3) The most obvious element of satire in "Rip Van Winkle" is the dynamic between the "termagant wife" and "obedient, hen-pecked husband". Irving's representation of the "fiery furnace of domestic tribulation" reverses traditional gender roles in a comical way, atributing the "virtues of patience and long-suffering" to the man, and agressiveness and authoritarianism to the woman. This subversion seemed ridiculous to people and therefore made them laugh, and it was especially relevant considering that the publication of "Rip Van Winkle" coincided with the genesis of the women's rights movement. One could also consider the scene Rip walks into upon his return to village, where "tavern-politicians" are haughtily discussing the "rights of citizens - elections - members of congress - liberty", to be satire, especially considering that, at the end of the tale, Rip explicitely establishes a parallel between the opression of the American colonies by the British government and his own suffering caused by "the tyranny of Dame Van Winkle". The narrator is therefore comparing the British crown to a termagant, nagging wife, and American citizens to long-suffering husbands who find themselves suddenly free from their tyrant.
3. In this short story by Washington Irving there are numerous examples of elements that can be considered satirical. One of those examples is the relationship between Rip Van Winkle and his wife, Dame Van Winkle. What the author is trying to satirize is the fact that their relationship is based on the constant “nagging” done by Mrs. Van Winkle, criticizing Rip’s “idleness, carelessness, and the ruin he was bringing on his family” (page 1345, lines 13-14), These type of remarks can often be found in longer relationships when the love is not really there anymore. Also related to their marriage life, Mr. Van Winkle tries to “escape” by going to a tavern to drink, finding solace in that action. Mr. Van Winkle’s character itself is representing a generation of people that let laziness and idleness take over. For example Rip doesn’t do anything on his farm, he doesn’t take care of the animals, doesn’t fix the fence, doesn’t tend the garden, he doesn’t even take care of his own children that “were ragged and wild as If they belonged to nobody” (page 1345, line 3). Another aspect is that after Rip Van Winkle falls asleep and comes back twenty years later, a lot of things change, including the portrait of King George in the village Inn that was switched to a portrait of George Washington making a reference to the American Revolution.
The present analysis of Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving is largely based in the theory of narrative discourse by Gérard Genette (Narrative Discourse, An Essay in Method, 1983).
Regarding whether the focalization of Irving’s short story is internal or external, it can be concluded that it is clearly internal. Not only does the narrator tell a story, but he also has the ability to describe and analyse the interior of the story’s characters, in this particular case, Rip Van Winkle: “Rip now felt a vague apprehension stealing over him;”; “On nearer approach he was still more surprised at the singularity of the stranger’s appearance.” (p.32); “His mind now misgave him; he began to doubt whether both he and the world around him were not bewitched.” (p.33).
However, focalization and presence of the narrator are not to be jumbled. The narrator of Rip Van Winkle falls into the category of heterodiegetic, meaning he does not take part as a character in the story.
On whether the narrator has an interventional or a neutral approach, we can deduce his focalization is neutral. He does not intervene with opinions on the storytelling or with interpellations to the reader. He simply describes what’s happening with no partial opinion, as it can be seen throughout the text.
Lastly, his focalization is also omniscient to a certain extent, as there are degrees of omniscience. This omniscience usually means that the narrator superiorly dominates what is going on, all of the events in detail, including all tenses of the narration and the characters’ lives as well as their interior and exterior thoughts/appearance: “On entering the amphitheatre, new objects of wonder presented themselves. On a level spot in the centre was a company of odd-looking personages playing at ninepins.” (p.32); “He now suspected that the grave roisters of the mountain had put a trick upon him, and, having dosed him with liquour, had robbed him of his gun. Wolf too had disappeared (…)” (p.33); “(…) he found his beard had grown a foot long!” (p.33).
However, for a few moments, there is also evidence of a light restricted focalization, although intentional. The reader is not immediately enlightened after Van Winkle’s awakening, but is led to find out what changed and why with him: “He looked round for his gun, but in place of the clean, well-oiled fowling-piece, he found an old firelock lying by him, the barrel incrusted with rust, the lock falling off, and the stock worm-eaten.” (p.33); “(…) a sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters, GENERAL WASHINGTON.” (p.34). The reader must make an effort to understand the story and its meaning, as if “pieces” were missing, with the help of the new and old villagers’ explanations.
The narrator’s omniscient focalization is then again evidenced when he establishes himself as an authority that explains and interprets facts and characters: “Rip’s daughter took him home to live with her;”; “Rip now resumed his old walks and habits, he soon found many of his former cronies, though all rather the worse for the wear and tear of time, and preferred making friends among the rising generation (…)” (p.35); “It was some time before he could get into the regular track of gossip, or could be made to comprehend the strange events that had taken place during his torpor. How that there had been a revolutionary war, - that the country had thrown off the yoke of old England, - and that, instead of being a subject of his Majesty George the Third, he was now a free citizen of the United States.” (p.35).
In satirical literature, names of characters have a meaning to emphasize the character’s main characteristics or to send a message. The first thing that comes to mind when reading the title is the association with R.I.P. (or RIP), which means in Latin “Requiescat in pace” and in English “Rest in Peace”. RIP is an idiomatic expression that became common on the tombs of Christians in the 18th century. After reading the story, it seems fair to think that the name Rip also carries the meaning of RIP and that Winkle bears some other meaning as well. Rip is a Dutch boy's name. It is also used in the EUA, Australia and Britain but it is not a very common name. In Dutch it means ripe, full grown. In English, has also a meaning. All of those meanings apply to the main character’s story: he was a grown man but his wife ripped off his life. And after twenty years sleeping, absent from the world, when he returned, changes didn’t have any effect on his life: “the army of children at his heels”, “there was, as usual, a crowd of folk about the door” and “he recognized on the sign, however, the ruby face of King George”. So, he had rested in peace, sleeping for twenty years, because nothing dramatic happenned. Not only everything stayed the same, but his life got better because his main concern – his wife – had died and he had “arrived at that happy age when a man can be idle with impunity”. “Winkle” has also several meanings. In Dutch, the surname Winkel exists. The word “Winkle” stands for a gastropod mollusc (the class where snails belong) and for “to make someone leave a place”, which was what happened to Rip Van Winkle: “Poor Rip was at last reduced almost to despair; and his only alternative, to escape from the labor of the farm and clamor of his wife, was to take gun in hand and stroll away into the woods.” Winkle also means “social cleansing” and “to persuade someone to tell you something”. According to this analysis, the name Rip Van Winkle may mean “Don't worry those who were force to leave home, in the end nothing will change”. Or even: “Relax those who are alienated from the reality or those who are lazy”. Or even: "Rest in peace those who are socially dead". But, attending to the other meanings of the words “rip” and “winkle” other interpretations may be possible after a more profound reading.
2)The narration in the short story “Rip Van Winkle” catches the reader’s attention immediately and holds the reader’s curiosity till the end with the descriptions that are made throughout the story.
The first narrator functions as an editor, (the first part of the text in italics (p.30)) who informs us about the piece and who introduces Diedrich Knickerbocker who will narrate the story of Rip Van Winkle. Thus, we recognise Knickerbocker as the narrator, who actually transmits Rip Van Winkle’s story told by himself. So, we observe the whole plot through the eyes of Rip Van Winkle and meanwhile we also have narrator’s own opinions about the plot.
In this short story one of the most important elements is ‘direct characterisation’. We get a lot of information about Rip Van Winkle, we are openly informed that he is “a simple, good-natured fellow”. These two words are also repeated few lines after, and there we can see the opinion of the narrator too; as he starts his sentence as “I have observed that he was a simple, good-natured fellow.” (p.31)
With every single sentence we read, we gradually learn Rip’s thoughts; we can see how he thinks, how he reacts and what he does. We are told more details about his daily life; his relationship with the children in the neighbourhood (he teaches them to fly kite, he tells them stories p.31), with his dog (their idleness p.31) and with his wife (p.31). The personality of Rip Van Winkle, his actions and his thoughts are very clear to the reader. The narrator explores Rip Van Winkle’s movement in the story, in addition to this, he also unfolds Rip’s mind. “Rip ‘felt’ famished for want of his breakfast.” (p.33) “He ‘recalled’ the occurrences before he fell asleep.” (p.33) The narrator is well aware of what is going on in Rip’s mind.
Most of the depiction in the story is based on Rip’s account. The “company of odd-looking personages playing at ninepins” (p.32), “the constant recurrence of the gesture” (p.33), “the strange faces at the window” (p.33), Nicholas Vedder “with his broad face, double chin, and fair long pipe” (p.34) all these descriptions rely on Rip’s perspective.
