The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Study Guide
by Megan Chase, dramaturg
8 Washington Irving 9 Surprises 10 Storytelling 12 Write Your Own Story 13 Works Cited The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
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Study Guide
Study Guide
Washington Irving:
The Man Behind the Legend Study Guide The play you are about to see is based on a short story written by the American author Washington Irving. Born April 3, 1738, in the newly created United States RI $PHULFD :DVKLQJWRQ ,UYLQJ ZDV QDPHG DIWHU LWV ĕUVW SUHVLGHQW *HRUJH :DVKLQJWRQ 2IWHQ VLFN DV D FKLOG ,UYLQJ was encouraged to get a lot of fresh air. He developed an active imagination wandering the beautiful New England FRXQWU\VLGH +H à NQHZ HYHU\ VSRW ZKHUH D UREEHU\ KDG EHHQ FRPPLWWHG RU D JKRVW VHHQ å +H DOVR ORYHG ERRNV PXVLF DQG WKHDWUH ,Q IDFW KH ZDV NQRZQ WR VQHDN RXW WR attend plays at the local theatre. Writing Career ,UYLQJ GLGQÞW MXVW ZULWH VSRRN\ WDOHV OLNH The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, he was also well known for his humor. Many of his books poked fun at his society and the silly WKLQJV SHRSOH VRPHWLPHV GR %XW ,UYLQJ GLGQÞW VWRS WKHUH Later in his life, he wrote histories and biographies about Christopher Columbus and his namesake, George :DVKLQJWRQ ,W ZDV ,UYLQJÞV VKRUW VWRULHV KRZHYHU WKDW JDYH him lasting popularity. His The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle became models for future short story writers. One of the first professional writers 'XULQJ ,UYLQJÞV GD\ D ORW RI SHRSOH WKRXJKW ZULWLQJ VKRXOGQÞW EH DQ\WKLQJ EXW D KREE\ %XW ,UYLQJ ZKR ZDV able to support himself by writing, promoted the idea that writing was a worthwhile career. Pseudonyms ,UYLQJ GLGQÞW DOZD\V XVH KLV UHDO QDPH ZKHQ KH SXEOLVKHG his writings—most likely for comedic eect. These are a few PDGH XS QDPHV RU SVHXGRQ\PV KH XVHG LQVWHDG ü 'LHGULFK .QLFNHUERFNHU ü -RQDWKDQ 2OGVW\OH ü *HRĔUH\ &UD\RQ
Surprises Surprises are a big part of the play you’re about to see. A surprise is when something happens that is unexpected. There are lots of types of surprises. Surprises can be funny, strange, or even a little scary. Sometimes surprises may make us imagine things or trick our eyes. What surprises you about the pictures below?
Which line between the arrows is longer?
Which of the middle circles are bigger?
Are the lines between the boxes straight or slanted?
,V WKH ERRN IDFH XS or face down?
Do you see a duck or a rabbit?
What do you see when you turn this picture upside down?
After the Show ĂĽ :KDW VXUSULVHV GLG \RX QRWLFH LQ WKH SOD\" :KDW VXUSULVHG WKH FKDUDFWHUV" :KDW surprised you? ĂĽ ,V ,FKDERG PD\EH WRR TXLFN WR DVVXPH KLV VXUSULVHV DUH FDXVHG E\ VRPHWKLQJ PDJLFDO" ĂĽ :K\ GR VXUSULVHV VRPHWLPHV PDNH WKH ZRUOG Ă WRSV\ WXUY\ĂĄ RU Ă XSVLGH GRZQĂĄ"
(Answers: a. both lines are the same length; b. both middle circles are the same size; c. the lines are actually straight; d., e., & f. These pictures can make you see more than one thing if you shift you vision.) 2
BYU Department of Theatre and Media Arts
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
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Study Guide
Study Guide
Storytelling The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has been called one of the most famous American ghost VWRULHV -XVW OLNH :DVKLQJWRQ ,UYLQJĂžV RULJLQDO WDOH RXU SOD\ DGDSWDWLRQ LV DOO DERXW WKH LGHD RI storytelling. +XPDQ EHLQJV KDYH WROG VWRULHV IRU D ORQJ ORQJ WLPH 7KH Ä•UVW VWRULHV ERXJKW FRPPXQLWLHV together and were passed down from generation to generation. Later, when we developed writing, we started writing those stories down. The oldest story we have record of is about an DQFLHQW 6XPHULDQ NLQJ ,W ZDV ZULWWHQ GRZQ PRUH WKDQ \HDUV DJR RQ FOD\ WDEOHWV ZKLFK still exist today.
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BYU Department of Theatre and Media Arts
Theatre performances, like the play you’re about to see, actually grew out of the WUDGLWLRQ RI WHOOLQJ VWRULHV \HDU DJR WKH Ancient Greeks were entertained by traveling storytellers who memorized and sung poems that were thousands of lines long. These poetic stories were about the great feats of heroes, gods, and goddesses. Later, the *UHHNV EXLOW KXJH RSHQ DLU WKHDWUHV ZKHUH the stories were acted out by people wearing elaborate masks and costumes.
Reasons for telling stories: Storytelling has served many purposes throughout human history. Stories are told to entertain, to teach, to make us think about life or to pass on traditions or beliefs.
