THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW

Title

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

orThe Legend of the

Headless Horseman

Publication Date

1820

Author

Washington Irving Born April 3, 1783 Born in New York , New

York Died November 28,

1859 Died of a heart attack

and was buried in the town of Sleepy Hollow

Has many works but is known mostly for Rip Van Winkle and The legend of Sleepy Hollow.

He traveled from England to Spain to work on his writings.

He became an ambassador of Spain from 1842- 1846.

Setting

The story is set in Tarrytown, New York.

Tarrytown is about 30 minutes from New York City.

Settings etc.

In Tarrytown there is a secluded area called Sleepy Hollow.

Significance

Since Washington Irving is from Sleepy Hollow he way more than a normal view for his story.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow put a special mark on the town in the mid 1800’s till now.

The story is still relevant in the city.

Ichabod Crane

Ichabod is the protagonist of the story.

He is a seasoned schoolmaster.

Ichabod is an extremely superstitious man.

Katrina Van Hassel

She is the daughter of Baltus Van Tassel. And the heir to all of his land and riches.

She’s the town darling. Everybody wants her for her money.

Baltus Van Tassel

Katrina Van Tassel father.

He’s the richest man in town.

He earned his riches from farming.

The town considers him as their banker and mayor but he is not.

Brom Bones

He’s the town hero. He wants Katrina

hand in marriage He’s the antagonist of

the story. He hates Ichabod

because he is the only other person in town that has a chance at marriage with Katrina

Plot

The plot is about an odd man who was a long, lanky as well as extremely superstitious man named Ichabod Crane and him moving from Connecticut to Tarrytown to be a schoolmaster.

Ichabod spends his time competing with the town hero Brom Bones Van Brunt for Katrina Van Tassel’s hand in marriage.

Ichabod’s students

Ichabod is a loyal teacher but he uses his students to get to there good looking sisters and there mothers cooking .

Superstitions

Ichabod would listen to all of the ghost stories from the children’s mothers.

Ichabod likes to hear ghost stories but his superstitions are too strong so he believes every story he hears around town.

Headless Horseman

Before death the Headless Horseman was an Hessian trooper that got decapitated by a cannonball .

Headless Horseman

Since the Headless Horseman got his head shot off he roams Sleepy Hollow in search for his lost head.

The Real Ichabod Crane

The real Ichabod crane was a army general in the Revolutionary war.

But the story is based off a man named Jesse Merwin.

The Real Katrina Van Tassel

The real Katrina Van Tassel is based off a woman named Catriena Ecker Van Tessel

The whereabouts of Ichabod Crane

Some say Ichabod found a plump wealthy women and settled down and had a family.

Others say that Ichabod died from the headless horseman’s flaming pumpkin and also roams sleepy hollow.