The narrator is not only interested in Rip Van Winkle, the main character of the story, but he also makes a great effort to tell about the other characters in the village. There are separate paragraphs about his children, his dog, and the other characters that are important in the story (p.31). The character Nicholas Vedder, for example, is depicted in detail (p.31-32). In that paragraph, the language of the narrator becomes critical within the narrative. Nicholas Vedder who is “a patriarch of the village, and landlord of the inn” is represented as a lazy person in an indirect way. Nicholas Vedder is a character who only moves when he needs “to avoid the sun” and with whose help “the neighbours could tell the hour by his movements as accurately as by a sun-dial" (p.31-32). In contrast to the direct characterisation we have in the descriptions of Rip Van Winkle, we now have indirect characterisation in the description of Nicholas Vedder (p.32).
Finally, the whole story (the story told by Knickerbocker, as well as the information given by the first narrator) tends to be based on 'facts'. The first narrator tries to convince the reader that this story has an “unquestionable authority”.(p.30) The main narrator (Knickerbocker) talks about the location before telling the story in order to prove its truth (“Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill mountains” (p.30)). In a way, this short story tries to gain the confidence of its readers with the details it gives throughout the narrative.
Throughout Rip Van Winkle, the writer inserts multiple elements of satire. The intentions behind this are, on one hand, to give the story a comical dimension, and, on the other hand, to comment on and highlight certain aspects regarding the state of affairs the United States of America were inserted in – one which involved going from a colony ruled by a British monarch, to republican free state.
The first example of satire regards the protagonist – Rip Van Winkle –, his wife and the nature of their relationship. This nature is of complete disaccord, given that both characters represent clear behavioural opposites. To describe Mr. Van Winkle, the range of words and expressions used include “a kind neighbour”; “an obedient (…) husband”; “meekness of spirit”; “obsequious and conciliating” and “pliant and malleable”. In contrast, Dame Van Winkle is characterised as a “shrew[s]” and “a termagant wife” embodying the puritan ideology of the necessity of carrying a strict work ethic.
The characterisation of the two continues throughout the first pages. We get a sense of why Dame Van Winkle regularly scolds her husband: “Rip was ready to attend to anybody’s business but his own; but as to doing family duty, and keeping his farm in order, he found it impossible.” He just did not seem to care much about anything at all, in the process upsetting Dame Van Winkle whose “tongue was incessantly going (…)”, showing how comical Dame Van Winkle’s outbursts could be.
The writer even goes as far as to claim that Rip’s dog – Wolf – is also afraid of Dam Van Winkle: “(…) The moment Wolf entered the house his crest fell, his tail dropped to the ground, or curled between his legs, (…) casting many a sidelong glance at Dam Van Winkle.” This part, specially, gives the text a more comical sense.
Nonetheless, the author says that, although Dame Van Winkle’s scolding was consistent, having “a termagant wife may, (…) be considered a tolerable blessing; and if so, Rip Van Winkle was thrice blessed” even though Rip most definitely did not feel blessed for having such wife.
The next aspect of satire deals with the happenings in the text. After supposedly being dead for 20 years, the protagonist’s name gains another meaning. Rip, as is commonly known, means “rest in peace” and is used when someone who is dear to us dies, alluding to their eternal sleep. The fact that Rip, for all effects, dies for the people who he used to know, means he spent 20 years “resting in peace”.
The third and last thing to consider as satire would be the one which deals with the changes in regime. As known the narrative starts when the United States were still a colony of Great Britain, evidenced in the text: “(…) a rubicund portrait of His Majesty George the Third.” It ends, however, when after the protagonist awakes and comes back to his old village, he finds that what used to be a colonised region is now a free republican state. “He recognized on the sign, (…), the ruby face of King George, (…); but even this was singularly metamorphosed. The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre, (…) and underneath was painted (…), General Washington.” In fact, this stands in the story as the sole symbol of the regime change. Rip ultimately comes back to find that the people of the village had kept most of their old ways, and acted with rejection and violence upon him when he declared he was “a loyal subject of the King” – much like puritans would have acted before: “A tory! a tory! a spy! a refugee! Hustle him! Away with him!” they said.
At the end of the text we see that – most comical of all - Rip’s biggest worry was not whether the colony was ruled by a tyrant or a republican, because it did not affect his life much. We understand that, after all the regime changes, the protagonist was just happy to be freed from the one tyrant in his life: Dame Van Winkle: “Happily that was at an end; he had got his neck out of the yoke of matrimony, (…) without dreading the tyranny of Dame Van Winkle.”
Satire is very much present in the short story by Washington Irving and it helps give it a tone of its own. The first example appears in the form of the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Van Winkle: while Rip is an extremely laid back individual who thinks little of farming work ("(...) a kind neighbour, and an obedient, hen-pecked husband." (p. 31); "(...) was one of those happy mortals, of foolish, well-oiled dispositions, who take the world easy, eat white bread or brown, whichever can be got with least thought or trouble, and would rather starve on a penny than work for a pound." (p. 31)) is wife, Dame Van Winkle is portrayed as someone who despises Rip's lack of passion towards work and his overall "idleness" ("(...) but his wife kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness, and the ruin he was bringing on his family." (p. 31). Their relationship is shown as being very dynamic and somewhat explosive, since their temperaments seem to be exact opposites ("Their tempers, doubtless, are rendered pliant and malleable in the fire furnace of domestic tribulation; (...)" (p. 31)). However, this dynamic of having a "matriarch of the family" must have been seen has odd and different to the eyes of the readers of the time since at the time it was more common for men to be the ones with the "iron fist" and to be the face of the family. The relationship between the two is further satirised at the end of page 35 when Rip asks what happened to Mrs. Van Winkle and, after finding out that he is now a widow, Rip thinks: "(...) he had got his head out of the yoke of matrimony, and could go in and out whenever he pleased, without dreading the tyranny of Dame Van Winkle.". This switch in roles must have been comical to the readers of Irving's story.
The other bigger example of the use of satire in Washington Irving's tale is the description of the "perpetual club of the sages" - the place where Rip went to "run away" from his wife and talk with the people of the village. Before the Revolution happens, the place is described as being "(...) a small inn, designated by a rubicund portrait of His Majesty George the Third." (p. 31). After the incident that occurs to Rip, Rip awakes 20 years later after the Revolution as occurred and the United States are now an independent country. Rip precedes to go down to the village and this is how he describes the same place: "He recognized on the sign, however, the ruby face of King George, under which he had smoked so many a peaceful pipe; but even this was singularly metamorphosed. The read coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters, GENERAL WASHINGTON." (p. 31-32). The description of the inn is used as a way subliminally show the message the author is trying to convey: even though the regime is a new one, much of what previously existed stays the same. When Rip goes through the village, at first he doesn't recognise anyone ("A troop of strange children ran at his heels, hooting after him, and pointing at his gray beard. The dogs, too, not one of which he recognized for an old acquaintance, barked at him as he passed. The very village was altered; it was larger and more populous." (p. 33)), but after talking to some of the locals he recognises some of his old acquaintances and quickly realises not much as changed, besides the different political regime. ("Rip now resumed his old walks and habits; he soon found many of his former cronies, (...) and preferred making friends among the rising generation, with whom he soon grew into great favor." (p. 35). The satire used in this situation shows, in a descriptive way, how Irving feels about the Revolution and how much as changed since the United States of America became an independent country from England.
First of all, I'd like to make it clear for non-Portuguesethe speakers the concept of paratext:
"In literary theory, meanings that are alluded to,above or beyond the printed text". source: www.definitions.net/definition/paratext
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The first paratextual element we come across is obviously the title, "Rip Van Winkle", simple as that. While there's not much to say about it, we should focus on what comes next.
The subtitle stases "A Posthumous Writing of Diedrich Knickerbocker". The fact this tale has been written by Mr. Knickerbocker is repeated in the note before the text by what appears to be the 3rd person omniscent narrator.
But who is this Mr. Knickerbocker? Irving himself said this "fictional writer" was "an older gentleman with questionable mental health who had died, leaving behind various writings which were subsequently sold off to pay Knickerbocker's outstanding debts".
Moving on to the analysis of the paratextual elements, we note the juxtaposition between Cartwright's words on the importance of truth, placed just after the title - together with the note of the narrator, mentioned before, insisting over the historical accuracy of Knickerbocker's tale to follow - and the narration itself, being closer to a myth than to real and historical facts. This let the idea of something "paradoxical" emerge.
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A sort of "note into the note" comes right after the tale. Words from D.Knickerbocker are reported by the narrator, who adds "that it is an absolute fact, narrated with usual fidelity". Here Mr.Knickerbocker, as proof, sais he "even talked with Rip Van Winkle himself".
The Postscript, last paratextual element, appears to be "travelling notes from a memorandum book of Mr. Knickerbocker", containing reports that once again look like myths.
