The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. by Washington Irving.
Ichabod Crane
major
Also known as Crane, The gallant Ichabod, poor Ichabod
A superstitious schoolmaster who vies for Katrina Van Tassel's hand.
Rip Van Winkle
major
Also known as Rip, poor Rip, Van Winkle, poor Rip Van Winkle
A henpecked husband who sleeps through the American Revolution.
John Bull
supporting
Also known as John, honest John Bull
A personification of the English national character.
Geoffrey Crayon
major
Also known as Unknown, the narrator, myself
The narrator and authorial persona traveling through England.
Brom Bones
supporting
Also known as Brom, Bones
A boisterous rival of Ichabod Crane for Katrina's affection.
Katrina Van Tassel
supporting
Also known as the blooming Katrina, Van Tassel
The wealthy farmer's daughter courted by Ichabod and Brom.
Mr. Bracebridge
supporting
Also known as Master Simon, Mr. Simon Bracebridge, Mr. Simon, Simon
The genial host of Christmas festivities at Bracebridge Hall.
Dame Van Winkle
supporting
Also known as Rip Van Winkle, Rip Van
Rip's shrewish wife who drives him to the mountains.
Nicholas Vedder
minor
A village patriarch who presides at the inn in Rip's story.
Hans Van Ripper
minor
Also known as Van Ripper
A farmer who takes Ichabod's horse after his disappearance.
Old Baltus Van Tassel
minor
Also known as Van Tassel, old Van Tassel
Katrina's wealthy father who hosts a harvest feast.
Wolf
minor
Also known as Poor Wolf
Rip Van Winkle's loyal dog who grows old with him.
Roscoe
minor
Also known as Mr. Roscoe
A historian and author admired by the narrator in Liverpool.
King Philip
supporting
Also known as Philip, the unhappy Philip
The Wampanoag chief who led a war against New England colonists.
Canonchet
minor
Also known as the brave and generous Canonchet
A Narragansett chief who fought in King Philip's War.
Massasoit
minor
A Wampanoag sachem who allied with the Plymouth colonists.
Shakespeare
supporting
Also known as sweet Shakespeare, the recreant Shakespeare
The Bard, referenced as a character in Stratford-on-Avon.
Sir Thomas Lucy
minor
Also known as Sir Thomas, the redoubled Sir Thomas, Lucy, lowsie Lucy
A local magistrate who prosecuted Shakespeare for deer poaching.
Falstaff
minor
Also known as fat Jack, old Jack Falstaff, kind Jack Falstaff, sweet Jack Falstaff, fat Jack Falstaff
Shakespeare's comic knight, celebrated at the Boar's Head Tavern.
Dame Quickly
minor
Also known as Dame
The hostess of the Boar's Head Tavern in Eastcheap.
Henry IV
minor
The English king referenced in the Boar's Head Tavern chapter.
Henry VIII
minor
Also known as Henry the Eighth
The Tudor king mentioned in historical contexts.
Queen Elizabeth
minor
Also known as Elizabeth, the imperious Elizabeth
The Tudor queen referenced in literary and historical anecdotes.
James I
minor
Also known as James, King James
The Stuart king who wrote poetry and patronized the arts.
Alexander the Great
minor
Also known as Alexander
The ancient conqueror mentioned in literary comparisons.
Diedrich Knickerbocker
minor
Also known as Knickerbocker, the late Diedrich Knickerbocker, Mr. Knickerbocker
The fictional historian who supposedly recorded the Dutch tales.
The Spectre Bridegroom
supporting
Also known as the stranger, the stranger guest, a young officer whose regiment had been recently quartered in the neighborhood
A mysterious visitor who claims to be a ghostly bridegroom.
The Baron Von Landshort
minor
A German nobleman who hosts a wedding feast.
Von Starkenfaust
minor
Also known as Starkenfaust, Sir Herman Von Starkenfaust
A young knight who impersonates a ghost to win his bride.
The Lady Jane
minor
A noblewoman in a tragic love story mentioned in the book.
Poor Mary
minor
Also known as Mary
A heartbroken woman who dies of a broken heart.
The Widow
minor
A grieving mother who loses her son at sea.
The Angler
minor
Also known as honest Izaak Walton, Izaak Walton, old Izaak, old Izaak Walton, Walton
A peaceful fisherman who embodies the contemplative life.
The Lambs
minor
Also known as the Miss Lambs, The Miss Lambs
Two sisters who appear in a London social scene.
Mrs. Lamb
minor
Also known as Honest Lamb, Lamb
A kind-hearted woman in the Little Britain neighborhood.
John Murray
minor
Also known as Mr. John Murray, Mr. Murray, Murray
A publisher who corresponded with the narrator.
Archibald Constable
minor
Also known as Mr. Archibald Constable, Mr. Constable, Constable
A Scottish publisher mentioned in the envoy.
Sir Walter Scott
minor
Also known as Sir Walter, Sir Walter Scott, Scott, Walter
The famous novelist referenced as a contemporary.
