Can anyone help me compare and contrast The legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving.?

Question

If anyone could I need three similarites and differences in the short stories to write an essay and I really don't know where to start.

Answer 1

First, Irving published both in "The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon", but in both case he, as Crayon, claims they are posthumous works of the late Diedrich Knickerbocker. As you should know, Knickerbocker was the pen name Irving used for his earlier book "A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, by Diedrich Knickerbocker," aka "The Knickerbocker Tales). So, writing under the pen name of Geoffrey Crayon he is now tying "The Sketch Book" in with "The Knickerbocker Tales" by claiming two of it's best know stories are actually from Knickerbocker.

Second, they both take place along the area of the Hudson River up river from New York City. Look at the very first sentence of each and they confirm you're along the Hudson.

"Rip Van Winkle":
"Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill Mountains."

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow":
"In the bosom of one of those spacious coves which indent the eastern shore of the Hudson, at the broad expansion of the river denominated by the ancient Dutch navigators the Tappan Zee, and wehere they always prudently shortened sail, and implored the protection of St. Nicholas when they crossed, there lies a small market town or rural port, which by some is called Greensburgh, but which is generally and properly known by the name of Tarry Town."

Without even looking at a map we know we go up river from NYC to find the setting of "Rip Van Winkle" because the first sentence tells us exactly that. It also tells us the story takes place in the Catskills. The first sentence of the second paragraph tells us even more about the location because it says the village Rip lives in is at the foot of the Catskills. If we are unfamilar with the state, then looking at a map of New York state that gives us geography and not just roads, highways, and rivers, we can find that the Catskills are on the west side of the Hudson, South of Albany but north of NYC. So "Rip Van Winkle takes place west of the Hudson.

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," however, almost begs one to get out a map if they fail to read the story through in order to determine Sleepy Hollow is up river from NYC. It is confirmed to be upriver in the first sentence of the second to last paragraph before the postscript. Unlike "Rip Van Winkle" where we need to start looking at a map if we are unfamilar with the state to figure out about where in New York the Catskills are and thus Rip's village, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow starts off by giving us a very good idea where to start looking. Travel up the Hudson to the Tappan Zee and on the east shore you will find Tarrytown. Now we have to get out a map and a bit of an understanding of the Tappan Zee. The Tappan Zee is a natural widening of the Hudson River that acts as a boundry between Rockland county on the west and Westchester county on the east. Which should put Tarry Town in Westchester county. Sure enough, the modern spelling of Tarrytown can be found on a map. And to it's north, Sleepy Hollow (North Tarrytown from 1847 to 1997). "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" places the village of Sleepy Hollow in a little valley at "perhaps about two miles" from Tarrytown, but fails to give a direction. Though checking the distance it seems to be less than a mile so the modern Sleepy Hollow may not be Irving's Sleepy Hollow.

A third comparison is the supernatural nature of the two stories. Before his twenty year sleep, Rip seems to end up in the company of end up in the company of men whose costumes are not only dutch in origin but clearly very out of style. Rip claims later it's Henry Hudson and his crew of the Half Moon.

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is more heavily laced with the supernatural. The Headless Horseman, though not seen, is described early on. Ichabod walking home at night is fearful of ghosts and witches attacking him and thinks that the wind whistling through the trees is the Horseman rushing by. He passes winter evenings hearing tells of the supernatural from the housewives and repaying them with tales of witchcraft. Brom Bones and his gang have him thinking a poltergiest brok into the school at night. The ghost stories told at van Tassel's party before he sorrowfully leaves on gunpoweder later that night. Then finally the Headless Horseman (who may or may not have been Brom Bones) chasing Ichabod.

One of the first differences is their occupations. Ichabod is an educated school teacher, a man of words who is fancied by the women as the most important man in Sleepy Hollow after the village parson. Rip, on the other hand, appears to have most likely been more along the lines of a farmer, though he never actually did so on his own property.