3. Rip van Winkle's tale is full of satire, namely regarding the relationship about Rip and Dame van Winkle or his idleness towards life. Washington Irving depicts the US and Great Britain's relation using as mediums Rip and Dame van Winkle; while demonstrating how Rip -the character that enables one to know how the US was at the time- was a complete useless husband that much preferred to help others in distress than to work at his farm, as Irving wrote: " (...) ready to attend to anybody's business but his own; but as to doing family duty and keeping his farm in order, he found it impossible" (page 31), which comes to prove that Rip didn't want to accept any responsibilities regarding his household. Another side of the spectrum would be to consider Rip was the Old America that when faced with the reality that the US went through a revolutionary war and got independent leaving Great Britain's grasp is overwhelmed by the changes that happened so quick to him, since he fell asleep in the forest for 18 years, and what he now saw was people worried about politics or "On which side did he vote[d] [on]? or "Whether he was a Federal or Democrat?" (page 34) while he was still devoted to Great Britain's king. Another possible satire could be said regarding Rip's name as using the first letters of each other in the saying: Rest in Peace. Now that we mentioned Great Britain, one cannot forget to mention another character that portrays it and that is Dame van Winkle, the wife that Rip is so annoyed to have and frequently mentions as a " (...) wife [who] kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness (...) (page 31).
3) 'Rip Van Winkle' is a short story written by Washington Irving. This story is attributed to fictional Dutch Diedrich Knickerbocker. Though it was written in the early 19th century, this story is set during the American revolutionary war. 'Rip Van Winkle', like other stories by Washington Irving, was inspired by Dutch and German folklore. This story is humorous, as satire often is, and simultaneously gives some social commentary. The various mentions of the American political situation are a very key element to the story, as would be expected in a political satire. The story starts with the United States still under British rule. The second half of the story is set 20 years later, after Rip Van Winkle sleeps through many important events, including the Independence of the United States from Great Britain. Rip first hears about the Independence when he arrives at the inn he used to frequent and finds that the portrait of King George III has been replaced by a portrait of George Washington, the first president of the Unites States of America. We get to know the characters' distinctive traits through direct characterisation. This is particularly noticeable in the third paragraph, in which the character of Rip Van Winkle is introduced to the reader. He is described as "a simple, good-natured fellow" (p.31) , as opposed to his wife, Dame, who is described as sharp-tongued. These archetypal characters can be seen as two extremes. Careless and idle Rip is a victim of his nagging wife's tyranny. Dame's authority obviously defies the traditional gender roles. This reversal of the traditional roles and the dynamic between these two characters could, at the time, be seen as a satirical element of the story. As other people have pointed out in their comments, the characters' names could be indicators of their most important characteristics. In satire, this can be used to transmit a message that is external to the story itself, so that the characters can be seen, not only as characters, but as a group of people that we all are familiar with. On the one hand, RIP is commonly known for meaning "Rest in peace", something Rip, in fact, did for 20 years. On the other hand, his wife's name, Dame, is a noble title, thus establishing a parallel between her tyranny and King George III's tyranny. In the penultimate paragraph of the story this parallel is made explicit. In this paragraph, it is said that the United States being free from King George III meant little to Rip - "the changes of states and empires made but little impression on him" (p. 35) -, but he was relieved that the "petticoat government" had come to an end. According to thefreedictionary.com, a petticoat government is a government by women, whether in politics or domestic affairs. Much like the revolution has brought freedom to the United States, Dame's death has freed Rip. In a way, these two characters could be considered to represent the society as a whole and this mirroring of the society is also a recurring element in satire. Although it, at first, appears that a lot has changed, in the end it becomes very clear that, many things remain the same. Though the topics discussed in the inn have changed - "rights of citizens--elections--members of congress--liberty--Bunker's Hill--heroes of seventy-six" (p.34) - it continues to be frequented by a lazy, ragged Rip Van Winkle, which evidently shows that the younger generation is not all that different from the last.
The story Rip Van Winkle, written by Washington Irving, seems to contain a handful of satirical elements. Before detailing them, allow me to quickly summarise the story: a certain man (whose name was Rip Van Winkle), who was nice and helpful but lazy and unwilling to work, went one day outside and found some strange, mythical creatures who gave him a poisoned liquor which put him to sleep for around twenty years (even though such long years felt to him as but one night); he then went back to his village, to find everything different: his wife was gone, his daughter unrecognisable and the United States had been granted independence from Great Britain.
To begin with, there is a moderately comical description of Rip's relationship with his wife: "A curtain-lecture [i.e., the event of a wife scolding her husband at bedtime] is worth all the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and long-suffering. A termagant wife may, therefore, in some respects be considered a tolerable blessing; and if so, Rip Van Winkle was thrice blessed." His wife is, therefore, described as an annoying person, who kept on complaining about him for no apparent reason; whereas he, in his stillness, would patiently listen to all she had to say, but had then one way of reacting to all she said: "He shrugged his shoulders, shook his head, cast up his eyes, but said nothing." Indeed, after he knew his wife had died, we are told that, "Whenever her name was mentioned, however, he shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, and cast up his eyes; which might pass either for an expression of resignation to his fate, or joy at his deliverance."
Rip's unwillingness to work is described as "an insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labour", with the author adding that, "If left to himself, he would have whistled life away in perfect contentment." This was actually one of the main reasons why his wife would criticise him, in which we might, by a vast majority, agree that she was right. Meanwhile, such a description of Rip's personality serves to ridicule and satirise the fact that, similarly, there are actually many people unwilling to work.
Another satirical aspect seems to be a political one. Again, Rip had lived prior to 1776, but had woken up after said date, in such a way that the entire political situation was wholly different from that which he was used to. Having woken up and found the assembly of his village, he is promptly asked whom he had voted for (as a quick side remark, it appears as though the modern concept of the "secret ballot" had not yet been put into practice). He is unable to understand the question and responds that he is "a loyal subject of the King", which was obviously immediately seen by post-Independence Americans as outright heresy, meaning that he was quickly deemed a "tory", a "spy" and a "refugee" — all the while, the crowd shouting for him to leave the assembly. This funny depiction of their complete hatred of the idea of a monarchy appears to serve as a form of ridiculing an excessive concern for a democratic republic in the United States. Furthermore, an excerpt from Irving's biography (written by William Hedges) corroborates this theory, describing Washington Irving as having "ambivalent feelings towards both European aristocracy and American democracy", adding that he is "often dismissed" as a "would-be aristocrat in a democratic society". This information, together with the above-mentioned comical depiction contained in this story, suggests that he used said depiction to satirise an excessive form of democracy, since he seems to be a man who would have been perfectly fine with a monarchy, perhaps even favouring it over democracy. Hence, political satire in present in his work.
Ultimately, more satirical elements could perhaps be added, but it seems as though these ones shall suffice as a handful of examples.
The eponymous hero Rip Van Winkle, the traveler trough the time, is a narrative device to compare the past to the present, to do an analysis about the historical development; it doesn’t matter that the story is copied from German folklore sources, because the American setting is enough to make the history an American icon. Effectively the American land introduces the story- the river Hudson and the Kaatskill mountains are not presented in the abstract but they evoke a real and aimed experience into readers. The narrator captivates readers, especially American ones. The Third person narrator is omniscient, he knows very well his narration, what is going to happen or happened, which will be the feelings of characters, their doubts, passions, dreams, fears and manias. Narrator’s presence is officious and audible, he participates into the text by short notes, for example when he writes: “may he rest in peace” . The writing is rhythmic and enchanting, with a great use of grammatical coordination, reaching climax and the element of irony is the backdrop in the reading therefore the reader needs to go on and end. The narration goes from general - the scenic sight of the landscape- to particular –the village. There is an explanatory incipit before the objective narration, that is the realistic description, by using many adjectives, everything has a color and is decorated by several details; furthermore an attention to timeline underlined by many historic references and precise historical records.
Anyway if we truly have lost ourselves into the reading we could sense a narration between the American history and a fable.
The narrator in Rip Van Winkle tells the story using the third person, although the first person is used exceptionally ("I have observed he was a simple, good-natured man;"). In the beginning of the story, the narrative is omniscient, as he describes Winkle through the eyes of the neighbors. Later on, the narrator starts to tell the story through Rip's point of view, making the reader aware of Rip's thoughts and feelings by presenting them as the narrator's. However, the narrator participates in the sroty in the sense that he shares his own thoughts and opinions, either explicitly ("for every great man has his adherents") or by implying it with the use of adjectives ("Poor Rip was at last reduced almost to despair.") The narrative seems to jump from visual descriptions (of the general landscape, of the village, etc.) to descriptions of emotion- Rip Van Winkle's emotions, to be precise. The writing style is very straightforward and allow the reader to clearly visualize the environment and to cleary understand the different thoughts and feelings that go through Rip's mind. The narrator also uses irony and sarcasm to introduce some of his own thoughts into the story ("but what courage can whitstand the ever-during and all-besetting terrors of a woman's tongue?")
