How Does Washington Irving Present Atheism In The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow
“Poe, it is obvious my work is much better at expressing human individuality.” Said Washington Irving to Edgar Allan Poe. “Only time will tell,” replied Edgar Allan Poe. Washington Irving, an aspiring Romantic era author, composed many stories throughout his life. Although, he was not well-known, he did compose a story by the name of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Washington Irving’s short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, portrays American Romantic values by the use of imagery, rebellion against reality, and atheism.
To begin with Washington Irving uses imagery to express Romantic values, by setting. According to the story, Sleepy hollow was located in “a small market town… known by the name of Tarry Town” (Irving). Tarry Town was, and still is, a town in New England (New York). Tarry Town was a home to Native American Weckquaesgeek tribe. Tarry …show more content…
Town’s first settlers were Dutch; many of them were farmers. Tarry Town had well known incidents prior to the Revolutionary War; people were captured as spies. According to Irving, Tarry Town was "In the bosom of one of those spacious coves which indent the eastern shore of the Hudson, at that broad expansion of the river denominated by the ancient Dutch” (Irving). Washington Irving well depicted where Tarry Town was located. The setting’s imagery was an important part of portraying Romantic values, freedom, trying to “make-fun” of the British, by using a historical town.
Another reason why Washington Irving uses imagery to express Romantic values is by, dream-like imagery. In the story, the reader is introduced to the main character, Ichabod Crane, by Irving’s description, “He was tall… narrow shoulders, long arms and legs, hands that dangled…feet for shovels…His head was small...flat at top…huge ears, large green glassy eyes, and a long snipe nose” (Irving). Irving did not describe Ichabod Crane as an angel, in fact, he described him a bit unpleasant. Irving did use dream-like imagery in describing Ichabod. In the story, Ichabod was a schoolmaster, his schoolhouse was described as, “one large room, rudely constructed of logs…at the foot of a woody hill, with a brook running close by, and a formidable birch tree”(Irving). Irving used nature is his description of the schoolhouse. Many people would describe nature in dream-like imagery, and Irving did well at that.
Secondly, Washington Irving uses rebellion against reality to express Romantic values by, the creation of something physically impossible. In the story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” the townspeople create supernatural stories to well fit the appearance of the town, Sleepy Hollow. The most well-known story is of the Headless Horseman. According to the story, the headless horseman was “the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head had been carried away by a cannonball in some nameless battle” (Irving). This headless horseman had no head. A human being is incapable of being a human being without a head; the head controls the body. Creating this supernatural, physically impossible being is an example of people wanting to apart from reality. It also well depicts the attraction to the strange; people in the Romantic era seemed to have.
Moreover, Washington Irving uses rebellion against reality to express Romantic values by, creating confusion on the inherently good of man.
Around the Romantic Era, humans were expected or thought of to be good. No human was supposed to be evil, have cruel, perverse thoughts, or wrong actions. However, a character in the story is described as, ““Brom Bones… the umpire in all disputes…ready for either a fight or a frolic... had more mischief” (Irving). Creating a character that isn’t what someone may call “good,” demonstrates rebellion. According to Figun Dincer, he states, “Brom does not earn his living through a proper occupation or work; therefore one can expect him to make his living by thuggery or robbery” (Dincer). However, that is not the case. Although Brom is not the kindest, it is shown in the story that he will help when it is called for. That makes a twist in the rebellion. Creating a character is thought of to be evil, be actually good, demonstrates rebellion against reality. People were expected to have good in them, but Brom Bones fooled people. He fooled them into thinking he was the headless
horseman.
In addition, Washington Irving uses atheism to portray Romantic Era values. In the Romantic Era people were more liberal. They enjoyed being radical, they enjoyed horror, terror, and awe. To believe in God in this era was contradictory. Many people wanted terror, they wanted supernatural occurrences, however, when one believes in God, those types of things are sins. Therefore, many people swayed away from God. When one sways away from God, and does not believe in one, he is an atheist. In the story, “The whole neighborhood abound with local tales, haunted spots, and twilight superstitions” (Irving). When a person makes up a story, to intrigue others, he/she is either a liar, or trying to entertain. People were starting to have more common sense; they were starting to live more.
Thus, Washington Irving was an aspiring author, whom well depicted various values in the Romantic Era. Values include such as: freedom, rebellion, and individualism. He portrayed freedom through dream-like, gothic imagery; describing the freedom through nature and people. He portrayed rebellion through the creation of the supernatural. He portrayed rebellion through the difference in expectations and reality. Finally, he portrayed individualism through atheism; swaying away from God, to become what people wanted to be. The Romantic Era was a strange time, however, Washington Irving’s short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” well illustrates the values of that time.
