Final answer:
The antagonist in 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' is Brom Bones. He competes with Ichabod Crane for the affections of Katrina Van Tassel and actively tries to sabotage Ichabod's efforts, ultimately scaring him away from Sleepy Hollow.
Step-by-step explanation:
The antagonist in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is Brom Bones, whose real name is Abraham Van Brunt. Throughout the story, Brom Bones competes with Ichabod Crane for the affections of Katrina Van Tassel. Brom's role as the antagonist is evident in his actions, which include playing practical jokes on Ichabod, such as smoking out his singing school and turning everything in the schoolhouse upside-down, and ridiculing him in front of Katrina. His rivalry with Ichabod escalates to the point where Brom presumably disguises himself as the Headless Horseman to frighten Ichabod away from Sleepy Hollow, effectively removing his competitor. This suggests that Brom Bones is the source of Ichabod's troubles and is therefore the antagonist.