The Book Review

Author ：Washington Irving

Publish time ：1819

  Washington Irving was born on 3rd April 1783 in New York. During his whole life, he had been to many places, which provided a lot of materials for his writing. He is also considered to be the father of American literature. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells a story that a poor village teacher Ichabod lives in hope that one day he will marry beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of the richest farmer in the locality. However, Katrina Van Tassel and her lover disguise themselves as a headless horseman, which was a terrifying story widely told, to frighten Ichabod. Finally, the beautiful girl married Brom Bones, her lover and Ichabod left the Sleepy Hollow in shame.

  From the perspective of the background of the works, the external world develops rapidly and changes with each passing day, breaking the past tranquility, and the country and people are in a state of unease. In contrast,  Sleepy Hollow is beautiful and peaceful, far away from the hustle and bustle, just like a paradise.  People in the Sleeping Hollow still live a life of self-sufficiency and ease. After Ichabod's expulsion, Sleeping Hollow regained its former tranquility. It reflects author’s political inclination: May the country be peaceful and leave a pure land on earth. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has a beautiful and smooth writing and beautiful scenery description, which fully embodies the sweet and imaginative features of Owen's prose. In this paper, Shakespeare's famous sayings, ancient Greek and Roman myths, legends and allusions, as well as the verses of English poets Milton, Bartlett, Skelton, etc. are cited skillfully in many places, which are obviously marked by Don Quixote in the image description of Ichabod, showing the profound influence of European literature, especially the British literary tradition on Owen and even the early American literature. What’s more, there is an obvious opposition in the author's Sleeping Hollow: Ichabod represents the rapidly changing American society, and bloom represents the old tradition. Irving satirizes Ichabod's lowliness, and then implicitly criticizes the social reality. At the same time, the author also examines and criticizes the old tradition represented by sleeping valley.

2019-12-27

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