Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe are just two authors whose stories recall Irving’s stylistic and thematic modes. When the humble schoolteacher Ichabod Crane vies for the hand of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, the townsfolk might protest, but it is ultimately the Horseman who will decide Ichabods fate. Together with Irving’s emphasis on individualism over industry and communality in an increasingly industrialized nation, these traits would come to heavily influence other Americans writing in the Romantic and Gothic traditions. In the quaint village of Sleepy Hollow, stories of wonder and strangeness surround the legend of a mighty headless Hessian. While it is a horror story, it is also ironic and even funny. “Sleepy Hollow” was revolutionary because it suggested that the newly formed United States did, indeed, have a history, both literary and cultural-even if this history had much of its roots elsewhere. Some scholars have noted that “Sleepy Hollow,” in particular, has much in common with the stories collected by German writer and academic Karl Musäus (who was going around collecting old folktales around the same time as the much more famous Grimm brothers). Nevertheless, both these tales are heavily influenced by Dutch and German folktales. While most of these stories deal with an American’s perspective on English life, both “Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle” established Irving’s reputation as the first professional American writer. ![]() “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is one of the stories printed in The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., a collection of stories published while Irving was living in England. He continued writing and keeping up with correspondence until his death in 1859. A young thief named Bek enlists the help of the powerful Egyptian god Horus to overthrow the vicious deity Set, who has seized control of the land. Ichabod Crane, a Yankee wanderer, arrives in Sleepy Hollow and becomes the new schoolmaster. Later in his life he moved back to Tarrytown, New York, and lived on an estate he named “Sunnyside.” He left this estate to serve as the US ambassador to Spain for four years before returning. He spent 17 years living in Europe (primarily Britain and Spain) and was well regarded abroad. His writing eventually earned him fame and status, and he was one of the first American authors whose writings received international recognition. Irving studied law before becoming interested in historical writing and short fiction. Irving was born in New York and was named after General George Washington (who hadn’t yet been elected President at the time of Irving’s birth, as the Constitution had not been either written or ratified by 1783). “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” along with “Rip Van Winkle,” are the short stories for which Irving is best known. Tickets are $30 for Hermitage members and $35 non-members.Ī portion of all sales will support the Andrew Jackson Foundation’s mission to preserve the home place of Andrew Jackson, create learning opportunities and inspire informed citizenship.Washington Irving was a fiction writer, biographer, historian, essayist, and US ambassador who worked during the first half of the 19th century. ![]() Neill Hartley is a professional actor who has performed with many local and regional theaters and is on the theater faculty of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.ĭoors to this event will open 30 minutes prior to show time. Then follow him on his fateful journey home, as he encounters the Headless Horseman and disappears from the hollow forever! The transcript tells the story of a young man named Ichabod Crane, who was the schoolteacher in a place called Sleepy Hollow thirty years earlier, around the year 1790. The tales of Washington Irving have been among Americans favorite stories since they first appeared not long. Join him on his way to a wonderful party, where he dances with the girl he loves. See Ichabod interacting with students in the schoolhouse and leading the church congregation in song. Actor Neill Hartley is Ichabod Crane in an interactive one-man interpretation of Washington Irving’s horror tale about the Headless Horseman set in the sleepy world of Tarrytown, New York. The true story of Sleepy Hollow can be traced to Washington Irving’s early years. Join us in the rustic Cabin-by-the-Spring on Friday, October 27, 2023, where this event will have two showings: 6:30 p.m. The Real People And Places Behind The Sleepy Hollow Legend.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |