Washington Irving's 'Rip Van Winkle'

In Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle,” an allegorical reading can be seen. The genius of Irving shines through, in not only his representation in the story, but also in his ability to represent both sides of the hot political issues of the day. Because it was written during the revolutionary times, Irving had to cater to a mixed audience of Colonists and Tories. The reader’s political interest, whether British or Colonial, is mutually represented allegorically in “Rip Van Winkle,” depending on who is reading it. Irving uses Rip, Dame, and his setting to relate these allegorical images on both sides. Irving would achieve success in both England and America, in large part because his political satires had individual allegorical meanings.

The next and main thing that he noticed was the town and country government changed during the time period that he was asleep. Nicholas Vedder’s inn was now gone since there was no one to take care of since Vedder had died. When Rip Van Winkle came into town for the first time, he saw that his old favorite place to gossip with friends was now gone and had been replaced with a modern inn. He was simply confused when he originally saw this change; not realizing yet those twenty years had gone by. The primary difference that he observed was that King George’s picture was not located on a sign that used to represent the country of England. But now the sign has a picture of someone that Rip Van Winkle did not recognize named George Washington. Rip Van Winkle did not know about the Revolutionary War or about the new government of the brand new country who won its freedom from England. His world that he thought he

"Rip Van Winkle" has been a well-known story told throughout time. There is not a doubt that as a child, many of you heard the words of Washington Irving's famous tale of the man who slept for twenty years. Nor can one forget the "elves" that Rip Van Winkle spent the night with in the amphitheater. Like many stories, Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" has been told so many times throughout American history that it has lost its original purpose. The story is now remembered for its fairy tale like quality and its appeal to the children and the young at heart. However, when given the chance to delve into the depths of what Irving was trying to portray, one may see the

Almost as soon as the grand setting is told, the designation of the story itself, the character Rip Van Winkle, is introduced. He is depicted ideally as well, said to be simple and widely liked, and most importantly good natured. Without hesitation, it is stated that he is a descendant of a family who played a more than respectable role in the history that helped to capture and establish the land that is now his mountainous village. He is recognized as more than the average citizen already, perhaps one of great influence, not unlike the nature itself. "He was, moreover, a kind neighbor and an obedient henpecked husband. Indeed, to the latter circumstance might be owing that meekness of spirit which gained him such universal popularity," (Irving 702). Despite this constant distressing of his spouse, made eminent in the opening pages, Rip was able to ignore the chronic squabbling and seek elsewhere for loyal friendships, which in turn, boosted his regard. After some time, however, the nagging became overbearing, and he was forced to flee to the highest peak of the mountains where he would be surrounded by nature, and thus was at ease with himself. However, Irving introduces a twist; the nature of the mountains cast a magical command upon Rip and forced him into a sound sleep for twenty years. When he awoke Rip found himself an old man in a place that was, at first,

Stories come and go, but Washington Irving integrates “Rip Van Winkle” into American Mythology by describing mysterious events and their consequences. Rip Van Winkle, the main character, unknowingly walks into a mystical trap that costs him dearly. The man agrees to help a seemingly helpless fellow carrying a keg of liquor, and he enters an amphitheatre that held “a company of odd-looking personages playing at nine-pins” (Irving, 68-69). After settling down, Rip Van Winkle tries the mysterious liquid and slowly falls into a deep sleep, and twenty years later, he finds himself in different society and is confused to the point he “can’t tell what’s [his] name, or who [he is]” (Irving, 69-75). As Irving crafts his story, the main character comes

“Rip Van Winkle” is an American short story by Washington Irving. Published in 1819, it is a quaint essential piece of American Literature. The story is narrated by Deidrich Knickerbocker, a character created by Washington Irving. Knickerbocker tells of the life of old man Rip Van Winkle and how he slept for twenty years among the trees in the Kaatskill mountains and returned one day to a new time, only to find that his home and all his friends had long since passed. In the story, the main character Rip says, “I’m not myself—I’m somebody else—that’s me yonder—no—that’s somebody else, got into my shoes—I was myself last night, but I fell asleep on the mountain, and they’ve changed my gun, and every thing’s changed, and I’m changed, and I can’t tell what’s my name, or who I am!”(Irving 38). Irving’s short story has the traditional elements of romantic literature and of the time. It uses fantasy and adventure elements to draw in readers, as well as excite the imagination. Before Irving, much of the literature consisted of sermons and religious works, whereas Irving began to write fiction. Many things were taking place during this time. America was becoming more settled, independent, and was going through a revolution, which is portrayed in the story. Also, the setting in the short story was full of local folklore. These elements help to create the atmosphere in which this tall tale takes place. Washington Irving details how

The story “Rip Van Winkle” is set in the back of beyond during the old day. It shall be immobile in a small town latent the Kaatskill. At the bottom of the mountains, there was smolder coming up from the village, and reflecting roofs along with the tall trees. The lustrous smoke stays sited by some of the Dutch migrants. They established during the time of George the Third. It was during the yoke of old England, where some legends invented. The background characteristics primarily collided with the story. The story put's readers mind into a concealed place and time.

