Rip Van Winkle Character Analysis

Rip as a character is the center of all actions in the Rip Van Winkle story. It quite amazing how Rip managed to run away from his nagging wife for a walk in the woods, only to later fall asleep for a total period of twenty years. According to the wife, Rip is a lazy character who is just good for nothing. She describes him to be too lazy and he not capable of handling any work around their farm. Rip 's wife describes him as one who would rather go hunting or fishing with his wolf, dogs or just idle with a group of men in the village to just tell stories and gossip. His farm is in bad shape and he is comfortable by growing a few crops. According to the narrator, "Rip would to an extend starve on a penny rather than working for a pound" (Blumin, 296). However, the main question that arises is that is Rip's really lazy, the story demonstrates that he is a kind neighbor who in most time help village women with jobs that their own husband did n't like doing. He is the kind of person who will pitch in to help his neighbor handle even the most difficult work, for example, assisting in the building of stone walls

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Rip Van Winkle is identified in the story to be a character who has a great love for children. In the story, it is clearly illustrated that the children of the village "Would shout with joy whenever he approached". He showed them how to fly kites, he could make toys for them, tell them interesting stories and even shoot marbles for them (Plung,72). Every time Rip Van went to town, kids could jump over him and even play tricks on him, in such situations, Rip was comfortable and he didn't mind. Through such example, one cannot resist and it is very clear that Rip definitely had a strong love for kids.

In terms of relating to his kids, it's amazing how the narrator provides a sarcastic description of Rip's own kids. Rip's own kids are "wild and ragged as if they are belonging to nobody". On the other hand, Rip son is described as "urchin", a child who is dressed in rags and in most interaction with other children and even with another individual he always gets into trouble (Perry,36). In most cases as a child, the son put on Rip 's hand-me-down attire. Clothes which are too big to fit his body and, in most cases, he is spotted holding up his pants with one hand so as to prevent them from falling down the ground. One disturbing thought is that if Rip has a great love for kids, why is he not taking good care of his kids? Maybe this is happening because Rip is not at home most of the time and on various occasion, he is not at home just to avoid being around his nagging wife. Additionally, the children are also identified to be very different from him and they have taken after their mother. His son is always around the mother and in the most occasion, he is seen "trooping like a colt at his mother's heels" (Zlogar,70). This means that since the father is not after the nagging mother, the son who is always around the mother will not experience Rip's love.

Rips wife is very nagging. She keeps whining about how careless and idle Rip is, instead of doing this in a caring and more approachable way, like that of a wise wife. "His wife kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness...and the ruin he was bringing on his family" (Irving 10). The author goes on to say that the wife's tongue was complaining morning, noon and night, producing a household eloquence. Therefore, this is proof enough that Rips wife was very nagging, which makes Rip leave in the end because the nagging has become too much to handle. This nagging character transits to a provocative one. Dame provokes Rip all the time with the constant whining and complaining. Which husband loves a wife who is constantly whining? The constant nagging drove him to get out of his home to go hunting or fishing with his dog-wolf.

As mentioned, Rip Van Winkle was very good when it came to children. We learned that the children were always cheerful around him as he approached them. He was a father to two children of his own. In the short story, the author mentions, "His children, too, were as ragged and wild as if they belonged to nobody." (Irving 31). If he was so good with other children, why did it seem as if his own were neglected? That is because they practically were; he was away from home so much that his children were used to not having him around. Judith, his daughter, spoke of him as if he was just another man that walked out when he woke up. After his awakening he finds out that most of the people he knew had passed, he was a bit sad and didn't bother to ask about other people, then he asked Judith about her mother. She informs him that her mother passed not too long ago, but there is a type of relief that comes off from Rip Van Winkle. He feels as if he was free when he learns about her death and walks around a free man. Rip and Dame have children by the names Judith and Rip Van Winkle junior. Judith is caring as she takes Rip in after the two decades in the mountains. The text also shows that Judith was a hardworking lady because "...she had a snug, well-furnished house" (Irving 22).

