Romantic Elements in Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, British
Cover of the book Romantic Elements in Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle by Christina Gieseler, GRIN Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Christina Gieseler ISBN: 9783640592838
Publisher: GRIN Publishing Publication: April 14, 2010
Imprint: GRIN Publishing Language: English
Author: Christina Gieseler
ISBN: 9783640592838
Publisher: GRIN Publishing
Publication: April 14, 2010
Imprint: GRIN Publishing
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2007 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Wuppertal (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), language: English, abstract: Washington Irving was one of the 'first notable fiction writers of the American romantic movement' (Keenan 970). His sketch book with tales such as 'Rip Van Winkle' 'made Irving the first American author to attain an international reputation' (Fender 165). Whereas Irving's prior work, the History of New York (1809) is written in a neoclassical1 tone right in the sense the Age of Reason and Enlightenment, 'The Sketch Book [...], showed that Irving had gradually become a romanticist' (cf. Callow and Reilly 76). According to the 'Oxford Companion to American Literature', Romanticism is a 'term that is associated with imagination and boundlessness' (Hart 724). Furthermore, it was a movement that 'elevated the individual, the passions, and the inner life. Romanticism, a reaction against neoclassicism, stressed strong emotion, imagination, freedom from classical correctness in art forms, and rebellion against social conventions'2. The goal of this paper is to examine and explain the major romantic elements in Washington Irving's 'Rip Van Winkle'. Therefore, at first the developments and ways of thinking during the Romantic period will be described, and briefly contrasted with those of the Age of Reason and Enlightenment. Then some information will be given on Irving as a romantic writer and the background of the tale of 'Rip Van Winkle'. After that several romantic features will be highlighted within short analyses of parts of the tale. Due to the briefness of the paper, the discussed features are restricted to themes such as 'Truth', 'Individualism' and the depiction of Rip Van Winkle as a common man, as well as the function of nature within the story.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2007 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Wuppertal (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), language: English, abstract: Washington Irving was one of the 'first notable fiction writers of the American romantic movement' (Keenan 970). His sketch book with tales such as 'Rip Van Winkle' 'made Irving the first American author to attain an international reputation' (Fender 165). Whereas Irving's prior work, the History of New York (1809) is written in a neoclassical1 tone right in the sense the Age of Reason and Enlightenment, 'The Sketch Book [...], showed that Irving had gradually become a romanticist' (cf. Callow and Reilly 76). According to the 'Oxford Companion to American Literature', Romanticism is a 'term that is associated with imagination and boundlessness' (Hart 724). Furthermore, it was a movement that 'elevated the individual, the passions, and the inner life. Romanticism, a reaction against neoclassicism, stressed strong emotion, imagination, freedom from classical correctness in art forms, and rebellion against social conventions'2. The goal of this paper is to examine and explain the major romantic elements in Washington Irving's 'Rip Van Winkle'. Therefore, at first the developments and ways of thinking during the Romantic period will be described, and briefly contrasted with those of the Age of Reason and Enlightenment. Then some information will be given on Irving as a romantic writer and the background of the tale of 'Rip Van Winkle'. After that several romantic features will be highlighted within short analyses of parts of the tale. Due to the briefness of the paper, the discussed features are restricted to themes such as 'Truth', 'Individualism' and the depiction of Rip Van Winkle as a common man, as well as the function of nature within the story.

More books from GRIN Publishing

Cover of the book Repräsentativitätsheurisik - Eine Einführung by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book Australian English: A Variety of British English? by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book The British Empire through the eyes of lexicography by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book Knowledge Commodification in German Speaking Universities by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book Regional variation in British English - Focus on Scotland by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book How representative is Voltaires L'Ingenu on the Enlightenment? by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book Prehistoric Islanders. Community Life, Nature and Religion in William Golding's 'The Inheritors' by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book Enslavement and Freedom in 'Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl'. A Peopled Mind Under the Model of Femininity by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book Procedural Justice Organizational Ethics Issue Resolution in the Automotive Manufacturing Industry by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book Semiotics: A critical analysis of three advertisements by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book Dress Codes and Gender Roles in 'Little Red Riding Hood' by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book Can the ASB really reduce creative accounting? by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book E.M. Forster's 'A Passage to India' by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book Disentangling a learning organization. An integration of theoretical models by Christina Gieseler
Cover of the book The influence of gender and ethnic origin on students' willingness to pay for music and their motivation to pirate by Christina Gieseler
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy