Twain Case

Nathaniel Hawthorne and Washington Irving are two authors of the 19th century that often intertwined historical facts and events with fictional characters and happenings. Hawthorne and Irving's attempts to place fictional characters in historical situations are clearly evident in multiple works, yet they are most obvious in Nathaniel Hawthorne's, "The Maypole of Merry Mount" and Washington Irving's, "Rip Van Winkle." Nathaniel Hawthorne's, "The Maypole of Merry Mount" is a short story that demonstrations the beliefs and ways of the Puritan society through fictional events and fictional characters. Similarly, Washington Irving's short story, "Rip Van Winkle," depicts a fictional character, Rip Van Winkle, in an actual time in history, and relates much of the plot of the story to that of real facts in history.

Hawthorne's, "The Maypole of Merry Mount" is a short story about the celebration of a wedding in the town of Merry Mount. Hawthorne explains that the people are dressed in unique costumes, mostly resembling creatures of the forests. Some were dressed as bears and others were dressed as Native Americans, nevertheless, they were all dancing around the maypole celebrating the wedding and showing their appreci. The celebration was quickly interrupted by the arrival of Mr. John Endicott, the leader of a nearby Puritan community. This is a perfect example of Hawthorne's use of real historical characters, John Endicott, in fictional situations, the celebration and events occurring in the story. Hawthorne also describes how John Endicott ordered the people to be "put into" more conservativ

Washington Irving's short story, "Rip Van Winkle," takes place both before the revolutionary war as well as after it. One day the main character, Rip Van Winkle, found himself wandering the mountains with his dog in an attempt to escape the nagging of his wife. After walking for a while, Rip encounters a well-dressed man who is in dire need of assistance. Upon helping the man, Rip encounters a large group