The Englishman
minor
A generic English traveler encountered by the narrator.
The Indian
minor
Also known as Indians, the Indians, The Indians, the Pequod Indians
A representative of Native American tribes in the narratives.
Peter Vanderdonk
minor
Also known as Peter
A village elder who confirms Rip's story about the mountains.
Derrick Van Bummel
minor
Also known as Van Bummel
The village schoolmaster in Rip Van Winkle's time.
Brom Dutcher
minor
A villager mentioned in the Sleepy Hollow tale.
Gunpowder
minor
Also known as old Gunpowder
Ichabod Crane's borrowed horse, old and stubborn.
The Headless Horseman
supporting
A legendary ghost who haunts Sleepy Hollow.
Francis Bracebridge
minor
Also known as Frank Bracebridge, Bracebridge, Frank, young Bracebridge
The son of Mr. Bracebridge, a young gentleman at Christmas.
The Young Count Von Altenburg
minor
A German nobleman who visits Bracebridge Hall.
Julia
minor
A young woman in a romantic subplot at Bracebridge Hall.
Leslie
minor
Also known as Poor Leslie
A man who loses his fortune and is comforted by his wife.
The Wife
minor
Leslie's devoted wife who supports him through hardship.
Robert Preston
minor
Also known as honest Preston, this Robert Preston
A sailor who marries a village beauty in the pride of the village.
Miss Sophia Scott
minor
Also known as Scott, Sophia
A young woman courted by a sailor in the village tale.
Dame Honeyball
minor
Also known as Dame
A tavern keeper in the Little Britain neighborhood.
Wagstaff
minor
Also known as little Wagstaff
A young boy in the Little Britain community.
John Hallum
minor
Also known as Hallum, Little Hallum
A resident of Little Britain with a notable story.
The Servants
minor
Household staff at Bracebridge Hall during Christmas.
The Strangers
minor
Unidentified travelers encountered in various chapters.
Herrick
minor
Also known as 30 Herrick
A poet referenced in the Christmas chapters.
Bright
minor
A minor character mentioned in the London antiques chapter.
Edmonds
minor
A person mentioned in the Little Britain chapter.
Bacchus
minor
The Roman god of wine, referenced in literary contexts.
Fidele
minor
A faithful character from Shakespeare's Cymbeline, quoted.
Christmas
minor
Also known as poor old Christmas, Ancient Christmas
The personification of the Christmas holiday.
John Ange
minor
A minor figure in the Little Britain tales.
Balt Van Tassel
minor
Also known as honest Balt
A farmer and relative of Katrina Van Tassel.
Old Stowe
minor
Also known as the venerable Stowe
An antiquarian mentioned in the London antiques chapter.
William Walworth
minor
Also known as William, William Walworth callyd, Sir William Walworth
A historical Lord Mayor of London mentioned in the book.
Giraldus Cambrensis
minor
A medieval Welsh chronicler referenced in the text.
Roubillac
minor
A sculptor mentioned in Westminster Abbey.
Bucephalus
minor
Alexander the Great's horse, referenced in a literary metaphor.
Poor Robin
minor
Also known as Robin, Robin - goodfellow
A folk character mentioned in the Christmas chapter.
Justice Shallow
minor
Also known as Justice
A Shakespearean character referenced in the Boar's Head chapter.
Slender
minor
Also known as Slender Ay
A Shakespearean character from The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Death
minor
Also known as Captain Death
A personification of death in a literary allusion.
Peter Stuyvesant
minor
Also known as the good Peter Stuyvesant, Peter Stuyvesant
The Dutch governor of New Amsterdam, mentioned in the book.
Sir Philip Sidney
minor
An Elizabethan poet and courtier referenced in the text.
Tasso
minor
An Italian poet mentioned in literary discussions.
Robert Stewart
minor
Also known as Sir Robert Stewart
A historical figure mentioned in the book.
Jack Straw
minor
Also known as Jack, Straw
A leader of the Peasants' Revolt, referenced historically.
Joseph of Exeter
minor
A medieval poet mentioned in the book.
Bantam
minor
A character in the Little Britain neighborhood.
Mr. Skyrme
minor
A minor figure in the Little Britain tales.
Old Tom
minor
Also known as Tom, the Old
An elderly resident of Little Britain.
Garrick
minor
Also known as David Garrick, Davy
A famous Shakespearean actor referenced in the book.
Miantonomo
minor
A Narragansett sachem mentioned in the Indian chapters.
Wetamoe
minor
A Wampanoag woman mentioned in King Philip's War.
Cotton Mather
minor
Also known as old Mather
A Puritan minister and writer referenced in the book.
Bright Chanticleer
minor
A rooster mentioned in a rural scene.
Doffue Martling
minor
A minor character in the Sleepy Hollow tale.
The Wassel
minor
Also known as Wassel
A personification of the wassail drink at Christmas.
