As a transitional writer who would bridge the gap between the Old World and the new, Washington Irving deserves recognition for pointing the young federal republic towards developing a unique literature. As for a "national literature," Irving viewed writing as an art, and thus he would emphasise "literature" over the "national." Unfortunately, critics like Herman Melville will interpret Irving's style as merely imitating British forms, while never developing a truly "American" style.

Born in New York City, Washington Irving was the eleventh child of the successful merchant, William Irving. Irving was named after George Washington, and reportedly, when the young boy was six years old, his nurse was able to get the Revolutionary War hero to pat the tyke upon his small head.

As Irving grew older along with the new republic, he showed a lack of ambition. Irving was not particularly fond of business, and while he became a lawyer, he put his soul into the legal profession only after he fell in love with Matilda Hoffman, the daughter of a judge. However, his legal career ceased upon the death of his sweetheart in 1809. Later, Irving would fall in love again, but this time the romance would end, not by suffering the death of his love, but by the uncommon good sense of the lady to reject him. Irving took the hint and would remain a confirmed, old bachelor all the days of his life.

Irving's literary career began with writing articles for his brother Peter's newspaper, the Morning Chronicle, under the pseudonym, "Jonathan Oldstyle, Gent." The articles showed a rare wit, and notables like Aaron Burr commented favourably about the Morning Chronicle and Irving's articles in particular. Thinking that a trip to Europe would help him to settle on a suitable future, Irving leaves New York in 1804, only to return in 1806, being no wiser than when he left. (However, Irving did acquire a taste for opera during this period).

With his brother William and James Kirke Paulding (of The Lion of the West fame), Irving began a new venture with the Salmagundi papers, which ran for sixty-five issues. The purpose of the papers was "to instruct the young, reform the old, correct the town, and castigate the age." In other words, the young men tried their hand with satire, imitating the master, Jonathan Swift. Yet, unlike the English satirists, who always aimed at a particular target with their craft, Irving and company used a random approach, almost a spare-of-the-moment after-thought. Perhaps this randomness was the result of participating in a new republic, where direction was not yet defined. If this were true, then life would have been seen as random, and not ordered. It must be remembered, however, that this lack of order can be levelled at New England, which was emerging as a society bent towards industrialism and driven by its merchant class. This cannot be stated about the Southern states, which had already developed a mature civilisation due to the citizens' emphasis on the traditional and permanent, giving rise to a society based on the family, the local community, and the land.

For an example of his earlier wit in one of the Salmagundi papers, Irving points out the greater wealth possessed by the South than the North in an unusual way: "The lady of a Southern planter will lay out the whole annual produce of a rice plantation in silver and gold muslins, lace veils, and new liveries; carry a hogs-head of tobacco on her head, and trail a bale of sea-island cotton at her heels; while a lady of Boston or Salem will wrap herself up in the net proceeds of a cargo of whale oil, and tie on her hat with a quintal of codfish."

In 1809, Irving presented his grand satire on history, particularly, New York's history. A History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty by Diedrich Knickerbocker was a great success. When Walter Scott first read the book, the imminent writer laughed himself silly, and the copy of A History of New York owned by Charles Dickens was mere tatters from overuse. What was significant with A History is Irving treated his subject as a mock-epic. The gods are comically described, like Juno being "ox-eyed" and winning "a pair of black eyes over night, in one of her curtain lectures with old Jupiter." Even battles are made light of and become bloodless jokes: "Nothing, save the dullness of their weapons, the damaged condition of their powder, and the singular accident of one and all striking with the flat instead of the edge of their swords, could have prevented a most horrible carnage." Adding to the comical effect is the narrator, Diedrich Knickerbocker, who actually tries to present a serious history.

The writing of A History of New York was prompted by a general desire to have an "American" history. The War for Independence in a real sense divorced the new republic from its past history with England and other European countries. The new republic of sovereign states was without a past, without a history, and without a definite direction. Irving waxes philosophical by satirising the history of New York and strongly implies that all history is meaningless, to which the industrialist Henry Ford agreed by remarking, "History is bunk." If history were bunk, then why should anyone be concerned with discovering it? Irving's erroneous view is the result of the author's rootlessness. Spending just as much time abroad as in his native New York, Irving naturally would not appreciate the fact of history's being the anchor that holds a people to a particular tradition and culture. Fortunately, Irving began to moderate a bit on his errant position, but only after he spent considerable time in England, where he became acquainted with Sir Walter Scott and with the rich heritage of that country.

It was Scott who helped Irving to publish his next and most famous work, The Sketch Book. Like A History of New York, Irving created a narrator by the name of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. Many critics suggest that Crayon is actually the fictional persona of Washington Irving himself. In Crayon, we find the turmoil evident with the citizens in the new republic: American, yet having English roots, while in search for a past and unsure about the future. With stories like "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," The Sketch Book was immediately well received, both in England and in America. However, with the writing of The Sketch Book, Irving will have reached the peak of his literary success, but not his popular appeal. While still in England, he wrote two more collections of stories, Bracebridge Hall, and Tales of a Traveller. Neither work achieved the status of The Sketch Book.

In 1826, Irving becomes a part of a delegation to Spain. Here he researched the life of Christopher Columbus, and upon returning to England, Irving wrote The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus. In 1829, in the same year that he wrote The Conquest of Granada, Irving is appointed by President Jackson as secretary to the Embassy in London. Finally, in 1832, after being seventeen years abroad, Irving returned to the United States an admired writer and celebrity.

However, his diplomatic career did not end. In 1842, Irving is appointed by President Tyler as Ambassador to Spain, which he served for four years. During his remaining years, Irving lived on his estate, Sunnyside, located near Tarrytown. Other works of interest that Irving wrote include A Tour on the Prairies, The Adventures of Captain Bonneville, and his final work before his death, the five-volume Life of George Washington.