Introduction
Born in 1783, Washington Irving was a renowned American author, essayist, historian, and biographer. He is distinguished for writing short stories, including the “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle.” Born and raised in Manhattan in 1815, Irving made his literary debut in 1802 in England, gaining popularity with the publication of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent (Mambrol, 2020).
This author was among the first writers in the US to earn acclaim in Europe. He inspired other writers, including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Herman Melville, through his writings and was also admired by British authors. In his entire writing career, Irving advocated writing as a legitimate profession and championed stronger laws to safeguard authors and writers throughout the United States from patent infringement.
Influence of the Author’s Historical Context
Time did not influence Irving’s works, and he did not copy any writing style from other authors. Despite being primarily influenced by European writing, mainly the legends from Germany, his writing style was all his own (Mambrol, 2020).
How the Author’s Work Might Differ in Another Era
If Irving were alive today, he could write his books, stories, and essays in the same format he used back then. He widely employed imagery in his writing, a style used by contemporary authors. Another style Irving uses, which is still in use, is humor, especially in his works. For instance, in the “Rip Van Winkle” story, Rip Van Winkle is a humorous character who does not work hard but instead likes gossiping and chatting with his friends (Mnassar, 2021). In addition, this character spends most of his time roaming the countryside, playing with the village children, and looking for ways to avoid his wife.
Possible Themes the Author Would Explore Today
If Irving were writing today, he would write a biography of the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. He would go to the American president’s official website, Joe Biden’s writings, and a series of Biden’s letters acquired through the State Department. The biography would be written in a narrative style chiefly grounded in historical facts (Verdejo, 2020). Irving’s work would deal with subjects including the presidency and the truth that he was the first American president to have a female vice president. Other subjects include his personal life and how he addressed the Coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent recession. His creative style would render a highly readable account of the president’s life, centered on exploring the great man.
Short Sample
One of Irving’s writings is “Rip Van Winkle,” whose main moral lesson is that as time goes by, things keep changing. For instance, he states, “as he approached the village, he met several people, but none whom he knew, which somewhat surprised him, for he had thought himself acquainted with every one in the country round. Their dress, too, was different from that to which he was accustomed. They all stared at him with equal marks of surprise, and whenever they cast eyes upon him, invariably stroked their chins. The constant recurrence of this gesture induced Rip, involuntarily, to do the same, when, to his astonishment, he found his beard had grown a foot long” (Irving, 1820, para 29). Clearly, he uses imagery to describe the situation in the countryside, making it easy for the reader to understand.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Irving is remembered for his humorous short stories that examine America’s culture and history. The author’s writing style included satire, imagery, and humor to convey his message to the audience. Irving was an iconic figure who inspired many writers. He is regarded as the father of literature and the first American writer to make a living mainly through his creative works. Lastly, he is the first American to be acclaimed by the literary establishment in England as worthy of recognition.
References
Irving, W. (1820). American short fiction. Rip Van Winkle. Web.
Mambrol, N. (2020). Analysis of Washington Irving’s stories. Literary Theory and Criticism. Web.
Mnassar, S. (2021). Autobiographical elements in Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle.” Brolly, 4(1), 55-78. Web.
Verdejo, V. M. (2020). Rip Van Winkle and the retention of ‘today’-belief: A puzzle. Res Philosophica, 97(3), 459-469. Web.