Notes on "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving
(I used to love the film, but I hate to see Johnny Depp, so I decided to read the story for the first time.)
Nature, supernatural elements, rural and isolated—in space and time.
Two types of masculinity, two men, two suitors:
Ichabod Crane: Is this a “type of guy” that Washington Irving was parodying? In theory, a modernising, civilising, culturally homogenising force. The line about how Connecticut exports woodsmen and schoolteachers. An outsider who ingratiates himself with the women in order to eat their food and look upon their daughters (vs. Brom who thrives in the masculine sphere). Living in poverty but has an air of superiority because he has had some education. In reality—only owns two books, and they are books on superstition, does not finish any poems and they are quite bad. Sly, does not court Katrina openly, but visits her house as a singing master hired by her father. Cowardly—does not challenge Brom, but takes his anger out on children and animals.
Brom Bones: Local suitor, Dutch. Strong and skilful, mischievous but not a bad man. Master of traditional masculine pursuits, such as: horseback riding, hunting, drinking, entertaining, making friends of men. He courts Katrina openly. Other suitors recognise his superiority and give up their pursuit of her. Compared to: Tatars, Don Cossacks, knights-errant of yore.
The wealth of the land, that provides grain, fruit, meat, wool, wood, etc. Some of it is sold, a lot of it is shared, consumed locally. Luxuries can be bought, but the community is self-sufficient. The wealthy farmer is the one with a full larder, who can afford to be generous.
Wealth in terms of the monetary value it can be exchanged for. Ichabod fantasises about marrying Katrina, filling her with children, converting her father’s wealth into cash and taking her away from her culture, going into the wilderness to become a prominent figure, coasting on her money and by being one of the few Europeans who settle there. He believes himself superior, but his existence is parasitic.
Ethnographic, fetishistic description of the Dutch, especially Dutch women: “Buxom lasses, almost as antiquated as their mothers.” Katrina described as a coquette, though her behaviour is not indicative of it. Her old-fashioned dress, inherited from her female ancestors, is described as sexy by the narrator (not their words, but it is implied to be how Ichabod sees it). They must be flirtatious because their ways are different from those of the English women. Descriptions of food, traditional dress. Ichabod is obsessed with the superstitions, the ghost stories of the community.
Tim Burton is racist. Who knew? There are Black people living in the neighbourhood, in the farms. They attend van Tassel’s feast.
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