At its most basic level Rip Van Winkle is a humorous story of a man who sets off into the mountains to find so much needed peace and quiet, then sleeps for twenty years. Washington Irving uses a combination of satire, imagery, and irony, intertwined with symbolism, to paint an allegorical image of the American Revolution. Irving particularly focuses the tale of Rip on America’s political struggle during the latter half of the eighteenth century while highlighting the role of England as a colonializing society. The use of symbolism helps in creating a vivid mental picture and a physical sensation of the subject without directly referring to the details of the revolution itself. Understanding the symbolism helps in deriving the full meaning of Irving’s writing and the themes it addresses. Ultimately, an analysis of the symbolism will help in understanding the American struggle against England, and how the American Revolution shaped the future of America.

Washington Irving and Edgar Allan Poe were both writers who exemplified the writing style of the Romantic era. Both writers used their great talents to take the reader into the story. For example, Irving, in “Rip Van Winkle”, starts the story by saying, “Whoever has made a courage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill Mountains.” He also involves the reader in the story by taking us into the everyday lives of the Van Winkles and goes into some detail describing Rip’s “business”.

Although Irving would recognized as an author, both in America and aboard, his writing did not begin to support him until his mid-thirties Many literary sources consider Irving to be “America's first internationally recognized author” (519-520). Irving started writing at the age of nineteen, however, his first works were published under different pseudonyms. (“Washington Irving” 141). Using “the pseudonym Jonathan Oldstyle”, he contributed “satirical letters …to a newspaper owned by his brother Peter” (141). The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent was published “under the pseudonym Geoffrey Crayon” (May 520). The story, “Rip Van Winkle”, was credited as “a posthumous writing of Diedrich Knickerbocker” (Irving 1). Irving decided to “remain a bachelor” (Neider xii), when his fiancée, Matilda Hoffman died in 1809 (“Washington Irving”

Washington Irving’s portrayal of Dame Van Winkle is not fair because he never described her, she had a very lazy husband, and her husband was willing to help other people but her. First, he is not fair to Dame Van Winkle Because he never really described her. He never described what she was like. He never described what she did to make there home better without Rip there.. Second, she had a very lazy husband that never did anything to help her around the house or on the farm. Rip Van Winkle was always trying to get out of helping her so that made her angry. She would always go to town to try to find him but he would slip away into the woods. Lastly, the author said Rip Van Winkle is always willing to help other people but he dreaded going

Once I read the Norton Anthology section as well as the Washington Irving introduction. I learned a lot about Mr. Irving, In addition to the romantic literature. Such as the writers of this time being engaged with certain conflicts and the concerns of the time. Mr. Washington Irving being one of five most important namely writers. However out of the selection of writings, I am going to analyze the "Rip Van Winkle" tale.

Washington Irving was born on 1783 (Manhattan) and he is consider as “the father of American fiction” and the creator of the short story.

For example, when Irving describes his old inn he says, “but it too was gone. A large rickety wooden building stood in its place, with great gaping windows, some of them broken and mended with old hats and petticoats, and over the door was painted ‘The Union Hotel by Johnathon Doolittle’” (Irving 750). By descriptions like this, the reader and audience can make the conclusion that it is now a new time period. After discovering the time, Rip Van Winkle finds a young adult. Rip asks about her father and she replies, “Ah, poor man Rip Van Winkle was his name, but it’s twenty years since he went away with his gun, and never has been heard of since” (Irving 753). Again Irving is pushing the reader to indicate that Rip Van Winkle left his wife for a twenty years sleep. When Rip asks this women about her mother she replies, “Oh, she too had died but a short time since; she broke a blood-vessel in a fit of passion at a New-England peddler” (Irving 753). Irving’s word selection here, implies that she died happily. Through the know all, see all narrator, the descriptive details of place and people, and paced out incidents, the reader can easily come to the conclusion that Rip Van Winkle ran away from his wife to the top of a mountain and returned to his village twenty years after to find that his only trouble had vanished in a happy

“Rip was ready to attend to anybody’s business but his own: but as to doing family duty, and keeping his farm in order, he found it impossible,” (Irving 10). Washington Irving is a romantic American writer in the 1800s with works including Rip Van Winkle as a part of the collection of essays and short stories called The Sketchbook. Rip Van Winkle is set in a village near the Kaatskill Mountains during the American Revolution and tells the story of a man who is loved by many in the town but spends his days in idleness. His wife often nags him because Van Winkle does not work for anything in his family. One day, to escape his wife’s nagging, Van Winkle walks off into the mountains with his dog, Wolfe. He stumbles upon a group of strange