1. Rip Van Winkle (Washington Irving) Analysis
American Literature

2. 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”

3. Context of freedom
“Rip” was written in 1817 and published in The US was still fairly new at the time
War of 1812 had just happened
US freedom was still perceived as “fragile”

4. 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

5. 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?

6. 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.

7. Theme 4: Labor vs Productivity
Rip happily labors without profit.
Derrik Van Bummel, the schoolmaster, spends all day having irrelevant conversations about out- of-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?

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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.