Washington Irving:Washington Irving: Passport to American Passport to American RomanticismRomanticism

The Beginning of American The Beginning of American RomanticismRomanticism

““In the four corners of the globe, In the four corners of the globe, who reads an American book?”who reads an American book?” Sydney Smith Sydney Smith

Edinburgh Edinburgh ReviewReview

1820 1820

Just a few months before Smith’s

question, an American

writer named Washington Irving

began publishing a series of essays and

tales called The Sketch Book.

First True “American” First True “American” WriterWriter

The Sketch Book The Sketch Book made made Washington Washington

Irving the first American Irving the first American writer towriter to

achieve international fame achieve international fame

Sought to EntertainSought to Entertain

Washington Irving was the Washington Irving was the first first

American writer who sought American writer who sought to to

entertain his readersentertain his readers

Washington IrvingWashington Irving1783-18591783-1859

born in New York City born in New York City (near present-day Wall (near present-day Wall St.)St.)

youngest of 11 childrenyoungest of 11 children

parents were Scottish-parents were Scottish-English immigrants English immigrants

Biographical InformationBiographical Information

his parents greatly admired General his parents greatly admired General George Washington (hence his name)George Washington (hence his name)

his father became a wealthy merchant his father became a wealthy merchant

he trained as a lawyer but practiced he trained as a lawyer but practiced only brieflyonly briefly

showed literary promise early in his lifeshowed literary promise early in his life

Home of Washington Irving, Home of Washington Irving, New YorkNew York

Writing Career BeginsWriting Career Begins

1802-3 published a series of newspaper 1802-3 published a series of newspaper articlesarticles

1807-8 published the 1807-8 published the Salmagundi Salmagundi paperspapers

1809 published 11809 published 1stst major work – major work – A History of A History of New YorkNew York

it was supposedly written by Deidrich it was supposedly written by Deidrich Knickerbocker, an old, eccentric historianKnickerbocker, an old, eccentric historian

this work marked Irving’s future coursethis work marked Irving’s future course

it was designed solely for entertainment it was designed solely for entertainment

it taught no serious moral lessonsit taught no serious moral lessons

his fiancée died in 1809his fiancée died in 1809

accounts for melancholic cast over rest accounts for melancholic cast over rest of his life and workof his life and work

Career Shifts to Europe Career Shifts to Europe in 1815in 1815

sailed for England to take charge of sailed for England to take charge of family business in Liverpoolfamily business in Liverpool

when it bankrupted, he concentrated when it bankrupted, he concentrated on literary careeron literary career

traveled throughout England, France, traveled throughout England, France, Spain, Germany, and SwitzerlandSpain, Germany, and Switzerland

wrote history of Christopher Columbuswrote history of Christopher Columbus

Literary Career Literary Career ContinuesContinues

1819 - 1820 1819 - 1820 published published The The Sketch-Book Sketch-Book of Geoffrey of Geoffrey Crayon, GentCrayon, Gent it included it included “Rip Van “Rip Van Winkle”Winkle” and and “The Legend “The Legend of Sleepy of Sleepy Hollow”Hollow” Old Rip

Irving’s Literary Irving’s Literary PseudonymsPseudonyms

Dietrich Dietrich KnickerbockerKnickerbocker

Jonathan OldstyleJonathan Oldstyle

Geoffrey CrayonGeoffrey Crayon

Irving Widely RecognizedIrving Widely Recognized

By the late 1820s, Irving had By the late 1820s, Irving had gained a gained a

reputation throughout Europe reputation throughout Europe andand

America as a great writer and America as a great writer and thinker thinker

Returns to America in Returns to America in 18321832

returned from Europe to New York returned from Europe to New York

established his home Sunnyside in established his home Sunnyside in Tarrytown Tarrytown

never married or had children never married or had children

for next 25 years he shared Sunnyside for next 25 years he shared Sunnyside with his brother Ebenezer and with his brother Ebenezer and Ebenezer's 5 daughters Ebenezer's 5 daughters

Sunnyside, Home of Sunnyside, Home of IrvingIrving

Facts About SunnysideFacts About Sunnyside

located on Hudson River in Tarrytown, located on Hudson River in Tarrytown, N.Y.N.Y.

purchased by Irving in 1835 for $1,800purchased by Irving in 1835 for $1,800

originally a two-room Dutch farm house originally a two-room Dutch farm house

over 15 years, artist friend George over 15 years, artist friend George Harvey helped Irving redesign & add to Harvey helped Irving redesign & add to the original housethe original house

Close-Up of SunnysideClose-Up of Sunnyside

Irving outfitted his home with the most advanced

technology of the period, such as a

refrigerator (ice box), a cast iron

stove, and indoor

plumbing.

More Facts About More Facts About SunnysideSunnyside

Sunnyside was visited by many artists, Sunnyside was visited by many artists, politicians, writers, and other politicians, writers, and other influential people influential people

Irving's home was publicized Irving's home was publicized throughout the world in lithographs, throughout the world in lithographs, magazines, and tourists mapsmagazines, and tourists maps

images of  Sunnyside could even be images of  Sunnyside could even be found on cigar boxes, sheet music, and found on cigar boxes, sheet music, and ceramic pitchers.     ceramic pitchers.    

IrvingIrving on on the the

PorchPorch at at

SunnysiSunnyside de

Additional Views of Additional Views of SunnysideSunnyside

Washington Irving's Washington Irving's church, Tarrytown, N.Y church, Tarrytown, N.Y

First Genuine American First Genuine American StoriesStories

““Rip Van Winkle”Rip Van Winkle” “ “The Legend of Sleepy The Legend of Sleepy

Hollow”Hollow”

contained distinctive Americancontained distinctive American settings and characters settings and characters

incorporated German folktales incorporated German folktales and legendsand legends

““Rip Van Winkle”Rip Van Winkle”

Irving's best-known story Irving's best-known story

based on a German folktale based on a German folktale

set in the Dutch culture of Pre-set in the Dutch culture of Pre-Revolutionary War in New York Revolutionary War in New York StateState

Rip Van Rip Van Winkle Winkle

Rip, the eternal Rip, the eternal boy-manboy-man

never grows up never grows up to accept adult to accept adult responsibilitiesresponsibilities

is a compelling is a compelling character type character type in American in American fictionfiction

Joe Jefferson as Rip Van Winkle

SettingSetting Rip is a farmer who wanders into the Rip is a farmer who wanders into the

Catskill Mountains near the Hudson RiverCatskill Mountains near the Hudson River

Scenes from Catskill Mountains and Hudson RiverScenes from Catskill Mountains and Hudson River

More Scenes from the More Scenes from the CatskillsCatskills

Irving’s GraveIrving’s Grave

On November 28, 1859, on the eve of the Civil War, Washington Irving died at Sunnyside surrounded by his family.

Old Dutch Church in Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. 

He was buried in

the Sleepy Hollow

Cemetery at the

Old Dutch

Church

““Genius he had, the nature and Genius he had, the nature and the the faculty of an imaginative faculty of an imaginative writer;writer;what he needed was not power what he needed was not power but opportunity; and at every but opportunity; and at every new chance of life he answered new chance of life he answered to the time and place and to the time and place and succeeded.” succeeded.”

——On Irving On Irving

George E. George E. WoodberryWoodberry

Works CitedWorks Cited All photos in this All photos in this

PowerPoint presentation PowerPoint presentation came from the came from the

American Memory Collection American Memory Collection of the of the

Library of CongressLibrary of Congress

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