Irving's Portrayal of Women in His Novels

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In his stories the women were not portrayed as nice. Women were usually nagging and would fight with their husbands. Some critics felt that Irving took an anti-feminism approach to his writing. However some critic feel that The Legend of Sleepy Hollow shows importance of marriage. Some critics also argue the quality of his work. Some pieces of his work are considered remarkable. While other pieces of his work are considered not to be that good.

Irving’s health was also not very good and he had tuberculosis. So his brothers decided to send him overseas to Rome to recover. Irving was engaged to Matilda Hoffman. Matilda Hoffman passed away suddenly and Irving took her death pretty hard. Irving did go out with two women over two years but remained a bachelor his entire life.

In RIP Van Winkle, Dam Van Winkle is abusive, nagging, and sarcastic. In Rip Van Winkle, Washington Irving states that “but what courage can with stand the ever-during and all besetting terrors of a woman’s tongue.” He seems to imply that he did not like women who gave their opinions and spoke their mind. It seems that Rip is going into the woods to escape his wife.

In the Devil and Tom Walker Tom’s wife has a temper, loud mouth and she was strong . His face sometimes showed signs that their fighting may have been more than words. She would hide things from Tom. They did not have a very good marriage. Again Irving portrayed the wife as loud and nagging.

In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Irving portrayed women differently. Katrina Van Tassel is very beautiful, sexy and a flirt. Katrina knew what the power of her beauty could do. Although Katrina isn’t a nag like Dam Van Winkle, she was bad in a different way. Katrina seemed to know what and who she wanted and was willing to use her beauty and sexuality to get what she wants.

In my opinion, Irving did not like women very much. He seemed to think that most women were nagging and abusive or they would use their beauty to get what they want. He seemed to think that most men wanted to get back or get even with women. I don’t think that his portrayal of Dame Van Winkle was fair. He portrayed her as being mean and unfair to Rip.

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