Transcript Rip Van Winkle Analysis File

Rip Van Winkle
(Washington Irving)
Analysis
American Literature
Theme 1: Tyranny vs
Freedom
 Tyranny of marriage
 Tyranny of day to day responsibility
 Tyranny of King George
 Story poses the question: what is freedom
from tyranny really?
 Rip escapes all 3 types of tyranny by simply
“napping”
Context of freedom
 “Rip” was written in 1817 and published in
1819. The US was still fairly new at the time
 War of 1812 had just happened
 US freedom was still perceived as “fragile”
Theme 2: Active vs
Passive Resistance

Rip is a perfect example of the “passive
resistor”
 He responds to his wife by throwing his
hands up, shaking his head, and looking up
at the sky.
 He naps through the American Revolution
 His passivity is contrasted with many
examples of active resistance
Active vs Passive
Resistance
 The spirit of Hendrick Hudson: he was a
Dutch ship captain who was violently
overthrown by mutineers on his own boat.
 Irving may be posing questions about the
need for industriousness and active
patriotism. Are these thigns necessary for the
happiness and fulfillment of America’s
citizens?
Theme 3: Truth, history,
and Storytelling
 “Rip” is a framed story told by Deidrich
Knickerbocker.
 The “truth” of the story is constantly called into
question—Knickerbocker does no research for
the story. He claims to have gathered
information straight from the mouths of Dutch
families. (classisc folk tale)
 Rip cannot keep his story straight the first few
times he tells it
 “Rip” demonstrates that storytelling art and
culture help develop a new county’s history and
identity.
Theme 4: Labor vs
Productivity
 Rip happily labors without profit.
 Derrik Van Bummel, the schoolmaster, spends all
day having irrelevant conversations about outof-date newspapers.
 The early 1800’s was an increasingly industrious
time in the US. Irving is posing questins about the
importance of labor and the desire to
advance.IsI it that important? What about
those, like Rip, who are busy laboring not out of
a desire to advance, but out of pure generosity?
Theme 5: Change vs
Stasis
 Major characteristic of romantic movement in
literature is nostalgia for the past and suspicion
of technological and political advances.
 Rip comes to be known as a “keeper of the
past” because he slept through all of America’s
changes. The world around him is drastically
different, yet he remains unchanged,
 The story suggests that no matter what changes
come, Rip wlil always live lazily and happily as
he always had.
Historical Context
 Literary Period: Romanticism
 Irving sought to emphasize individuality and
nature in a time that was increasingly
valuing industry and progress.
 Story is set in a time before the revolution—
likely to represent a time that was more
peaceful when America was less
determined to represent production
Historical Context
 Set over the course of abut 20 years
 Opening occurs about 1770 before
Revolution when US didn’t even exist.
Colonies were still colonies of England.
 2nd half of story occurs around 1789—after
revolutionary war

Analysis
 The introduction to the ghostly figures
transforms the story from a supposedly dry
historical account to one containing
fantastical and mystical elements.
 The magical appearance of the Catskills in
the beginning of the story serves as
foreshadowing.
 The antiquated clothing of the ghosts
foreshadows Rip’s appearance in town
when he returns after his sleep.