CORRUPTION, OFFICIALS’ ATTITUDE, AND MECHANISM OF OFFICIALS ELECTION IN A HISTORY OF NEW YORK BY WASHINGTON IRVING

Abstract

This study aims at analyzing how Irving actually used the Dutch history in America as a means to attack the new American government in 19^th century. .A History of New York is a parody written by Washington Irving that is full of innuendo. Irving made the history of the Dutch rule in North America in the 17th century as a bridge of criticizing the New American government in the 19th century. By using representation theory and the New Historicism approach, this research seeks to see the implicit meaning presented through parody and satire by Irving in his work A History of New York. This research discusses how Irving insinuated governors, officials and council members. The result of the study find that corruption practices, bad atitudes of the state officials, and the mechanism of the election of state officials are things that are actually being "attacked" by Irving, but the use of hilarious parody to insinuate requires a historical context to reveal what Irving wants to criticize.