Dame Van Winkle (Rip's Wife)

Dame Van Winkle in the story of Rip Van Winkle is identified as Rip's wife. She has been mentioned various times in the story and in fact, make the story to be successful.in the story, Dame Van Winkle is a hardworking woman. The story just got started before the revolutionary war and during this period, it was the role of a woman to manage the house duties. She'd have fetched water from the well, carried water home, cooked meals, cleaned the house and washed clothes by boiling them. Rip himself admitted that "Dame Van Winkle maintained the house in a neat manner" (Plung,68). This was one of the positive characters that Dame Van Winkle was possessing.

Dame Van Winkle plays the role of a nagging character who in most cases winkle and didn't offer Rip any peace. "Morning, night and noon, her tongue was incessantly going" through her thoughts and her way of reasoning, Dame Van Winkle operated with the knowledge that nagging was the only remaining means on getting Rip to meet the family responsibilities. However, this didn't work out. The narrator demonstrates that "her sharp tongue grew keener with constant use", and Her "tart temper" become worse over time (Mengeling,644). She complained consistently even though she didn't receive any feedback from Rip. The narrator explains that "whenever Dame Van Winkle nagged Rip, he'd not respond and even if he didn't argue, she will still continue". As a result, Rip would spend most of his time in the woods or go to the village just to avoid her.

It is very unfortunate for Dame Van Winkle that Rip is not the kind of a person to work around the house. She gets jealous and feels very angry that she is doing jobs for other women in town and she is helping their husbands while is left to struggle on her own. The irony is that to other villagers, Rip is a very helpful individual and they totally don't understand why the wife is always worried and most of the time not happy.

For Rip to work, her wife will complain and nag, she always "henpecked" him. The narrator is quite clear and describes Dame Van Winkle as a "shrew" and "termagant" (Perry,34). Both words just to describe her as a woman who very bad-tempered. She is always angry and persistently ears about his carelessness, his idleness and the damage he has brought into the family.

Minor characters

Rip Van Winkle as a story entails various characters that have smaller roles, though they play a significant role in the story.

Nicholas Vedder

One of the significant men in town is identified as Nicholas Vedder. Even though he is owning the inn, he does nothing but stays lazy all day just sitting and constantly smoking a pipe. The villagers can express his opinion about something on how he is smoking: "tranquility" if he's not happy "vehemently" in case he is pleased (Mengeling,647). Rip always join Nicholas Vedder and other village men under the tree to tell stories and share gossip. However, the sad story happens when Rip make a return trip to the village after a long period, he is told that Nicholas Vedder is dead.

Rip Van Winkle, Jr.

Rip Van Winkle Jr. is recognized as Rip's first-born son. Through his behaviors, he is just lazy just like the father. The narrator narrates that Rip and his son were not very close.

Stranger

The stranger is one unique man that Rip sees on the mountain. He carries a keg of liquor up the mountains dressed in old-fashioned Dutch clothes. Even though Rip finds the man to be "incomprehensible", he helped him carry the keg (Perry,25).

Conclusion

Conclusively, Rip Van Winkle was a very kind man. He found joy in helping those around him. He wanted nothing but freedom from his wife, who would constantly complain to him, although with time, they grew apart. The villagers feel that they are close to Rip because they have shared moments of gossiping with Rip as well as take part in a discussion about the outdated news. The villagers have changed when Rip comes back, from the calm villagers to a bustling crowd talking about politics. The strange men in the mountains are also kind and friendly as they offer to Rip a drink which finally gives a feeling of acceptance. Rip becomes acquainted with the strangers and finally drinks their liquor which makes Rip fall asleep for 20 years.

Works Cited

Blumin, Stuart M. "Rip Van Winkle's grandchildren: family and household in the Hudson Valley, 1800-1860." Journal of Urban History 1.3 (1975): 293-315.

Irving, Washington. "Rip Van Winkle." Baym, Nina, gen. ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 8th ed. Vol. B. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2012. 30-40. Print

Mengeling, Marvin E. "Characterization in" Rip Van Winkle"." The English Journal 53.9 (1964): 643-646.

Perry, John. "Rip van Winkle and other characters." European Review of Philosophy 2 (1997): 13-40.

Plung, Daniel L. "" Rip Van Winkle": Metempsychosis and the Quest for Self-Reliance." Rocky Mountain Review 31.2 (1977): 65-80.

Zlogar, Richard J. "Accessories That Covertly Explain": Irving's Use of Dutch Genre Painting in" Rip Van Winkle." American Literature 54.1 (1982): 44-62.