RIP VAN WINKLE - Assessing The Text
...xt as a whole is closed with a note from our ‘author’ (Dietrich Knickerbocker) in which he notes that while the events in the tale may seem questionable and unlikely he claims to himself have spoken with Rip and also that a judge has signed a certificate of authenticity on the tale (the fact that Irving would go as far as to claim a fictional author had a conversation with a fictional character which was overseen by a fictional judge demonstrates how important it was that his story were to be believed. The comical irony is that the latter part of the tale pokes fun at the way in which people in the ‘New America’ believe everything someone in power tells them, and Irving then uses his closing section to reinforce this belief by having the ‘Judge’ authenticate the tale. Section Two – THEMES AND IDEAD IN THE BOOK As with almost any literary text, we are able to read into Washington Irving’s ‘Rip Van Winkle’ and locate the issues, themes, ideas and images which may not be instantly apparent to the untrained reader. While the story may at first seem fairly straightforward we as scholars are able to read between the lines and draw our own, more complex conclusions on the narrative, characters and events. In the knowledge that Irving was born in New York in 1783 at a time when America was engulfed in democratic fanaticism it is no surprise to find that he grew up to be a political satirist. As a result, we can draw from the story interesting ideas on Irving’s feelings and opinions on the different ways of life under the old Colonial British rule and that of the new, young America. By looking at the stern character of ‘Dame Van Winkle’ who is said to be “continually dinning about (Rips) idleness, his carelessness and ruin he was bringing on his family” (Heath 2084) we can see that Irving may well have been using the character to represent the rule over the Colonies (Rip representing the colonists) by Britain and King George. This is also evident in the exchange between Inn Keeper ‘Nicholas Vedder’ (whom its is feasible represents the Colonial Governors appointed by the Crown) who “himself, scared of the daring tongue of this terrible virago, who charged him outright with encouraging her husband in habits of idleness” (Heath 2085) showing the way in which the Governors (normally people in power over their colonies or ‘the inn’) were helpless against the power of the Crown (or ‘The Dame’) The next key representation comes in the form of the “outlandish” (Heath 2086) strangers whom Rip meets upon his arrival in the hills. It is perfectly conceivable that Irving intended them to represent the Native Americans who lived outside the colonies. Evidenced in the way they are “amusing themselves, yet they maintain the gravest faces” (Heath 2086) showing that Rip does not understand their rituals. Upon awakening and returning to the town Irving uses Rip and the story to satire the new government and their methods and values, even going as far as referring to one statesman as “a knowing and self important old gentleman” (Heath 2089). Irving then goes on to mock the paranoia and insecurity of the new government by having Rip accused of being “a spy” and “starting a riot!” (Heath 2089). In the final portion of the tale Irving uses Rip to mock the attitudes of the ‘New Americans’ and the government by having Rip aware of the War and the changes it has brought, but by having him still essentially the same person with the same worries. This shows Irving’s belief as to how oblivious most Americans were to the important changes shaping around their everyday lives. Section Three – TECHNIQUES USED BY THE WRITER As interesting as the tale itself, the linguistic and literary techniques employed by Washington Irving in the telling of his classic ‘Rip Van Winkle’ demonstrate how important the mechanics of writing are in crafting such a text. The opening and closing sections of the text are written in a formal tone, showing many of the features we come to expect from formal written texts (short declarative sentences with formal lexis and tone). We can attribute this to Irving’s need and want to achieve the intention and purpose of these sections of the text (that being to convince the reader of the authenticity of the tale they have just read or about to read). By using this formal tone and register Ir...