner who competed for the heart of a wealthy woman before falling
“Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow” Have you ever imagined being asleep in the forest for twenty years, coming back home and not knowing what has gone on all those years of your absence? Rip Van Winkle went through that, and had to come back home and face some real changes. The author Washington Irving has some interesting characters whom he puts in his short stories. Irving puts some characters in his short stories to reflect on some of his life. For example, Irving has similarities
It gives readers the understanding that they are now they’re own country with the freedom that they didn't have before . Diaz 4 Also in the collection of, The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Grant there is a short story named The Legend of Engulphed Convent . The theme of this story is for the legends to outlive their origins. The story was set in 711 AD, during the Moorish, which were Muslims from Northern Africa, who invaded Spain
England (Merriman Web)... ... middle of paper ... ...leepy Hollow and The Spectre Bridegroom were based off of German folktale as was Rip Van Winkle (Byers 142), his most well-known story (“Washington” Web). In 1822 he published a sequel to The Sketch Book called Bracebridge Hall (Liukkonen Web). Also in 1999 the film Sleepy Hollow was released based on his story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (“Washington” Web). I do not think that westward expansion or anything else that was going on in the U.S. affected
of letters(Encyclopedia), and at home in the United States, people still to this day adore his literary works. Irving was a man of many proportions. He was an author, traveller, historian, and diplomat. He wrote hundred of amazing short stories, books, and just stunning pieces of literature throughout his life. Irving was a “genius dropout”, the way he managed to become this well known and loved without even finishing his education is astonishing. To conclude, the original question “Is Washington
of American themes in these literary pursuits. Such details along with existent people and events (1819), in New York, Philadelphia, and London, enabled him to become an international figure. The book contained a variety of witty sketches and fictitious accounts, narrated by an illusory, Geoffrey Crayon. This collection included two of the most recognized (and earliest) American short stories, “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” which I will be addressing here. Both fictions
essays and comic like works. The popular term for Gotham for New York City began from these writings. He first became known for his comic work. In 1809, after the death of his seventeen-year-old fiancée Matilda Hoffman, Irving completed his first major book, “A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty,” under one of his fake names-Diedrich Knickerbocker. In 1815, Irving went to En... ... middle of paper ... ...ving also supported for writing as a legitimate
Jonathan Oldstyle, Gent., in which he states “England has been constrained to acknowledge that his productions are among the most elegant specimens of English composition” (Irving, Washington, and Sketch 2). That book is all about Irving staying in England and the type of writing styles which is shown within this book. Without Washington Irving’s use of humor and English romanticism in his work, he would not be the well known and amazing author he is
Each and every work of art, no matter when or where it appeared, bears an imprint of not just the author’s idea behind their creation, but also the track of the epoch, the broad political, economic and cultural background of the author, usually in cohesion with the whole cluster of other works of art similar in meaning, genre or ideas touched upon. So when discussing the work of Washington Irving “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, let’s firstly have a look at the broader context of this artwork and see
Gender Issues in Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow At first glance, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving seems to be an innocent tale about a superstitious New England town threatened by a strange new comer, Icabod Crane. However, this descriptive narrative is more than just a simple tale because it addresses several gender issues that deserve attention. The pervasiveness of female influence in Sleepy Hollow and the conflict between male and female storytelling in
There are many facets that can either make or break someone as a “hero”. In literature, a hero does not necessarily have to be a knight in shining armor, a caped crusader, or an exact replica of the archetype but, there are certain qualities and expectations that determine what makes a hero. A typical hero has strength, appeal, courage, righteousness, and success, meaning that they have the physical and mental capabilities that can lead them to eventually achieve their goals. In most cases, the protagonist
Hawthorne Nathaniel met the love of his life, Sophia Amelia Peabody in 1838 and engaged to her only a year later. Sophia as well was a writer and gave it up for her marriage with Nathaniel. Later on, Nathaniel moves to Concord and writes a children's book, Tanglewood Tales and a biography of President Pierce, A Life of Pierce. As time progresses, Nathaniel gets terribly ill in 1863 and passes away in his sleep on May 19th, 1864 while on a trip to New Hampshire with a friend. A. Biography: Washington
twenty-first) century. Burton makes several significant moves that modify the basics of Irving’s tale, frequently at the cost of the folk elements of Irving’s version. The frame narrative of Irving’s story—the tale, part of a series titled “The Sketch Book,” begins with the preface “Found among the papers of the Late Diedrich Knickerbocker—is completely done away with (Irving 41). What is more, t... ... middle of paper ... ...ntury means a new beginning, and an abandonment of the previous era’s
In his stories the women were not portrayed as nice. Women were usually nagging and would fight with their husbands. Some critics felt that Irving took an anti-feminism approach to his writing. However some critic feel that The Legend of Sleepy Hollow shows importance of marriage. Some critics also argue the quality of his work. Some pieces of his work are considered remarkable. While other pieces of his work are considered not to be that good. Irving’s health was also not very good and he had
Sleepy Hollow, New York a town who changed their name thanks to Washington Irving 's story. The original name was Tarrytown, just like in "Legend of Sleepy Hollow". With Irving telling the tale of the small town in the 1800 's there have been adaptations on the silver screen. One told by Walt Disney and the other, Tim Burton. Disney holds most of the original concept of Irving 's tale than the Tim Burton’s movie. However, the changes in the bridge scene, the concept of the characters, and the horseman
After reading a variety of short stories, my favorite story was “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving. Rip Van Winkle is about how the main character, Rip, who one day wanders into the mountains with his dog to go hunting. While he is in the mountains he came across a crew of men who he ends up drinking with. Rip falls into a deep sleep, wakes up 20 years later, and returns to his village. As he returned to his village, it becomes very evident that everything has changed and that no one recognizes
In Washington Irving’s short story “Rip Van Winkle” the setting takes place in the beautiful Hudson River Valley overlooking the Catskills Mountains which the author attributes a fairy-like vista, equating it to a mystical view, this can be seen as a foreshadowing of the importance of the mountains and the supernatural event that will take place there. “Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed, every hour of the day, produces some change in the magical hues and shapes of these mountains…”