What I find satirical about this text, is mainly this irony about how Rip Van Winkle is idle and careless, living life at its minimum with no concerns or goals whatsoever. As opposed to his wife, a determined woman that has the responsibility to be the authority in the family. And this “switching of roles” between man and woman is definitely what keeps the reader keen into the story. The dog itself is a reflection of Rip Van Winkle, and even more so, the fact that its name is “Wolf”, but the pet’s behavior is peaceful (and fearful of Dame Van Winkle), much like his owner, makes the plot even less predictable (“…at the least flourish of a broomstick or ladle he would fly to the door with yelping precipitation.”). Much like the dog, Rip Van Winkle would also leave the house to find his own consolation. With a stereotypical group of men that, like himself, did nothing with their lives but wander around gossiping with each other and “tell stories about nothing”, and this draws our attention as readers, because women should be the one having the time to group up and gossip. Another part of the story that struck me for its irony was when Rip and his dog were in an “unfrequented place” – as read – and he begins to hear voices of someone calling his name, and instead of ignoring this somewhat creepy situation, what Rip Van Winkle does, is worry if maybe someone is in need of his help. And it is ridiculous that he does not worry about his own life, and to him it does not matter if he himself starves, but he is worried about someone that he does not even know. This makes us wonder if the target of this text, is a society who seem to be focusing on the wrong things in life and worrying about nonsense. Or if people were too focused on their spiritual salvation that they only feel the need to help others to fulfil it, but then again, labor would be a contradiction in that sense.
3. Washington Irving makes use of satire throughout the short story “Rip Van Winkle”, particularly when liking two essentials aspects in this story. The author uses personification of the USA’s political affairs with England and the relationship between both countries through the characters Rip Van Winkle and his wife Dame Van Winkle’s personalities. On the first pages, the narrator characterizes both characters, husband and wife Van Winkle, in which Rip assumes a “(…) simple, good-natured man (…) an obedient, hen-pecked husband.” that “(…) was ready to attend to anybody’s business but his own; but as to doing family duty, and keeping his farm in order, he found it impossible.”, which clearly is comparable to the USA’s subject attitude towards the sovereign England. The next paragraph emphasizes the fact that Van Winkle is incapable of taking care of “(…) his farm; (…) everything about it went wrong, and would go wrong, in spite of him.” meaning that Van Winkle (keeping in mind that he represents the USA) was not the one to blame, because he was not even in control of his own property. Prior to be named United States of America, this land was named New England, a simple colony ruled by England which is portrayed in this short story by Dame Van Winkle who is described as “a termagant wife” and “(…) he [Rip Van Winkle] thought of encountering the terrors of Dame Van Winkle.”. The wife has a very demanding attitude towards the husband to the point of him loosing part of his freedom, will and ideas in order to please her. The following quote, “Ah, poor man, Rip Van Winkle was his name, but it’s twenty years since he went away from home (…)”, is an important event on this short story, because throughout the 20 year absence of this main character everything in his country has changed, “(…) there had been a revolutionary war, (…) and that, instead of being a subject of his Majesty George the Third, he was now a free citizen of the United States.”. Once again there may exist a connection between the disappearance of Rip Van Winkle for 20 years with the period of displeasure against the monarchic regime lived in the USA that resulted in a 18 year war (since 1765 till 1783), and when it was over (when Rip came back) everything had changed, a new country was “born”, the United States of America.
SEMIH YARAROGLU The short story which is called Rip van Winkle is written in third person omniscient narration. What does that mean? It means that the narrator only comments on all characters and their ideas in the story. First of all, the story includes a part which introduces Diedrich Knickerbocker and it begins after that part he goes on telling the story. For the omniscient narration, there is a teller of tale who speaks with the voice of author himself like Rip Van Winkle. The narrator knows everything but he does not tend to tell everything to the readers. " The following Tale was found among the papers of the late Diedrich Knickerbocker..." this line proves that it is third person omniscient narration and also he is the only one who knows story in detailed manner. Knickerbocker says he heard the story from Rip himself, and he however he trusts it, he is not the storyteller. In that story Irving gives information about Diedrich Knickerbocker's interest (p 30.) He also describes the event and the characters in detailed manner. " Rip Van Winkle, however, was one of those happy mortals of foolish, well-oiled dispositions..." The author always tells the story by describing itself. Thanks to omniscient narration we can see the protagonist's feelings. Sometimes, the narrator comments about the situation these all make it third person omniscient narration. To give an example; "Poor Rip" which is stated in 32 page proves the comment on character itself. All in all, the narrator tends to tell the event what befall on Rip Van Winkle in descriptive way. And also the narrator itself can comment about the situation while telling the story.
Satire is very much present in Irving's short story Rip Van Winkle.
The main character's relationship with his wife may be considered an element of satire: Rip was a "henpecked husband". He was constantly given lectures by his wife due to his idle nature when it came to do any profitable labor or help her at home. "...and a curtain lecture is worth all the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and long-suffering." - here, we can tell that the curtain lecture isn't so much valuable as it is insufferable and intolerable to Rip.
Rip's wife, Dame Van Winkle is also a separate element of satire: much like the puritan, she lacked humor and flexibility in her (and Rip's) work ethic and general living - "...his wife kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness, and the ruin he was bringing on his family. Morning, noon, and night, her tongue was incessantly going, and everything he said or did was sure to produce a torrent of household eloquence." - in this excerpt the word eloquence is used in an ironic manner, as her speeches were the contrary of something poetic or beautifully said. It is interesting to notice how the women in this story are described as the "amiable sex" when they are the opposite of amiable. "Certain it is that he was a great favorite among all the good wives of the village, who, as usual with the amiable sex, took his part in all family squabbles...".
The last satirical moment is a rather political one, and it occurs when Rip returns to the village twenty years later and visits the old inn. The only visible change is the portrait hung on the wall (then a portrait of King George III, now a portrait of George Washington) which implies that the revolution was a mere switch of leaders, questioning the changes brought by the American Revolution and their value and/or meaning - "The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was held in the hand instead of a scepter, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters, GENERAL WASHINGTON."
O narrador em Rip Van Winkle pode considerar-se como heterodiegético, tendo em conta que a história é contada na terceira pessoa e relata acontecimentos independentes do narrador "...a simple, good-natured fellow, of the name of Rip Van Winkle..." (pg 31). Não deixa de ser interessante que, apesar do conhecimento total que o narrador tem da história e suas personagens, quer ao nível de tempo cronológico "...but it´s twenty years since he went away..." (pg34), estados de espírito "...he dreaded to meet his wife..." (pg33), ou espaço físico "...At the foot of these fairy mountains..." (pg 30), o que indicaria uma focalização omnisciente, seja comum o aparecimento de considerações e pensamentos do próprio narrador, inclusive com recurso ao pronome "I",..."I have observed that he was a simple, good-natured man..." (pg 31), dando não só a impressão de que nestas instâncias o narrador é uma personagem da história, mas também que assume uma posição subjectiva, uma vez que explicita as suas opiniões e ideias..."for those men are most apt to be obsequious and conciliating..." (pg 31). É ainda de fazer notar que, por vezes, o narrador estabelece uma conexão com o leitor, por exemplo através da pergunta retórica, não só para fazer com que este pondere sobre os assuntos tratados no conto, mas também para "se aproximar do leitor", na medida em que aquilo a que se refere é comum à vida de muitos..."but what courage can whitstand the ever-endurig and all-besetting terrors of a woman's tongue?" (pg31).
2) Rip Van Winkle is narrated by a third-person omniscient narrator because narrator knows about the feelings and personal tendencies of the characters. Also, in the part which is written in italic, narrator knows writer’s biography and by portraying his purpose and contribution, he praises the writer. He makes comments on characters’ point of view and describes their presence with the use of constative sayings. The narrator does not ‘analyze’ characters since he already knows them, he just illuminates readers thanks to his awareness about the protagonist and antagonists. For instance, he knows how such a shrewish woman Mrs. Dame is. He is also aware of the fact that Rip is careless, imcompetent and fool man who is totally isolated from his own responsibilities. The narrator even knows happiness of a dog after they ran away from home with Rip, which means that he knows even an animal’s feelings. Moreover, in order to prove that this short story is narrated by a third person omniscient narrator, we can say that he uses past tense for the narration which can be regarded as if the narrator witnessed the plot and action which took place there.
Washington Irving's use of satire as a literary element is consistent throughout the piece--be it hyperbole or even parody. But I think it's worth pointing out the satirical use of a tone of pity for characters who wouldn't normally deserve it, given the character introduction he gives us of Rip Van Winkle, his wife Dame Van Winkle and even the inn landlord Nicholas Vedder.
