The central character of this story by Washington Irving is a greedy city schoolmaster who moves to a school in a sleepy country town and sets about getting rich by marrying the daughter of a wealthy landowner. The teacher’s proposal is rejected, and he disappears one night after being chased by the “ghost” of a headless horseman. Major themes include storytelling (tall-tales), superstition, greed (Ichabod), fickleness (Katrina), ambiguity (in relation to both the horseman’s identity and Ichabod’s fate), and city vs. country perceptions (conniving sophistication vs. integrity and practicality).
This is an example of an iconic story that has been spoiled for today’s first-time readers by adaptions in other media. Disney’s Ichabod is a bumbling but likeable outsider whose genuine love for a beautiful girl is thwarted by a jealous town bully. Irving’s Ichabod is a greedy schemer whose main interest is Katrina’s family land; his adversary, Brom, is an adventurous, fun-loving practical joker who also happens to be courting Katrina.
Original Text / PDF / Audio (11,800 words)