Romanticism: "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Swing Low Sweet Chariot"

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving still captures the imagination of it's readers today. Many of the adults in the town share stories at the Van Tassel's party of  ghosts, goblins, and the headless horseman. By setting the story in the same place these stories are said to have happened, the author sets off the reader's imagination, making them wonder if the characters will encounter some of the supernatural things from the stories. This imagination is brought to life when IchabodCrane meets the headless horseman that night soon after the storytellings, and disappears from Sleepy Hollow.
 
 The song "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" is an old religious song sung by negro slaves. The song is about them escaping slavery, by God coming to save them and take them to thier heavenly home. The slaves expressed their religious faith and hope through the lyrics, such as:

"If you get there before I do
Coming for to carry me home
Tell all my friends I coming too
Coming for to carry me home"

 

 This song is reflective of it's time period because the slaves didn't have much to hope for besides thier freedom. They knew that no matter what they had to endure on earth, God would take care of them and they would recieve their reward one day in Heaven. The song is reflective of the world today beacause although there is no more slavery in America, people can have the same attitude and hope as the slaves sang of in this song.