A second difference is the view of their survival at the end of the story by the old Dutch housewives. Rip sleeps for twenty years and when he returns his own daughter, now full grown, says it's believed he was either carried off by Indians (who they doubtlessly believe killed him) or else he shot himself. Once an old woman realizes this old stranger really is her old neighbor, everyone in town now believe Rip survived, though some believe he may have gone a bit insane while other's believe his story.

Ichabod, however, is viewed by most of the town to die at the Horseman's hands. That is until someone brings back news that he supposedly lived, moved to a far part ofthe country, became a politician, and eventually a judge. Brom Bones even laughs about the shattered pumpkin which leads to the idea that he may have pretended to be the Horseman on that fateful night. But the Dutch housewives insist that Ichabod really was killed by the Horseman.

Finally, I've already brought up a third difference. Location, particulary which side of the Hudson river the two take place on. "Rip Van Winkle" on the west, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" on the east. It's a sort of east versus west thing.

Answer 2

Monuments and memorials, diverse neighbourhoods, correct regional flavor this is what Washington, DC is; a place unlike any; exactly like this website hotelbye . Washington it's your property overseas with free museums and America's entrance yard. Washington is acknowledged around the world as a mark of the United States. Here, the spot you cannot skip could be the Capitol. Capitol is the seat of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The big dome, based on the dome of St. Peter's in Rome, stands out most importantly other Washington buildings. Like Washington it self, the making has grown through the years because the main part was developed between 1793 and 1812. The past supplement, in 1958-62, increased the key façade wherever presidents take the oath. On one other side, a marble terrace offers lovely views over the mall and the city. The inside is resplendent with frescoes, reliefs, and paintings, specially the rotunda beneath the great cast-iron dome with a threshold painting by Constantino Brumidi and huge paintings of moments from American record on the walls.

Answer 3

Legend Of Sleepy Hollow Sparknotes

Answer 4

Rip Van Winkle Sparknotes

Answer 5

Hi there
Do as the others say. It's OK to ask other people for advice and hints.
But READ and think for yourself.BTW Washington Irving is the founder of ALL American Literature, so look upon these stories as the beginning of an ADVENTURE in American Writing.
Use the Net,but LEARN from it.

Answer 6

i.personally liked the legend of sleepy hollow because there was so much death involved while ichabod crane was trying to save people into figure out what was killing the people all so to be honest with you i never ever got into rip van winkle because the dude went to sleep in woke back up 20 years later which was boring that's what you get for fallen a sleep in not taking your responsibility lol

Answer 7

First of all are these fantasies???? So google fantasies and see what you get.When were these stories written , were there newspaper, magazines, tv and movies for entertainment? Is there any evidence of withchcraft or voodoo???? Google each story, make a list of qualities like above--make two lists compare and contrast your lists. I hated doing these kinds of papers. I wish someone had given me some suggestions.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

the best way to start is to read both of them first...then look for similarities & differences...you'll learn more about great literature by reading it & seriously thinking about it than you will by someone else giving you all the answers
good luck on your essay!

Answer 10

Usually I would dig up the Study Guides for you, alas I'm very tired so here are the links for you to gather the info for yourself, if you have any probs then e-mail me and I will see what I can do. Good Luck.

These ( STUDY GUIDES ) will give you a summary of the book, character analysis, plot and much more, so that you will be able to answer literary questions.


http://www.literaturesummary.com/

http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/

http://sparknotes.com/

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/

http://www.gradesaver.com/

http://thebestnotes.com/

http://www.monkeynotes.com/

http://www.pinkmonkey.com/

http://barronsbooknotes.com/

http://wikisummaries.org/Main_Page

http://www.homework-online.com/litguides.asp

http://www.bookwolf.com/

http://www.novelguide.com/

http://www.madnotes.com/title.php

http://www.jiffynotes.com/

http://education.yahoo.com/homework_help/cliffsnotes/all.html

WikiSummaries, free book summaries

http://wikisummaries.org/Main_Page

http://www.coolatta.org/barrons/

http://summarycentral.tripod.com/