You see, he begins his introduction of the main character by documenting his "idleness and carelessness." How Rip van Winkle "was ready to attend to anybody's business but his own," and would find it impossible "...as to doing family duty and keeping his farm in order..." Irving goes on to explain how methodically Rip Van Winkle avoids his labors by participating in the deliberation "upon public events some months after they had taken place." Truth be told, regardless of how turbulent and violent his wife may be, Irving's character introduction doesn't leave much room for doubt that he might deserve a scolding or two a day. I would venture to say even that pitying him is quite difficult.
Yet Irving refers to this character as "unlucky Rip," and "Poor Rip," and referencing in the line "and if dogs could feel pity, I verily believe he [Wolf] reciprocated the sentiment with all his heart," the theme of pity again--alluding the fact that even Wolf, his dog might feel pity for his owner.
A short story Rip Van Winkle pode ser classificada com uma narrativa figurativa. Neste tipo de narrativas as ações são relatadas por uma terceira pessoa que não faz parte, nem está envolvida na história. Neste caso, a história é-nos relatada por um narrador, que nos dá uma breve contextualização de quem são os Van Winkle, mais concretamente, Rip Van Winkle. É-nos dada, também, uma caracterização da personagem, da sua vida familiar e da relação com a sua esposa, juntamente com o tipo de relações que mantinha com as pessoas em geral. O narrador desta história é heterodiegético, omnisciente e parcial. Este narrador conhece o íntimo da personagem e domina os factos e os acontecimentos que vão sendo relatados ao longo do texto, o que o torna omnisciente. Aliás, os verbos que vão sendo usados denotam isso mesmo. O narrador sabe o que Van Winkle pensa (“He thought his fancy must have deceived him (…)” P.32; “He now suspected that the gave roisters of the mountain had put a trick upon him (…)” P.33) e o que ele sente (“Though rather shy and distrustful of his new acquaintance, Rip complied (…)” P.32). O narrador não é uma personagem e não entra na história, todavia, interpola-a diretamente uma vez para dar a sua opinião. Isto acontece na ocasião em que Van Winkle fala com Wolf na montanha e o narrador faz uma observação em relação aos sentimentos do cão (“(…) I verily believe he reciprocated the sentiment with all his heart.” P.32). É a única vez que o autor dá uma opinião direta na história, no entanto, este narrador faz vários juízos em relação àquilo que vai acontecendo. Ele sente pena de Van Winkle e demonstra isso várias vezes ao longo do texto. Embora pudéssemos ser levados a crer que o narrador é neutro, ele não o é.
3. O conto "Rip van Winkle" escrito por Washington Irving têm três elementos satíricos que se destacam ao longo do texto. O primeiro é o casamento entre Rip e a sua mulher, um casamento sem qualquer tipo de amor. Rip odeia a importunação da sua mulher, e a mesma odeia o facto de Rip ser preguiçoso. ("(...)his wife kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness and the ruin he was bringing on his family" P: 31; "(...) clamor of his wife" P:32). O segundo é o facto de que a revolução trouxe mudanças muito pequenas, como por exemplo o facto de retrato do King George, que estava presente na taverna, ter sido alterado para o retrato de George Washington, o que poderá querer dizer que os coloniais deixaram de seguir um líder para seguir outro. ("(...) a rubicund portrait of His Majesty George the Third." P:31; "He reconized on the sign, however, the ruby face os King George (...) the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large character, GENERAL WASHINGTON" P:33,34). O terceito elemento satírico é a amizade ociosa das personagens masculinas, que falavam sobre nada na taverna. ("(...) talking listlessly over village gossip, or telling endless sleepy stories about nothing" P:31).
On whether the narrator has an interventional or a neutral, approach we can deduce his focalization is interventional. He does intervene with opinions on the storytelling: "Poor Rip was at last reduced almost to despair (...)" (p.32); "I verily believe he reciprocated the sentiment with all his heart." (p.32); "Here then poor Rip was brought to a stand." (p.33). The last example refers to the dificulty Rip experienced after having woken up. The narrator often lets us conclude that he feels sorry for Rip with the use of the adjective "poor".
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3) The most obvious element of satire in "Rip Van Winkle" is the dynamic between the "termagant wife" and "obedient, hen-pecked husband". Irving's representation of the "fiery furnace of domestic tribulation" reverses traditional gender roles in a comical way, atributing the "virtues of patience and long-suffering" to the man, and agressiveness and authoritarianism to the woman. This subversion seemed ridiculous to people and therefore made them laugh, and it was especially relevant considering that the publication of "Rip Van Winkle" coincided with the genesis of the women's rights movement.
One could also consider the scene Rip walks into upon his return to village, where "tavern-politicians" are haughtily discussing the "rights of citizens - elections - members of congress - liberty", to be satire, especially considering that, at the end of the tale, Rip explicitely establishes a parallel between the opression of the American colonies by the British government and his own suffering caused by "the tyranny of Dame Van Winkle". The narrator is therefore comparing the British crown to a termagant, nagging wife, and American citizens to long-suffering husbands who find themselves suddenly free from their tyrant.
3.
In this short story by Washington Irving there are numerous examples of elements that can be considered satirical.
One of those examples is the relationship between Rip Van Winkle and his wife, Dame Van Winkle. What the author is trying to satirize is the fact that their relationship is based on the constant “nagging” done by Mrs. Van Winkle, criticizing Rip’s “idleness, carelessness, and the ruin he was bringing on his family” (page 1345, lines 13-14), These type of remarks can often be found in longer relationships when the love is not really there anymore. Also related to their marriage life, Mr. Van Winkle tries to “escape” by going to a tavern to drink, finding solace in that action.
Mr. Van Winkle’s character itself is representing a generation of people that let laziness and idleness take over. For example Rip doesn’t do anything on his farm, he doesn’t take care of the animals, doesn’t fix the fence, doesn’t tend the garden, he doesn’t even take care of his own children that “were ragged and wild as If they belonged to nobody” (page 1345, line 3).
Another aspect is that after Rip Van Winkle falls asleep and comes back twenty years later, a lot of things change, including the portrait of King George in the village Inn that was switched to a portrait of George Washington making a reference to the American Revolution.
2) Analysis of narrator and narrative style
The present analysis of Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving is largely based in the theory of narrative discourse by Gérard Genette (Narrative Discourse, An Essay in Method, 1983).
Regarding whether the focalization of Irving’s short story is internal or external, it can be concluded that it is clearly internal. Not only does the narrator tell a story, but he also has the ability to describe and analyse the interior of the story’s characters, in this particular case, Rip Van Winkle: “Rip now felt a vague apprehension stealing over him;”; “On nearer approach he was still more surprised at the singularity of the stranger’s appearance.” (p.32); “His mind now misgave him; he began to doubt whether both he and the world around him were not bewitched.” (p.33).
However, focalization and presence of the narrator are not to be jumbled. The narrator of Rip Van Winkle falls into the category of heterodiegetic, meaning he does not take part as a character in the story.
On whether the narrator has an interventional or a neutral approach, we can deduce his focalization is neutral. He does not intervene with opinions on the storytelling or with interpellations to the reader. He simply describes what’s happening with no partial opinion, as it can be seen throughout the text.
Lastly, his focalization is also omniscient to a certain extent, as there are degrees of omniscience. This omniscience usually means that the narrator superiorly dominates what is going on, all of the events in detail, including all tenses of the narration and the characters’ lives as well as their interior and exterior thoughts/appearance: “On entering the amphitheatre, new objects of wonder presented themselves. On a level spot in the centre was a company of odd-looking personages playing at ninepins.” (p.32); “He now suspected that the grave roisters of the mountain had put a trick upon him, and, having dosed him with liquour, had robbed him of his gun. Wolf too had disappeared (…)” (p.33); “(…) he found his beard had grown a foot long!” (p.33).
However, for a few moments, there is also evidence of a light restricted focalization, although intentional. The reader is not immediately enlightened after Van Winkle’s awakening, but is led to find out what changed and why with him: “He looked round for his gun, but in place of the clean, well-oiled fowling-piece, he found an old firelock lying by him, the barrel incrusted with rust, the lock falling off, and the stock worm-eaten.” (p.33); “(…) a sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters, GENERAL WASHINGTON.” (p.34). The reader must make an effort to understand the story and its meaning, as if “pieces” were missing, with the help of the new and old villagers’ explanations.
The narrator’s omniscient focalization is then again evidenced when he establishes himself as an authority that explains and interprets facts and characters: “Rip’s daughter took him home to live with her;”; “Rip now resumed his old walks and habits, he soon found many of his former cronies, though all rather the worse for the wear and tear of time, and preferred making friends among the rising generation (…)” (p.35); “It was some time before he could get into the regular track of gossip, or could be made to comprehend the strange events that had taken place during his torpor. How that there had been a revolutionary war, - that the country had thrown off the yoke of old England, - and that, instead of being a subject of his Majesty George the Third, he was now a free citizen of the United States.” (p.35).
