Rip Van Winkle, Tale of

The tale of Rip Van Winkle, written by Washington Irving (1783–1859), is a time-honored classic in both its theme and historical context. Through this piece of American folklore, Irving reminds his audience that indolence and unawareness of socio-cultural and political change can lead to disaster. Time is the major theme in this tale.

The tale was published as part of a collection of stories in 1819. The collective work, known as The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, also includes Irving's other famous tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. “Rip Van Winkle” is set in a small Dutch village in the Hudson River Valley in New York State. The village is situated at the foot of the Catskill Mountains, which play an integral role in the story. The Hudson River Valley would not only be immortalized through Irving's two most famous stories but also would become his later home. The time period is set both before the American Revolution (in the beginning) and afterwards, when Rip awakens.

In the beginning, the audience is introduced to the titular character as a well-liked member of the community. However, in Rip's own house, misery seems to stem from his henpecking wife, Dame Van Winkle. Dame Van Winkle is simply upset with Rip's natural aversion to labor within his own house. One day after a characteristic barrage of nagging from Dame Van Winkle, Rip sets off into the Catskill Mountains to escape. Accompanied by his equally henpecked dog, Wolf, Rip originally seeks to shoot some game, but instead runs into the spirit of famous explorer Henry Hudson.

After helping his new acquaintance to carry a keg of liquor he was struggling with further up the mountain, Rip encounters the rest of Hudson's [Page 1112]crew entertaining themselves in a game of ninepins. Initially uneasy with the unsmiling crew, Rip settles down to sample some of the liquor in the keg. After many samples, Rip finds a nearby grove and falls into his renowned 20-year slumber.

Figure: This illustration of a scene from Washington Irving's 1819 Rip van Winkle shows a group of people outside the George Washington tavern as they crowd around, point at, and otherwise inspect an old man with a long white beard and a walking stick

Source: Getty Images. Engraved by T. Doney from a drawing by T. H. Matteson for the Columbian Magazine, 1850s.

Not knowing that he has slept 20 years, Rip awakens on what he supposes to be the next morning and heads back down to the village, unable to locate Wolf. That is, he cannot locate Wolf until he enters the village. There he finds an aged Wolf, who does not recognize his master. As if that weren't enough for the bewildered Rip, he soon discovers that he has arrived on an election day. Confused at the inquiry of his political allegiance from a passerby, Rip mistakenly cries “God bless the king!” After shouts of outrage from the newly liberated populace, Rip Van Winkle explains his identity, which is confirmed by a kindly old neighbor. Rip is welcomed back to the community and sees the effect of time upon everything he remembers before his famous slumber. His children are now grown up; his wife has died, as have many of his former friends.

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