Washington+Irving

Washington Irving

Have you ever read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow or Rip Van Winkle? These are just two of the many books written by the Father of the American short story Washington Irving. He wrote dozens of books and many of them have gotten appreciation since his death. He wrote many of his greatest works under different pseudonyms. They were Dietrich Knickerbocker, Jonathon Oldstyle, and Geoffrey Crayon.

Biography __**Childhood**__ Washington Irving was born on April 3rd 1783 in New York City. He was the youngest of 11 children. His father was a wealthy merchant and his mother was a wealthy English woman.

His family settled down in Manhattan, New york. He was born on the same week that the citizens learned of the ending of the Revolutionary War. His mother named him after war hero George Washington. Six years later he met the President, who was then living in New York, and was blessed by him.

By age 14 Irving was uninterested in attending school, and regularly sneaked out in the evenings to go to the theater. After an outbreak of Yellow Fever in Manhattan his family sent him upriver to stay with James Kirke Paulding in Tarrytown, New York. It was here that Irving learned of the town of Sleepy Hollow, which was his inspiration for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Tarrytown is near the Hudson River, which Irving traveled frequently. On one of his trips up river to Johnstown he passed through the Catskill Mountains, which was his setting for Rip Van Winkle. "Of all the scenery of the Hudson, the Kaatskill Mountains had the most witching effect on my boyish imagination" (Washington Irving).

By 19 he was writing letters to the Morning Chronicle under the name Jonathon Oldstyle. the writings brought him some early fame and moderate notoriety.

Concerned for his health; his family sent him on a two year vacation to Europe. After meeting an American painter he almost quit his writing career and to become a painter. Irving said " My lot in life, however, was differently Cast".

__**Education**__ Washington Irving had many interests such as writing, architechiture and landscape design, traveling, and diplomacy. He didn't have any form of formal education. He earned honorary degrees from Oxford, Harvard, and Columbia.

__**Influences**__
 * Joseph Addison- Inspired by his elegant and lightly humorous short stories Irving created endearing short stories.
 * Oliver Goldsmith- Inspired by his elegant and lightly humorous short stories Irving created endearing short stories.
 * Sir Walter Scott- Mentor to Irving. Irving dedicated the English version of //The Sketch Book// to him.
 * George Washington- Irving was named after him and later when they met he was inspired by him and he wrote The Life of George Washington.
 * The society of New York City- It gave him inspiration to write many books including//, A History of New York//.

__**Awards**__ He is most noted as a writer and an ambassador. Due to his popularity, he recieved many honors such as being elected into the Real Academia de la Historia by the Spanish in 1828. In 1830, he received a gold medal in history from the Royal Society of Literature in London. In 1842, President John Tyler appointed him Minister of Spain.

He was never married and had no kids. He was engaged to Matilda Hoffmanm, but she died at age 17. He shared his home at Sunnyside with his brother Ebenezer and his five daughters. Washington Irving named his home Sunnyside. It is Located in Tarrytown NY. It has been visited by politicians, writers, artists, and lots of other influential figures seeking inspiration. His home has been publicized throughout the entire world. __**Major Works**__ "I am always at a loss to know how much to believe of my own stories." "For years I could talk on the subject of this hopeless regret; I could not even mention her name; but her image was continually before me, and I dreamt of her incessantly." "My heart yearns for home; and I have now probably turned the last corner in life, and my remaining years are feeling scanty in number, I begrude every one that I am obliged to pass separated from my cottage and my kindred."
 * __Sunnyside __**
 * "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" from //The Sketch Book//
 * "Rip Van Winkle" from //The Sketch Book//
 * //Letters of Jonathon Oldstyle//
 * //A History of New York//
 * //The Life of George Washington (5 volumes)//
 * __Quotes__**

Washington Irving died on November 28, 1859, at his home in Sunnyside while he was surrounded by his family. He was buried in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery at the old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow New York.
 * __Death__**



__**Legacy**__ Irving and his grave were commemorated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in a poem he wrote in 1876 called "In the Churchyard at Tarrytown," which concluded with the following verses:

How sweet a life was his; how sweet a death! Living, to wing with mirth the weary hours, Or with romantic tales the heart to cheer, Dying, to leave a memory like the breath, Of summers full of sunshine and of showers, A grief and gladness in the atmosphere.

__**Interesting Facts**__
 * His pen name Dietrich Knickerbocker was the inspiration for The New York Knicks.
 * He was credited with the expression "The Almighty Dollar."
 * He popularized the Nickname "Gotham" for New York City which was later used for the location of Batman.
 * His most lasting impact is the way we celebrate Christmas. In a revised version of his book he added a quote featuring St. Nicholas flying over the treetops in a wagon, a creation people would later decorate as Santa Clause.







http://www.hudsonvalley.org/education/Background/abt_irving/abt_irving.html
 * __References__**

http://kirjasto.sci.fi/wirving.htm

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/classic_literature/58873

http://www.biography.com/articles/Washington-Irving-9350087