In satirical literature, names of characters have a meaning to emphasize the character’s main characteristics or to send a message. The first thing that comes to mind when reading the title is the association with R.I.P. (or RIP), which means in Latin “Requiescat in pace” and in English “Rest in Peace”. RIP is an idiomatic expression that became common on the tombs of Christians in the 18th century. After reading the story, it seems fair to think that the name Rip also carries the meaning of RIP and that Winkle bears some other meaning as well.
Rip is a Dutch boy's name. It is also used in the EUA, Australia and Britain but it is not a very common name. In Dutch it means ripe, full grown. In English, has also a meaning. All of those meanings apply to the main character’s story: he was a grown man but his wife ripped off his life. And after twenty years sleeping, absent from the world, when he returned, changes didn’t have any effect on his life: “the army of children at his heels”, “there was, as usual, a crowd of folk about the door” and “he recognized on the sign, however, the ruby face of King George”. So, he had rested in peace, sleeping for twenty years, because nothing dramatic happenned. Not only everything stayed the same, but his life got better because his main concern – his wife – had died and he had “arrived at that happy age when a man can be idle with impunity”.
“Winkle” has also several meanings. In Dutch, the surname Winkel exists. The word “Winkle” stands for a gastropod mollusc (the class where snails belong) and for “to make someone leave a place”, which was what happened to Rip Van Winkle: “Poor Rip was at last reduced almost to despair; and his only alternative, to escape from the labor of the farm and clamor of his wife, was to take gun in hand and stroll away into the woods.” Winkle also means “social cleansing” and “to persuade someone to tell you something”.
According to this analysis, the name Rip Van Winkle may mean “Don't worry those who were force to leave home, in the end nothing will change”. Or even: “Relax those who are alienated from the reality or those who are lazy”. Or even: "Rest in peace those who are socially dead". But, attending to the other meanings of the words “rip” and “winkle” other interpretations may be possible after a more profound reading.
KANSU EKİN TANCA
2)The narration in the short story “Rip Van Winkle” catches the reader’s attention immediately and holds the reader’s curiosity till the end with the descriptions that are made throughout the story.
The first narrator functions as an editor, (the first part of the text in italics (p.30)) who informs us about the piece and who introduces Diedrich Knickerbocker who will narrate the story of Rip Van Winkle. Thus, we recognise Knickerbocker as the narrator, who actually transmits Rip Van Winkle’s story told by himself. So, we observe the whole plot through the eyes of Rip Van Winkle and meanwhile we also have narrator’s own opinions about the plot.
In this short story one of the most important elements is ‘direct characterisation’. We get a lot of information about Rip Van Winkle, we are openly informed that he is “a simple, good-natured fellow”. These two words are also repeated few lines after, and there we can see the opinion of the narrator too; as he starts his sentence as “I have observed that he was a simple, good-natured fellow.” (p.31)
With every single sentence we read, we gradually learn Rip’s thoughts; we can see how he thinks, how he reacts and what he does. We are told more details about his daily life; his relationship with the children in the neighbourhood (he teaches them to fly kite, he tells them stories p.31), with his dog (their idleness p.31) and with his wife (p.31). The personality of Rip Van Winkle, his actions and his thoughts are very clear to the reader. The narrator explores Rip Van Winkle’s movement in the story, in addition to this, he also unfolds Rip’s mind. “Rip ‘felt’ famished for want of his breakfast.” (p.33) “He ‘recalled’ the occurrences before he fell asleep.” (p.33) The narrator is well aware of what is going on in Rip’s mind.
Most of the depiction in the story is based on Rip’s account. The “company of odd-looking personages playing at ninepins” (p.32), “the constant recurrence of the gesture” (p.33), “the strange faces at the window” (p.33), Nicholas Vedder “with his broad face, double chin, and fair long pipe” (p.34) all these descriptions rely on Rip’s perspective.
The narrator is not only interested in Rip Van Winkle, the main character of the story, but he also makes a great effort to tell about the other characters in the village. There are separate paragraphs about his children, his dog, and the other characters that are important in the story (p.31). The character Nicholas Vedder, for example, is depicted in detail (p.31-32). In that paragraph, the language of the narrator becomes critical within the narrative. Nicholas Vedder who is “a patriarch of the village, and landlord of the inn” is represented as a lazy person in an indirect way. Nicholas Vedder is a character who only moves when he needs “to avoid the sun” and with whose help “the neighbours could tell the hour by his movements as accurately as by a sun-dial" (p.31-32). In contrast to the direct characterisation we have in the descriptions of Rip Van Winkle, we now have indirect characterisation in the description of Nicholas Vedder (p.32).
Finally, the whole story (the story told by Knickerbocker, as well as the information given by the first narrator) tends to be based on 'facts'. The first narrator tries to convince the reader that this story has an “unquestionable authority”.(p.30) The main narrator (Knickerbocker) talks about the location before telling the story in order to prove its truth (“Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill mountains” (p.30)). In a way, this short story tries to gain the confidence of its readers with the details it gives throughout the narrative.
3)
Throughout Rip Van Winkle, the writer inserts multiple elements of satire. The intentions behind this are, on one hand, to give the story a comical dimension, and, on the other hand, to comment on and highlight certain aspects regarding the state of affairs the United States of America were inserted in – one which involved going from a colony ruled by a British monarch, to republican free state.
The first example of satire regards the protagonist – Rip Van Winkle –, his wife and the nature of their relationship. This nature is of complete disaccord, given that both characters represent clear behavioural opposites. To describe Mr. Van Winkle, the range of words and expressions used include “a kind neighbour”; “an obedient (…) husband”; “meekness of spirit”; “obsequious and conciliating” and “pliant and malleable”. In contrast, Dame Van Winkle is characterised as a “shrew[s]” and “a termagant wife” embodying the puritan ideology of the necessity of carrying a strict work ethic.
The characterisation of the two continues throughout the first pages. We get a sense of why Dame Van Winkle regularly scolds her husband: “Rip was ready to attend to anybody’s business but his own; but as to doing family duty, and keeping his farm in order, he found it impossible.” He just did not seem to care much about anything at all, in the process upsetting Dame Van Winkle whose “tongue was incessantly going (…)”, showing how comical Dame Van Winkle’s outbursts could be.
The writer even goes as far as to claim that Rip’s dog – Wolf – is also afraid of Dam Van Winkle: “(…) The moment Wolf entered the house his crest fell, his tail dropped to the ground, or curled between his legs, (…) casting many a sidelong glance at Dam Van Winkle.” This part, specially, gives the text a more comical sense.
Nonetheless, the author says that, although Dame Van Winkle’s scolding was consistent, having “a termagant wife may, (…) be considered a tolerable blessing; and if so, Rip Van Winkle was thrice blessed” even though Rip most definitely did not feel blessed for having such wife.
The next aspect of satire deals with the happenings in the text. After supposedly being dead for 20 years, the protagonist’s name gains another meaning. Rip, as is commonly known, means “rest in peace” and is used when someone who is dear to us dies, alluding to their eternal sleep. The fact that Rip, for all effects, dies for the people who he used to know, means he spent 20 years “resting in peace”.
The third and last thing to consider as satire would be the one which deals with the changes in regime. As known the narrative starts when the United States were still a colony of Great Britain, evidenced in the text: “(…) a rubicund portrait of His Majesty George the Third.” It ends, however, when after the protagonist awakes and comes back to his old village, he finds that what used to be a colonised region is now a free republican state. “He recognized on the sign, (…), the ruby face of King George, (…); but even this was singularly metamorphosed. The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre, (…) and underneath was painted (…), General Washington.” In fact, this stands in the story as the sole symbol of the regime change. Rip ultimately comes back to find that the people of the village had kept most of their old ways, and acted with rejection and violence upon him when he declared he was “a loyal subject of the King” – much like puritans would have acted before: “A tory! a tory! a spy! a refugee! Hustle him! Away with him!” they said.
At the end of the text we see that – most comical of all - Rip’s biggest worry was not whether the colony was ruled by a tyrant or a republican, because it did not affect his life much. We understand that, after all the regime changes, the protagonist was just happy to be freed from the one tyrant in his life: Dame Van Winkle: “Happily that was at an end; he had got his neck out of the yoke of matrimony, (…) without dreading the tyranny of Dame Van Winkle.”
3.