What types of stories do you like to listen to or tell? Why? Story Matching 6WRU\WHOOHUV RIWHQ LQFOXGH LQWHUHVWLQJ DQG PHPRUDEOH REMHFWV LQ WKHLU VWRULHVĂœOLNH WKH +HDGOHVV Horseman’s pumpkin head in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow %HORZ DUH REMHFWV IURP RWKHU famous stories. Can you guess which?
Glass Slipper
Poison Apple
Magic Lamp
After the performance, ask for your favorite actors’ autographs below!
Ancient Greek Theatre Mask The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
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Study Guide
Study Guide
Write Your Own Story
Works Cited
Write Your Own Story Everyone can be a storyteller! Write one of your favorite stories here or make up one of your RZQ DQG VKDUH LW ZLWK D IULHQG RU IDPLO\ PHPEHU ,I \RX IHHO OLNH D FKDOOHQJH WU\ WR XVH WKH ZRUGV LQ WKH ER[ EHORZ $OO WKH ZRUGV DUH ERUURZHG IURP :DVKLQJWRQ ,UYLQJÞV RULJLQDO The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Gilgamesh. Digital image. The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Spiritual Biography. Sunrise Magazine Online, n.d. Web.
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à+LVWRU\ RI 6WRU\WHOOLQJ á Storytelling Day :HE $XJ ZZZ VWRU\WHOOLQJGD\ QHW Ichabod Pursued by the Headless Horseman. Digital image. Wikipedia Commons, n.d. Web. KWWS XSORDG ZLNLPHGLD RUJ ZLNLSHGLD FRPPRQV I I ,FKDERGVBFKDVHBFURS MSJ à,OOXVLRQV á NIEHS Kids’ Pages 1DWLRQDO ,QVWLWXWH RI (QYLURQPHQWDO +HDOWK 6FLHQFHV Q G :HE $XJ Panoramic view of the Greek theatre at Epidaurus. Digital image. Ancient Greek Theatre. 8QLYHUVLW\ 3UHVV ,QF Q G :HE $XJ Scallet, Lisa. Teacher’s Guide to the Core Classics Edition of Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow & Other Tales á &RUH .QRZOHGJH )RXQGDWLRQ 3') Thackara, W. T. S. Tablet XI Fragment (British Museum). Digital image. The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Spiritual Biography. Sunrise Magazine Online, n.d. Web. à7KH 6WRU\ %HKLQG 6OHHS\ +ROORZ á Historical Digression Q S $XJ :HE $XJ à:DVKLQJWRQ ,UYLQJ á %LRJUDSK\ FRP $XJ
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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
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Meet the Cast Lindsay Clark
)URP 6DQ $QWRQLR 7; -XQLRU LQ WKHDWUH DUWV VWXGLHV ZLWK DQ emphasis in playwriting and a minor in English. Recent BYU credits include Hattie in The Women of Lockerbie, Cecilia in Fefu and Her Friends, The Albino/Rodent of Unusual Size/ Witch in The Princess Bride, and Myrtle in Still Life.
Averill Corkin
)URP 'HQYHU &2 6WXG\LQJ PXVLF DQG KXPDQLWLHV ZLWK DQ HPSKDVLV LQ WKHDWUH 5HFHQW FUHGLWV LQFOXGH )LDPHWWD LQ The Gondoliers, Essie in Parade, -XOLHW LQ Romeo and Juliet, DQG 7KH )DLU\ *RGPRWKHU LQ 5RJHUV DQG +DPPHUVWHLQĂžV Cinderella.
Logan Hayden
)URP $UERQ ,' -XQLRU VWXG\LQJ WKHDWUH DUWV ZLWK DQ HPSKDVLV LQ VFHQLF GHVLJQ 7KLV LV KLV Ä&#x2022;UVW %<8 SURGXFWLRQ
Maile BreAnne Hekekia
)URP 6DQ $QWRQLR 7; )UHVKPDQ LQ WKHDWUH VWXGLHV 7KLV LV KHU Ä&#x2022;UVW WLPH LQ D %<8 SURGXFWLRQ DQG VKH LV H[FLWHG WR be a part of such a great show. She is looking forward to participating in more productions in the future.
Anna Lisa Moncur
)URP %ULJKDP &LW\ 87 6HQLRU LQ WKHDWUH DUWV VWXGLHV ZLWK D PLQRU LQ (QJOLVK 7KLV LV KHU Ä&#x2022;UVW DFWLQJ UROH LQ D %<8 PDLQ stage production, but elsewhere her favorite credits include Annie in Annie, a Silly Girl in Beauty and the Beast and Gaia LQ 1HZ 3OD\ 3URMHFWĂ&#x17E;V Fire and Rain.
Johnny Spelta
)URP 6DQWD &ODULWD &$ 6HQLRU LQ WKHDWUH DUWV VWXGLHV ZLWK DQ emphasis in play writting and a minor in English. This show marks his return to theatre after a long absence.
Devin Wadsworth
)URP 6XJDU &LW\ ,' $FWLQJ SUH PDMRU 5HFHQW FUHGLWV LQFOXGH A Second Birth, Selections from Arabian Nights, and Antigone.
Narrator/Spirit
Narrator
Narrator/Spirit
Spirit
Storyteller/Spirit
Narrator/Spirit
Narrator/Spirit
8 BYU Department of Theatre and Media Arts