华盛顿·欧文,美国建国初期的散文家、小说家和历史学家,也是第一位使美国文学以独立的形象出现于世界文学舞台的美国作家。他为创造美国自己的民族文学作出了重要的贡献,因此在美国文学史上享有极高的赞誉,被称为“先锋”、“长者”、“美国短篇小说的发明人”、“第一个美国文人”和“美国文学之父”。 Washington Irving, the essayist, novelist and historian in the early days of the founding of the United States, was also the first American writer to make American literature appear as an independent figure in the world literature stage. He has made an important contribution to the creation of the United States’ own national literature and thus enjoys a high reputation in the history of American literature. He is known as the “Pioneer,” “Elderly,” “The Inventor of American Short Stories, ”“ The First American Writer ”and“ The Father of American Literature. ”