Satire is very much present in the short story by Washington Irving and it helps give it a tone of its own. The first example appears in the form of the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Van Winkle: while Rip is an extremely laid back individual who thinks little of farming work ("(...) a kind neighbour, and an obedient, hen-pecked husband." (p. 31); "(...) was one of those happy mortals, of foolish, well-oiled dispositions, who take the world easy, eat white bread or brown, whichever can be got with least thought or trouble, and would rather starve on a penny than work for a pound." (p. 31)) is wife, Dame Van Winkle is portrayed as someone who despises Rip's lack of passion towards work and his overall "idleness" ("(...) but his wife kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness, and the ruin he was bringing on his family." (p. 31). Their relationship is shown as being very dynamic and somewhat explosive, since their temperaments seem to be exact opposites ("Their tempers, doubtless, are rendered pliant and malleable in the fire furnace of domestic tribulation; (...)" (p. 31)). However, this dynamic of having a "matriarch of the family" must have been seen has odd and different to the eyes of the readers of the time since at the time it was more common for men to be the ones with the "iron fist" and to be the face of the family. The relationship between the two is further satirised at the end of page 35 when Rip asks what happened to Mrs. Van Winkle and, after finding out that he is now a widow, Rip thinks: "(...) he had got his head out of the yoke of matrimony, and could go in and out whenever he pleased, without dreading the tyranny of Dame Van Winkle.". This switch in roles must have been comical to the readers of Irving's story.
The other bigger example of the use of satire in Washington Irving's tale is the description of the "perpetual club of the sages" - the place where Rip went to "run away" from his wife and talk with the people of the village. Before the Revolution happens, the place is described as being "(...) a small inn, designated by a rubicund portrait of His Majesty George the Third." (p. 31). After the incident that occurs to Rip, Rip awakes 20 years later after the Revolution as occurred and the United States are now an independent country. Rip precedes to go down to the village and this is how he describes the same place: "He recognized on the sign, however, the ruby face of King George, under which he had smoked so many a peaceful pipe; but even this was singularly metamorphosed. The read coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters, GENERAL WASHINGTON." (p. 31-32). The description of the inn is used as a way subliminally show the message the author is trying to convey: even though the regime is a new one, much of what previously existed stays the same. When Rip goes through the village, at first he doesn't recognise anyone ("A troop of strange children ran at his heels, hooting after him, and pointing at his gray beard. The dogs, too, not one of which he recognized for an old acquaintance, barked at him as he passed. The very village was altered; it was larger and more populous." (p. 33)), but after talking to some of the locals he recognises some of his old acquaintances and quickly realises not much as changed, besides the different political regime. ("Rip now resumed his old walks and habits; he soon found many of his former cronies, (...) and preferred making friends among the rising generation, with whom he soon grew into great favor." (p. 35). The satire used in this situation shows, in a descriptive way, how Irving feels about the Revolution and how much as changed since the United States of America became an independent country from England.
1.
First of all, I'd like to make it clear for non-Portuguesethe speakers the concept of paratext:
"In literary theory, meanings that are alluded to,above or beyond the printed text".
source: www.definitions.net/definition/paratext
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The first paratextual element we come across is obviously the title, "Rip Van Winkle", simple as that. While there's not much to say about it, we should focus on what comes next.
The subtitle stases "A Posthumous Writing of Diedrich Knickerbocker". The fact this tale has been written by Mr. Knickerbocker is repeated in the note before the text by what appears to be the 3rd person omniscent narrator.
But who is this Mr. Knickerbocker?
Irving himself said this "fictional writer" was "an older gentleman with questionable mental health who had died, leaving behind various writings which were subsequently sold off to pay Knickerbocker's outstanding debts".
Moving on to the analysis of the paratextual elements, we note the juxtaposition between Cartwright's words on the importance of truth, placed just after the title - together with the note of the narrator, mentioned before, insisting over the historical accuracy of Knickerbocker's tale to follow - and the narration itself, being closer to a myth than to real and historical facts. This let the idea of something "paradoxical" emerge.
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A sort of "note into the note" comes right after the tale. Words from D.Knickerbocker are reported by the narrator, who adds "that it is an absolute fact, narrated with usual fidelity". Here Mr.Knickerbocker, as proof, sais he "even talked with Rip Van Winkle himself".
The Postscript, last paratextual element, appears to be "travelling notes from a memorandum book of Mr. Knickerbocker", containing reports that once again look like myths.
3.
Rip van Winkle's tale is full of satire, namely regarding the relationship about Rip and Dame van Winkle or his idleness towards life.
Washington Irving depicts the US and Great Britain's relation using as mediums Rip and Dame van Winkle; while demonstrating how Rip -the character that enables one to know how the US was at the time- was a complete useless husband that much preferred to help others in distress than to work at his farm, as Irving wrote: " (...) ready to attend to anybody's business but his own; but as to doing family duty and keeping his farm in order, he found it impossible" (page 31), which comes to prove that Rip didn't want to accept any responsibilities regarding his household.
Another side of the spectrum would be to consider Rip was the Old America that when faced with the reality that the US went through a revolutionary war and got independent leaving Great Britain's grasp is overwhelmed by the changes that happened so quick to him, since he fell asleep in the forest for 18 years, and what he now saw was people worried about politics or "On which side did he vote[d] [on]? or "Whether he was a Federal or Democrat?" (page 34) while he was still devoted to Great Britain's king. Another possible satire could be said regarding Rip's name as using the first letters of each other in the saying: Rest in Peace.
Now that we mentioned Great Britain, one cannot forget to mention another character that portrays it and that is Dame van Winkle, the wife that Rip is so annoyed to have and frequently mentions as a " (...) wife [who] kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness (...) (page 31).
3) 'Rip Van Winkle' is a short story written by Washington Irving. This story is attributed to fictional Dutch Diedrich Knickerbocker. Though it was written in the early 19th century, this story is set during the American revolutionary war. 'Rip Van Winkle', like other stories by Washington Irving, was inspired by Dutch and German folklore.
This story is humorous, as satire often is, and simultaneously gives some social commentary. The various mentions of the American political situation are a very key element to the story, as would be expected in a political satire.
The story starts with the United States still under British rule. The second half of the story is set 20 years later, after Rip Van Winkle sleeps through many important events, including the Independence of the United States from Great Britain. Rip first hears about the Independence when he arrives at the inn he used to frequent and finds that the portrait of King George III has been replaced by a portrait of George Washington, the first president of the Unites States of America.
We get to know the characters' distinctive traits through direct characterisation. This is particularly noticeable in the third paragraph, in which the character of Rip Van Winkle is introduced to the reader. He is described as "a simple, good-natured fellow" (p.31) , as opposed to his wife, Dame, who is described as sharp-tongued.
These archetypal characters can be seen as two extremes. Careless and idle Rip is a victim of his nagging wife's tyranny. Dame's authority obviously defies the traditional gender roles. This reversal of the traditional roles and the dynamic between these two characters could, at the time, be seen as a satirical element of the story.
As other people have pointed out in their comments, the characters' names could be indicators of their most important characteristics. In satire, this can be used to transmit a message that is external to the story itself, so that the characters can be seen, not only as characters, but as a group of people that we all are familiar with. On the one hand, RIP is commonly known for meaning "Rest in peace", something Rip, in fact, did for 20 years. On the other hand, his wife's name, Dame, is a noble title, thus establishing a parallel between her tyranny and King George III's tyranny.
In the penultimate paragraph of the story this parallel is made explicit. In this paragraph, it is said that the United States being free from King George III meant little to Rip - "the changes of states and empires made but little impression on him" (p. 35) -, but he was relieved that the "petticoat government" had come to an end. According to thefreedictionary.com, a petticoat government is a government by women, whether in politics or domestic affairs. Much like the revolution has brought freedom to the United States, Dame's death has freed Rip. In a way, these two characters could be considered to represent the society as a whole and this mirroring of the society is also a recurring element in satire.
Although it, at first, appears that a lot has changed, in the end it becomes very clear that, many things remain the same. Though the topics discussed in the inn have changed - "rights of citizens--elections--members of congress--liberty--Bunker's Hill--heroes of seventy-six" (p.34) - it continues to be frequented by a lazy, ragged Rip Van Winkle, which evidently shows that the younger generation is not all that different from the last.
The story Rip Van Winkle, written by Washington Irving, seems to contain a handful of satirical elements. Before detailing them, allow me to quickly summarise the story: a certain man (whose name was Rip Van Winkle), who was nice and helpful but lazy and unwilling to work, went one day outside and found some strange, mythical creatures who gave him a poisoned liquor which put him to sleep for around twenty years (even though such long years felt to him as but one night); he then went back to his village, to find everything different: his wife was gone, his daughter unrecognisable and the United States had been granted independence from Great Britain.
