WASHINGTON IRVING

The brief introduction to Washington Irving

Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859)American author, short story writer, essayist, poet, biographer and

historianFather of the American short stories

American romanticism

1815-1865 (stretches from the end of 18th century through the outbreak of the Civil War)

The American Renaissance

Historically the time of westward expansionEconomically an industrial transformationPolitically democracy and equalityCulturally and literally own literary expression

feature

the free expression of emotions ,attention to the psychic state of their characters

admire the individual and man

revealed unique characteristics of their own and grew on the native lands

life

childhood & begins writing careeer

life in Europe

back to America

minister to Spain & final days to death4

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childhood

born in a merchant familynamed after President George Washington fascinated by the upper class of New York City studied law, became a clerk in Josiah Ogden Hoffman's law office developed a passion for books Robinson Crusoe, Sinbad the Sailor

1804-1806: ill-health travelled widely in Europe visited many famous person

Salmagundi (1807-08), writing in collaboration with his brother William and James Kirke Paulding; a series of humorous and satirical essays.

A History of New York(1809),his first major book

; a satire on self-important local history and contemporary politics.

a personal tragedy

In late 1809, the death of his seventeen-year-old fiancée( 未婚妻 )Matilda Hoffman

no marriage after that

life in Europe

In 1815 he left America for England to visit his brother but remained for the next seventeen years(1815-1832), again travelling to various countries in Europe. While in England, an unsuccessful business venture with his brothers caused him to turn to his pen in hopes of providing some income.

The Sketch Book The stories (including "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend

of Sleepy Hollow"), collected in The Sketch Book (London, 1820), appeared serially in New York in 1819–20; their enthusiastic reception made Irving the best-known figure in American literature both at home and abroad.

Bracebridge Hall and Tales of a Traveller

Bracebridge Hall (1822), the next volume of essays, although inferior to the previous book, was well received.

However, his Tales of a Traveller (1824),which Irving considered one of his finer works , sold respectably.

Spanish books

In 1826 Irving moved to Madrid, Spain.

The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus published in1828The Chronicles of the Conquest of Granada published in 1829Tales of the Alhambra published in 1832

back to America

In 1832 Irving returned to America,and subsequently established himself at his estate, Sunnyside.

A Tour on the Prairies Astoria In 1834, he was approached by fur magnate John Jacob A

stor, who convinced Irving to write a history of his fur trading colony in the American Northwest, now known as Astoria.

The Adventures of Captain Bonneville

"western" series

final days

He was sent to Madrid as American minister to Spain (1842–46). Once more at Sunnyside, he wrote a biography of Oliver Goldsmith (1849) and the miscellaneous（各种的） sketches called Wolfert's Roost (1855) and labored at his biography The Life of George Washington (5 volumes,1855–59), which he completed just before his death.

workFiction

AstoriaBracebridge HallKnickerbocker's History of New Y

orkOld ChristmasTales of a TravellerThe Adventures of Captain Bonn

evilleThe Crayon PapersThe Sketchbook of Geoffrey Cray

on

Non-Fiction

Abbotsford and Newstead Abbey

Life of George WashingtonOliver Goldsmith

A Legend of CommunipawCommunipawConspiracy of the Cocked HatsDesultory Thoughts on CriticismLittle BritainNational NomenclaturePelayo and the Merchant's DaughterRecollections of The AlhambraRip Van Winkle

Spanish RomanceThe AbencerrageThe Adelantado of the Seven CitiesThe BermudasThe Birds of SpringThe Count van HornThe Devil and Tom WalkerThe Enchanted IslandThe Knight of MaltaThe Legend of Don Munio Sancho de

HinojosaThe Legend of Sleepy HollowThe Legend of the Engulphed Conven

t

Short Stories

◆CharactersIchabod Crane--------the teacher in the village, a coward

Katrina Van Tassel---the only daughter of a rich farmer, the one Ichabod loves Brom Bones-----------a strong young man◆Place Tarry Town ( 塔里镇） Connecticut （康涅狄格州）

plot

Crane is competing with Brom Bones for

Katrina.

As Crane leaves a party he attended at the

Van Tassel home on an autumn night.

He is pursued by the Headless Horseman,who is supposedly the ghost of a Hessian( 德国黑森州的 )

trooper( 骑兵 ); his head shot off by a stray

cannonball during “some nameless battle” of

the American Revolutionary War.Ichabod mysteriously disappears from town,

leaving Katrina to marry Brom Bones, who

was “to look exceedingly knowing whenever

the story of Ichabod was related”.

Focusing on the description of natural scenery, and the subjective world of personal feelings: vividly describes the Ichabod’s appearance and his inner world.HumorousVivid charactersGood at creating atmosphere

......

example

Ichabod was a suitable figure for such a steed .He rode with short stirrups ,which brought his knees nearly up to the pommel of the saddle; his sharp elbows stuck out like grasshoppers; he carried his whip perpendicularly in his hand, like a scepter and his horse jogged on, the motion of his arms was not unlike the flapping of a pair of wings.

他用的是一副短马蹬，因此，骑了上去，只 好把膝盖抬得高高的，几乎

碰到了鞍头；削瘦的肘子像蚱蜢腿似的伸出去；他把马鞭子笔直地捧在手里，像王 笏一样；等到这匹马走起来，他两只胳膊的动作简直和翅膀的拍打差不了多少。

influence

One of the first noted American authors to be highly acclaimed in Europe during his life timeHis characters Ichabod Crane and Rip van Winkle are now icons of popular American culture, and many of Irving's works have inspired adaptations to the stage and film.his writing style: graceful , humorous...

"I am always at a loss to know how much to believe of my own stories." (from Tales of a Traveler, 1824)

Thank you!