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Dincer, Figun. "THE LIGHT AND DARK ROMANTIC FEATURES IN IRVING, HAWTHORNE AND POE ."http://www.sosyalarastirmalar.com/. The Journal of International Social Research, 2010. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. Irving, Wasington. The Sketch Book. N.p.: n.p., 1820. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Print.
To begin with Washington Irving uses imagery to express Romantic values, by setting. According to the story, Sleepy hollow was located in “a small market town… known by the name of Tarry Town” (Irving). Tarry Town was, and still is, a town in New England (New York). Tarry Town was a home to Native American Weckquaesgeek tribe. Tarry …show more content…
Town’s first settlers were Dutch; many of them were farmers. Tarry Town had well known incidents prior to the Revolutionary War; people were captured as spies. According to Irving, Tarry Town was "In the bosom of one of those spacious coves which indent the eastern shore of the Hudson, at that broad expansion of the river denominated by the ancient Dutch” (Irving). Washington Irving well depicted where Tarry Town was located. The setting’s imagery was an important part of portraying Romantic values, freedom, trying to “make-fun” of the British, by using a historical town.
Another reason why Washington Irving uses imagery to express Romantic values is by, dream-like imagery. In the story, the reader is introduced to the main character, Ichabod Crane, by Irving’s description, “He was tall… narrow shoulders, long arms and legs, hands that dangled…feet for shovels…His head was small...flat at top…huge ears, large green glassy eyes, and a long snipe nose” (Irving). Irving did not describe Ichabod Crane as an angel, in fact, he described him a bit unpleasant. Irving did use dream-like imagery in describing Ichabod. In the story, Ichabod was a schoolmaster, his schoolhouse was described as, “one large room, rudely constructed of logs…at the foot of a woody hill, with a brook running close by, and a formidable birch tree”(Irving). Irving used nature is his description of the schoolhouse. Many people would describe nature in dream-like imagery, and Irving did well at that.
Secondly, Washington Irving uses rebellion against reality to express Romantic values by, the creation of something physically impossible. In the story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” the townspeople create supernatural stories to well fit the appearance of the town, Sleepy Hollow. The most well-known story is of the Headless Horseman. According to the story, the headless horseman was “the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head had been carried away by a cannonball in some nameless battle” (Irving). This headless horseman had no head. A human being is incapable of being a human being without a head; the head controls the body. Creating this supernatural, physically impossible being is an example of people wanting to apart from reality. It also well depicts the attraction to the strange; people in the Romantic era seemed to have.
Moreover, Washington Irving uses rebellion against reality to express Romantic values by, creating confusion on the inherently good of man.
Around the Romantic Era, humans were expected or thought of to be good. No human was supposed to be evil, have cruel, perverse thoughts, or wrong actions. However, a character in the story is described as, ““Brom Bones… the umpire in all disputes…ready for either a fight or a frolic... had more mischief” (Irving). Creating a character that isn’t what someone may call “good,” demonstrates rebellion. According to Figun Dincer, he states, “Brom does not earn his living through a proper occupation or work; therefore one can expect him to make his living by thuggery or robbery” (Dincer). However, that is not the case. Although Brom is not the kindest, it is shown in the story that he will help when it is called for. That makes a twist in the rebellion. Creating a character is thought of to be evil, be actually good, demonstrates rebellion against reality. People were expected to have good in them, but Brom Bones fooled people. He fooled them into thinking he was the headless
horseman.
In addition, Washington Irving uses atheism to portray Romantic Era values. In the Romantic Era people were more liberal. They enjoyed being radical, they enjoyed horror, terror, and awe. To believe in God in this era was contradictory. Many people wanted terror, they wanted supernatural occurrences, however, when one believes in God, those types of things are sins. Therefore, many people swayed away from God. When one sways away from God, and does not believe in one, he is an atheist. In the story, “The whole neighborhood abound with local tales, haunted spots, and twilight superstitions” (Irving). When a person makes up a story, to intrigue others, he/she is either a liar, or trying to entertain. People were starting to have more common sense; they were starting to live more.
Thus, Washington Irving was an aspiring author, whom well depicted various values in the Romantic Era. Values include such as: freedom, rebellion, and individualism. He portrayed freedom through dream-like, gothic imagery; describing the freedom through nature and people. He portrayed rebellion through the creation of the supernatural. He portrayed rebellion through the difference in expectations and reality. Finally, he portrayed individualism through atheism; swaying away from God, to become what people wanted to be. The Romantic Era was a strange time, however, Washington Irving’s short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” well illustrates the values of that time.
.
Dincer, Figun. "THE LIGHT AND DARK ROMANTIC FEATURES IN IRVING, HAWTHORNE AND POE ."http://www.sosyalarastirmalar.com/. The Journal of International Social Research, 2010. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. Irving, Wasington. The Sketch Book. N.p.: n.p., 1820. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Print.