Free Essays on Washington Irving

Irving, Washington (1783-1859), American writer, the first American author to achieve international renown, who created the fictional characters Rip Van Winkle and Ichabod Crane. The critical acceptance and enduring popularity of Irving's tales involving these characters proved the effectiveness of the short story as an American literary form. Born in New York City, Irving studied law at private schools. After serving in several law offices and traveling in Europe for his health from 1804 to 1806, he was eventually admitted to the bar in 1806. His interest in the law was neither deep nor long-lasting, however, and Irving began to contribute satirical essays and sketches to New York newspapers as early as 1802. A group of these pieces, written from 1802 to 1803 and collected under the title Letters of Jonathan Oldstyle, Gent., won Irving his earliest literary recognition. From 1807 to 1808 he was the leading figure in a social group that included his brothers William Irving and Peter Irving and William's brother-in-law James Kirke Paulding; together they wrote Salmagundi, or, the Whim-Whams and Opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, Esq., and Others, a series of satirical essays and poems on New York society. Irving's contributions to this miscellany established his reputation as an essayist and wit, and this reputation wa! s enhanced by his next work, A History of New York (1809), ostensibly written by Irving's famous comic creation, the Dutch-American scholar Diedrich Knickerbocker. The work is a satirical account of New York State during the period of Dutch occupation (1609-1664); Irving's mocking tone and comical descriptions of early American life counterbalanced the nationalism prevalent in much American writing of the time. Generally considered the first important contribution to American comic literature, and a great popular success from the start, the work brought Irving considerable fame and financial reward. In 1815 Irving we... Free Essays on Washington Irving Free Essays on Washington Irving Washington Irving: The Self-educated Author The year was 1804 and Washington Irving was on his way to Europe. He embarked on this journey because of his parents’ concern for his health, and to complete his education. His trip was short but well accomplished, learning many things, which helped benefit his writing future. He traveled back to the states and realized that his trip was well worth the time and effort. Irving made one of the most life changing decisions in his life by traveling back to Europe, he decided not only this but also to start an import/export business. Successful, he was not. The business went bankrupt shortly after. Irving then decided to improve his writing knowledge and ability by traveling abroad Europe. In the process of trying to gain great knowledge on many of things he received horrifying news, shortly before his 24th birthday, that his mother died. Irving thought and grieved upon this and decided that it would be best if he stayed in Europe. This greatly impacted his knowledge of writing an d what he was going to write about. The death of Washington Irving’s mother made him convinced he needed to stay in Europe, greatly influencing one of his most famous writings, Rip Van Winkle. (Hill 482-483) Irving lived among a family who was of much literary prestige. He gained only a fragment of necessary education, receiving what little he had in male seminaries. However, he completed his education on his own well before the age of sixteen. He was sent by his parents to explore in the wilderness at an early age. He explored the countryside of Old Dutch New York and The Catskills Mountain. He studied law privately, but did so only briefly. (Unger 297) His family owned a small business, which he helped run with his two brothers. In 1804 Washington’s health started to become bad. His parents made one of the most influential decisions that they would ever make; this was to send their son to Europe. At this t... Free Essays on Washington Irving Irving, Washington (1783-1859), American writer, the first American author to achieve international renown, who created the fictional characters Rip Van Winkle and Ichabod Crane. The critical acceptance and enduring popularity of Irving's tales involving these characters proved the effectiveness of the short story as an American literary form. Born in New York City, Irving studied law at private schools. After serving in several law offices and traveling in Europe for his health from 1804 to 1806, he was eventually admitted to the bar in 1806. His interest in the law was neither deep nor long-lasting, however, and Irving began to contribute satirical essays and sketches to New York newspapers as early as 1802. A group of these pieces, written from 1802 to 1803 and collected under the title Letters of Jonathan Oldstyle, Gent., won Irving his earliest literary recognition. From 1807 to 1808 he was the leading figure in a social group that included his brothers William Irving and Peter Irving and William's brother-in-law James Kirke Paulding; together they wrote Salmagundi, or, the Whim-Whams and Opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, Esq., and Others, a series of satirical essays and poems on New York society. Irving's contributions to this miscellany established his reputation as an essayist and wit, and this reputation wa! s enhanced by his next work, A History of New York (1809), ostensibly written by Irving's famous comic creation, the Dutch-American scholar Diedrich Knickerbocker. The work is a satirical account of New York State during the period of Dutch occupation (1609-1664); Irving's mocking tone and comical descriptions of early American life counterbalanced the nationalism prevalent in much American writing of the time. Generally considered the first important contribution to American comic literature, and a great popular success from the start, the work brought Irving considerable fame and financial reward. In 1815 Irving we...