Washington Irving
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Who was Washington Irving?
Washington Irving (1783-1859) was an American author, essayist, biographer, and historian of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle," which have been called the first American short stories.
Irving's early works included satirical essays published in his brother's newspaper and a collaboration with his brother William and James K. Paulding in writing a series of periodical essays entitled Salmagundi. His A History of New York was a comic history of the Dutch regime in New York.
Irving lived abroad for 17 years, serving as minister to Spain from 1842 to 1846. After his return to the United States, he continued to write, producing works such as A Tour of the Prairies, Astoria, and The Adventures of Captain Bonneville. He spent his later years at his home in Tarrytown, New York, devoting himself to literary pursuits.
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What is Washington Irving most famous for writing?
Washington Irving (1783-1859) is remembered as the "first American man of letters". He is most famous for his short stories, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle,” which have been called the first American short stories. Both tales appeared in The Sketch Book (1819–20). Though most of the book reflects Irving’s impressions of England, six chapters regard American subjects. “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” are Americanized versions of German folktales.
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When and where did Washington Irving live?
Washington Irving (1783-1859) was born in New York City and died in Tarrytown, New York. In 1815, he went to Liverpool, England, to look after his brothers’ firm. In 1826, he went to Spain and later traveled in Germany, Austria, France, and the British Isles. After a 17-year absence, Irving returned to New York in 1832. Except for four years (1842–46) as minister to Spain, he spent the rest of his life at his home, “Sunnyside,” in Tarrytown, on the Hudson River.
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What are the main stories in 'The Sketch Book' by Washington Irving?
The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent (1819–20) is a collection of stories and essays by Washington Irving that combines satire, whimsicality, fact, and fiction.
Most of the 30-plus pieces reflect Irving’s impressions of England, but six chapters concern American subjects. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" tells the story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman, while "Rip Van Winkle" is about a man who sleeps for 20 years and wakes up to a changed world. These two tales have been called the first American short stories.
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How did Washington Irving help shape American literature?
Washington Irving significantly shaped American literature, earning the title of "the first American man of letters". He is credited with writing the first American short stories, most notably "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle," both of which were Americanized versions of German folktales. His collection, The Sketch Book (1819–20), gained international success and popularity, a first for an American work, which allowed Irving to fully dedicate himself to writing. Additionally, his satirical A History of New York (1809) used humor and altered facts to comment on society and politics.
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What lasting impact did Washington Irving’s works have on American culture and storytelling?
Washington Irving's work had a lasting impact on American culture and storytelling. He is best known for his short stories, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle," which are Americanized versions of German folktales. The Sketch Book, which contains these stories, was the first American work to gain international literary success, allowing Irving to devote himself to writing. Because of the success of The Sketch Book, Irving was assured that he could live by his pen.
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Washington Irving (born April 3, 1783, New York, New York, U.S.—died November 28, 1859, Tarrytown, New York) was described as the “first American man of letters.” He wrote numerous works but is best known for “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle,” which have been called the first American short stories.
The favorite and last of 11 children of an austere Presbyterian father and a genial Anglican mother, young, frail Irving grew up in an atmosphere of indulgence. He escaped a college education, which his father required of his older sons, but read intermittently at the law, notably in the office of Josiah Ogden Hoffman, with whose pretty daughter Matilda he early fell in love. He wrote a series of whimsically satirical essays over the signature of Jonathan Oldstyle, Gent., published in Peter Irving’s newspaper, the Morning Chronicle, in 1802–03. He made several trips up the Hudson, another into Canada for his health, and took an extended tour of Europe in 1804–06.
On his return he passed the bar examination late in 1806 and soon set up as a lawyer. But during 1807–08 his chief occupation was to collaborate with his brother William and James K. Paulding in the writing of a series of 20 periodical essays entitled Salmagundi. Concerned primarily with passing phases of contemporary society, the essays retain significance as an index to the social milieu.
His A History of New York…by Diedrich Knickerbocker (1809) was a comic history of the Dutch regime in New York, prefaced by a mock-pedantic account of the world from creation onward. Its writing was interrupted in April 1809 by the sudden death of Matilda Hoffman, as grief incapacitated him. In 1811 he moved to Washington, D.C., as a lobbyist for the Irving brothers’ hardware-importing firm, but his life seemed aimless for some years. He prepared an American edition of Thomas Campbell’s poems, edited the Analectic Magazine, and acquired a staff colonelcy during the War of 1812.
In 1815 Irving went to Liverpool to look after the interests of his brothers’ firm. In London he met Sir Walter Scott, who encouraged him to renewed effort. The result was The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent (1819–20), a collection of stories and essays that mix satire and whimsicality with fact and fiction. Most of the book’s 30-odd pieces concern Irving’s impressions of England, but six chapters deal with American subjects. Of these, the tales “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle” have been called the first American short stories. They are both Americanized versions of German folktales. The main character of “Rip Van Winkle” is a henpecked husband who sleeps for 20 years and awakes as an old man to find his wife dead, his daughter happily married, and America now an independent country. The tremendous success of The Sketch Book in both England and the United States assured Irving that he could live by his pen. In 1822 he produced Bracebridge Hall, a sequel to The Sketch Book. He traveled in Germany, Austria, France, Spain, the British Isles, and later in his own country.
Early in 1826 he accepted the invitation of Alexander H. Everett to attach himself to the American legation in Spain, where he wrote his Columbus (1828), followed by The Companions of Columbus (1831). Meanwhile, Irving had become absorbed in the legends of the Moorish past and wrote A Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada (1829) and The Alhambra (1832), a Spanish counterpart of The Sketch Book.
After a 17-year absence Irving returned to New York in 1832, where he was warmly received. He made a journey west and produced in rapid succession A Tour of the Prairies (1835), Astoria (1836), and The Adventures of Captain Bonneville (1837). Except for four years (1842–46) as minister to Spain, Irving spent the remainder of his life at his home, “Sunnyside,” in Tarrytown, on the Hudson River, where he devoted himself to literary pursuits.
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