Washington Irving 17831859

1
Washington Irving (1783-1859)

• Takes his name from George Washington whom he met
  and received a blessing at age 6.
• Originator of the art of writing for pleasure.
• Created a variety of stories humorous in nature.
• Many of his works focus on humor in regards to
  his historical studies.
• Created memorable characters like Rip Van Winkle
  and Ichabod Crane who live on in the American
  consciousness.
• In his History of New York, his pseudonym,
  Diedrich Knickerbocker, wrote comical tales of
  New York and created the term knickerbocker
  which described any New Yorker who could trace
  his or her roots back to the Dutch settlers.

2
The Devil and Tom Walker

• Pulled from German folklore. Popularity of the
  folk tale.
• A retelling of the Faust tale (dealing with the
  Devil in exchange for earthly pleasures /
  desires one must give his soul)
• Notice the recurring themes and patterns echoed
  from earlier selections Hawthorne and Poe
  sinfulness of man, corruption, and escape
• Gothic elements supernatural, spooky forest
  setting, mysterious happenings
• Themes Money and corruption, Puritanism,
  marital relationships, greed
• Symbols Bible, trees, color black
• Humor

3
Rip Van Winkle

• Rip is the classic example of the Romantic Hero
  innocent, young, love of nature, distrust of town
  life (civilization) and women (civilization /
  domestication)
• The story reflects American Romanicism in the
  following ways
• A distrust of civilization Rip flees from his
  wife and the town
• A nostalgia for the past (yearning for the past)
  Irvings focus in the story.
• Concern for individual freedom Rip is reborn
  into freedom upon his return
• Supernatural elements strange dutchmen bowlers
• Emphasis on the beauty of the natural landscape
  early descriptions in the selection.

4
Rip Van Winkle

• The story itself is a perennial favorite because
  of its connection to the elements of the folk
  tale the perilous journey, the use of the
  supernatural, and disguise and recognition
  scenes.
• The theme of the journey
• Rips journey away from the city to the beautiful
  countryside
• Rips return to a new life of freedom
• Suggestion of lighthearted optimism (Rips
  journey and return) countrys future growth and
  prosperity

5
Rip Van Winkle

• Symbolism in the story
• Rips relationship / enslavement to his wife
  parallels the countrys colonial past.
• Rips awakening to a new life suggests the new
  condition of the United States after the
  Revolution.
• The happy ending of the story hints at Irvings
  optimism about the future of America.
• Role of history and setting in the story help to
  reinforce these concepts.

6
Themes in Rip Van Winkle

• The idea or wish of escape
• The emphasis of the natural beauty of Irvings
  setting.
• An emphasis on individualism Rip as a do
  nothing vs. a do gooder
• The emphasis on marital relationships
  oppressive / difficult / stifling
• The idea of change
• The birth of freedom Rips literal freedom from
  his wife // the birth of our nations freedom