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TheLegendofSleepyHollow“TheLegendofSleepyHollow”isashortstorybyWashingtonIrving,andfirstpublishedin1820.WashingtonIrvingwasoneofthefirstAmericanwriterstoearnaninternationalreputation,andregardedasanearlyRomanticwriterinthemericanliteraryhistoryandFatheroftheAmericanshortstories.WashingtonIrvingwasborninNewYorkCityinawealthyfamily.Fromaveryearlyagehebegantoreadwidelyandwritejuvenilepoems,essays,andplays.Inl798,heconc1udedhiseducationatprivateschoolsandenteredalawoffice,buthelovedwritingmore.IrvinggavehisworksdistinctiveAmericanflavor.RipVanWinkleorTheLegendofSleepyHol1ow,howeverexoticthesestoriesareamongthetreasuresoftheAmericanlanguageandculture.ThesetwostorieseasilytriggeroffAmericanimaginationwiththeirfocusonAmericansubjects,Americanlandscape.HewasfatherofAmericanshortstories.Thestoryissetin1790inthecountrysidearoundtheDutchsettlementofTarryTown(historicalTarrytown,NewYork),inasecludedglencalledSleepyHollow.ThemostinfamousspecterintheHollowistheHeadlessHorseman,saidtobetheghostofaHessiantrooperwhohadhisheadshotoffbyastraycannonballduringsomenamelessbattleoftheAmericanRevolutionaryWar,andwhoridesforthtothesceneofbattleinnightlyquestofhishead.TheLegendrelatesthetaleofIchabodCrane,alean,lankyandextremelysuperstitiousschoolmasterfromConnecticut,whocompeteswithAbrahamBromBonesVanBrunt,thetownrowdy,forthehandof18-year-oldKatrinaVanTassel.Sheisthedaughterandsolechildofawealthyfarmer,BaltusVanTassel.Onaplacidautumnnight,theambitiousCraneattendsaharvestpartyattheVanTassels'homestead.Hedances,partakesinthefeast,andlistenstoghostlylegendstoldbyBromandthelocals,buthistrueaimistoproposetoKatrinaaftertheguestsleave.Hisintentions,however,areill-fated.AfterhavingfailedtosecureKatrina'shand,Ichabodrideshomeheavy-heartedandcrestfallenthroughthewoodsbetweenVanTassel'sfarmsteadandtheSleepyHollowsettlement.Ashepassesseveralpurportedlyhauntedspots,hisactiveimaginationisengorgedbytheghoststoriestoldatBaltus'harvestparty.Afternervouslypassingunderalightning-strickentuliptreepurportedlyhauntedbytheghostofBritishspyMajorAndré,Ichabodencountersacloakedrideratanintersectioninamenacingswamp.However,tothepedagogue'shorror,theghoulclambersoverthebridge,rearshishorse,andhurlshisseveredheadintoIchabod'sterrifiedface.Thenextmorning,Ichabodhasmysteriouslydisappearedfromtown,leavingKatrinatomarryBromBones.IchabodCranehasmultiplepersonalitiesandthecontradictorystateofmind.Helikestodream,butisweakandincompetent;hehassimpleimpulse,andalsocanadjusttochangingcircumstances.ThischaracterisatypicalimageofacommonpeopleinIrving’novels.Becauseofpoverty,helikedeliciousfood;becauseofthesingleandpoor,hisdesiretomarryarichgirl.Inthenovel,heiswelcomedbywoman,becauseheisaliterateman,notliketheirrudehusband.However,heisalsotheobjectofdiscriminatingandteasing.UnderthepenofErwin,heisfunnyandpitifulperson.Heisunrealistic,greedyforother’spropertyandbeauty,wanttobecomerichbymarriage,butinrealityitisjustaillusion.Hewasdissatisfiedwiththesocialdiscrimination,butalsowanttogetrichlifelikeotherpeople.Aftertheillusion,whatshouldhedo?Then,thehorsemanheoftentalkedaboutappeared,atthattimehecouldsaynothing,hewassofrightenedthatlosttheabilitytodiscernthetruth.hedidn’tknowuntildeaththattheheadinthehandsofhorsemanwasjustapumpkin.Theheadlesshorsemanmadehisdisillusion,heescapedinafluster.Let'slookatthepeople'sreactionafterhedisappeared.After“death”,intheplacewherehelivedlongtime,heisunimportant.Hewasnotfromsleepyhollow,sohewaseventuallydrivenoutofthePeachGarden.Butontheotherhand,perhapsthehorsemanpointedoutanewwayforhim,changedthetrajectoryofhislife,orhelphimescapeoriginaltownlifeandperhapsthisistheonlychoicethismoment,nolongerbeashamedorembarrassedforhispoorpleasingandflattering.Ifhewasbraveenough,strongenoughinanewplaces,hecouldstartanewlifewithanewmood,hecouldhaveaselfreliantlifebyhiswisdominthenewcity,didn’tthinkmarriageasaprofit-makingtoolsanymore.Togetahappylifebyhardworkingisalsoakindoffortunate.EventuallyhefoundpositioninNewYork,hegotalawyer'slicenseandbecameapolitician.Hejoinedtheelectionandbecameajudge.Inshort,romanticwritersplacedincreasingvalueonthefreeexpressionofemotionanddisplayedincreasingattentiontothepsychicstatesoftheircharacters.Heroesandheroinesexhabitedextremesofsensitivityandexcitement.Thenovelofterrowbecametheprofitableliterarystaplethatitremainstoday.