Washington Irving

Washington Irving (1783-1859) First American writer to achieve international fame I.

Beginning of career a. Rich, dashing, young man—much leisure time b. Began career with a series of newspaper essays (1802-03) c. 1st major work—A History of New York (1809) i. supposedly written by an old, eccentric historian named Deidrich Knickerbocker ii. mock history—comically treated the New York Dutch and their tradition iii. designed solely for entertainment d. 1810—death of fiancé, demands of family cutlery business—went to Washington to represent the business

II.

Career shifted to Europe a. 1815—went to Europe to represent the business b. 1818—family business went bankrupt—turned to writing to support himself and family c. 1820—The Sketch Book i. collection of essays (sketches)—mostly European in setting ii. only 2 American setting short stories 1. “Rip Van Winkle” 2. “Legend of Sleepy Hollow”

III.

Returned to US (1832) a. Encouraged other writers b. Devoted himself to serious history and biography i. George Washington ii. Christopher Columbus

The Sketch Book Pivotal work in his career Only 4 selections are on genuinely American topics Marks a clear break in American literature—goal no longer moral or religious instruction but entertainment Penname—Geoffrey Crayon Landscape painting Knickerbockers Group of writers gathered in New York City Named after Diedrich Knickerbocker Included James Fenimore Cooper and William Cullen Bryant

“Rip Van Winkle” The first American short story 1. Contributed significantly to the development of the American short story— particularly in setting and characterization 2. not purely original—based on an old German legend—original in his Americanization of the tale a. Geographical setting b. Historical setting c. Social setting Characterization 1. Rip—well-developed “round character” (individual) a. Simple, good-natured, neighborly, hen-pecked b. A sympatheic rendering of his uniqueness 2. Perhaps he represents the often hidden universal human desire, when life becomes too difficult, to escape to the simplicity and adventure of nature—to sleep away one’s troubles Theme 1. Mutibility (change) 2. The type will endure (Rip’s son) but circumstances and everything about life will change (transcience of life) Romantic Elements (all relative to transcendental four tenants) 1. central character—individualized common man—not the normal hero of the classics 2. emotion—follows his feelings and instinct rather than reason 3. descriptive focus on external nature—nature serves as a comfort to Rip 4. setting remote in time and place—mythical past Neoclassic Romantic Conflict 1. Rip represents Romanticism (see above) 2. Dame represents Neoclassicism a. Focus on reason rather than emotion—she wants him to do the logical thing b. Focus on the family rather than the individual c. She nags him morally—a romantic perspective of the Neoclassics d. She has a practical view of nature 3. The solution to the conflict is time a. Rip sleeps and Dame dies b. Neoclassics will eventually die out and the Romantics will thrive c. Rip doesn’t change—the village’s view of him changes i. At the beginning he’s an oddity ii. At the end he’s reverenced “as a patriarch of the village”