Bartleby
Bartleby.com: The Short Story: Iriving
This Cambridge History of English and American Literature site examines the contributions of Washington Irving to the development of the American short story genre.
Washington State University
Washington State University: Literary Movements: Gothic, Novel, and Romance
This site defines and identifies characteristics for the Romance, the novel, and the Gothic novel. Uses good examples to distinguish between these genres.
Other
Z Publishing: Bret Harte (1836 1902)
A comprehensive site on Bret Harte, a Western storyteller during the Gilded Age. Some links may no longer work, but there is still ample material.