To begin with, there is a moderately comical description of Rip's relationship with his wife: "A curtain-lecture [i.e., the event of a wife scolding her husband at bedtime] is worth all the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and long-suffering. A termagant wife may, therefore, in some respects be considered a tolerable blessing; and if so, Rip Van Winkle was thrice blessed." His wife is, therefore, described as an annoying person, who kept on complaining about him for no apparent reason; whereas he, in his stillness, would patiently listen to all she had to say, but had then one way of reacting to all she said: "He shrugged his shoulders, shook his head, cast up his eyes, but said nothing." Indeed, after he knew his wife had died, we are told that, "Whenever her name was mentioned, however, he shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, and cast up his eyes; which might pass either for an expression of resignation to his fate, or joy at his deliverance."
Rip's unwillingness to work is described as "an insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labour", with the author adding that, "If left to himself, he would have whistled life away in perfect contentment." This was actually one of the main reasons why his wife would criticise him, in which we might, by a vast majority, agree that she was right. Meanwhile, such a description of Rip's personality serves to ridicule and satirise the fact that, similarly, there are actually many people unwilling to work.
Another satirical aspect seems to be a political one. Again, Rip had lived prior to 1776, but had woken up after said date, in such a way that the entire political situation was wholly different from that which he was used to. Having woken up and found the assembly of his village, he is promptly asked whom he had voted for (as a quick side remark, it appears as though the modern concept of the "secret ballot" had not yet been put into practice). He is unable to understand the question and responds that he is "a loyal subject of the King", which was obviously immediately seen by post-Independence Americans as outright heresy, meaning that he was quickly deemed a "tory", a "spy" and a "refugee" — all the while, the crowd shouting for him to leave the assembly. This funny depiction of their complete hatred of the idea of a monarchy appears to serve as a form of ridiculing an excessive concern for a democratic republic in the United States. Furthermore, an excerpt from Irving's biography (written by William Hedges) corroborates this theory, describing Washington Irving as having "ambivalent feelings towards both European aristocracy and American democracy", adding that he is "often dismissed" as a "would-be aristocrat in a democratic society". This information, together with the above-mentioned comical depiction contained in this story, suggests that he used said depiction to satirise an excessive form of democracy, since he seems to be a man who would have been perfectly fine with a monarchy, perhaps even favouring it over democracy. Hence, political satire in present in his work.
Ultimately, more satirical elements could perhaps be added, but it seems as though these ones shall suffice as a handful of examples.
SARA PAGLIANI
2
The eponymous hero Rip Van Winkle, the traveler trough the time, is a narrative device to compare the past to the present, to do an analysis about the historical development; it doesn’t matter that the story is copied from German folklore sources, because the American setting is enough to make the history an American icon.
Effectively the American land introduces the story- the river Hudson and the Kaatskill mountains are not presented in the abstract but they evoke a real and aimed experience into readers.
The narrator captivates readers, especially American ones.
The Third person narrator is omniscient, he knows very well his narration, what is going to happen or happened, which will be the feelings of characters, their doubts, passions, dreams, fears and manias.
Narrator’s presence is officious and audible, he participates into the text by short notes, for example when he writes: “may he rest in peace” .
The writing is rhythmic and enchanting, with a great use of grammatical coordination, reaching climax and the element of irony is the backdrop in the reading therefore the reader needs to go on and end.
The narration goes from general - the scenic sight of the landscape- to particular –the village.
There is an explanatory incipit before the objective narration, that is
the realistic description, by using many adjectives, everything has a color and is decorated by several details; furthermore an attention to timeline underlined by many historic references and precise historical records.
Anyway if we truly have lost ourselves into the reading we could sense a narration between the American history and a fable.
The narrator in Rip Van Winkle tells the story using the third person, although the first person is used exceptionally ("I have observed he was a simple, good-natured man;"). In the beginning of the story, the narrative is omniscient, as he describes Winkle through the eyes of the neighbors. Later on, the narrator starts to tell the story through Rip's point of view, making the reader aware of Rip's thoughts and feelings by presenting them as the narrator's.
However, the narrator participates in the sroty in the sense that he shares his own thoughts and opinions, either explicitly ("for every great man has his adherents") or by implying it with the use of adjectives ("Poor Rip was at last reduced almost to despair.")
The narrative seems to jump from visual descriptions (of the general landscape, of the village, etc.) to descriptions of emotion- Rip Van Winkle's emotions, to be precise. The writing style is very straightforward and allow the reader to clearly visualize the environment and to cleary understand the different thoughts and feelings that go through Rip's mind.
The narrator also uses irony and sarcasm to introduce some of his own thoughts into the story ("but what courage can whitstand the ever-during and all-besetting terrors of a woman's tongue?")
What I find satirical about this text, is mainly this irony about how Rip Van Winkle is idle and careless, living life at its minimum with no concerns or goals whatsoever. As opposed to his wife, a determined woman that has the responsibility to be the authority in the family. And this “switching of roles” between man and woman is definitely what keeps the reader keen into the story.
The dog itself is a reflection of Rip Van Winkle, and even more so, the fact that its name is “Wolf”, but the pet’s behavior is peaceful (and fearful of Dame Van Winkle), much like his owner, makes the plot even less predictable (“…at the least flourish of a broomstick or ladle he would fly to the door with yelping precipitation.”). Much like the dog, Rip Van Winkle would also leave the house to find his own consolation. With a stereotypical group of men that, like himself, did nothing with their lives but wander around gossiping with each other and “tell stories about nothing”, and this draws our attention as readers, because women should be the one having the time to group up and gossip.
Another part of the story that struck me for its irony was when Rip and his dog were in an “unfrequented place” – as read – and he begins to hear voices of someone calling his name, and instead of ignoring this somewhat creepy situation, what Rip Van Winkle does, is worry if maybe someone is in need of his help. And it is ridiculous that he does not worry about his own life, and to him it does not matter if he himself starves, but he is worried about someone that he does not even know. This makes us wonder if the target of this text, is a society who seem to be focusing on the wrong things in life and worrying about nonsense. Or if people were too focused on their spiritual salvation that they only feel the need to help others to fulfil it, but then again, labor would be a contradiction in that sense.
3.
Washington Irving makes use of satire throughout the short story “Rip Van Winkle”, particularly when liking two essentials aspects in this story. The author uses personification of the USA’s political affairs with England and the relationship between both countries through the characters Rip Van Winkle and his wife Dame Van Winkle’s personalities.
On the first pages, the narrator characterizes both characters, husband and wife Van Winkle, in which Rip assumes a “(…) simple, good-natured man (…) an obedient, hen-pecked husband.” that “(…) was ready to attend to anybody’s business but his own; but as to doing family duty, and keeping his farm in order, he found it impossible.”, which clearly is comparable to the USA’s subject attitude towards the sovereign England. The next paragraph emphasizes the fact that Van Winkle is incapable of taking care of “(…) his farm; (…) everything about it went wrong, and would go wrong, in spite of him.” meaning that Van Winkle (keeping in mind that he represents the USA) was not the one to blame, because he was not even in control of his own property. Prior to be named United States of America, this land was named New England, a simple colony ruled by England which is portrayed in this short story by Dame Van Winkle who is described as “a termagant wife” and “(…) he [Rip Van Winkle] thought of encountering the terrors of Dame Van Winkle.”. The wife has a very demanding attitude towards the husband to the point of him loosing part of his freedom, will and ideas in order to please her.
The following quote, “Ah, poor man, Rip Van Winkle was his name, but it’s twenty years since he went away from home (…)”, is an important event on this short story, because throughout the 20 year absence of this main character everything in his country has changed, “(…) there had been a revolutionary war, (…) and that, instead of being a subject of his Majesty George the Third, he was now a free citizen of the United States.”. Once again there may exist a connection between the disappearance of Rip Van Winkle for 20 years with the period of displeasure against the monarchic regime lived in the USA that resulted in a 18 year war (since 1765 till 1783), and when it was over (when Rip came back) everything had changed, a new country was “born”, the United States of America.
SEMIH YARAROGLU
The short story which is called Rip van Winkle is written in third person omniscient narration. What does that mean? It means that the narrator only comments on all characters and their ideas in the story.
First of all, the story includes a part which introduces Diedrich Knickerbocker and it begins after that part he goes on telling the story. For the omniscient narration, there is a teller of tale who speaks with the voice of author himself like Rip Van Winkle. The narrator knows everything but he does not tend to tell everything to the readers. " The following Tale was found among the papers of the late Diedrich Knickerbocker..." this line proves that it is third person omniscient narration and also he is the only one who knows story in detailed manner. Knickerbocker says he heard the story from Rip himself, and he however he trusts it, he is not the storyteller. In that story Irving gives information about Diedrich Knickerbocker's interest (p 30.) He also describes the event and the characters in detailed manner. " Rip Van Winkle, however, was one of those happy mortals of foolish, well-oiled dispositions..." The author always tells the story by describing itself. Thanks to omniscient narration we can see the protagonist's feelings. Sometimes, the narrator comments about the situation these all make it third person omniscient narration. To give an example; "Poor Rip" which is stated in 32 page proves the comment on character itself.
All in all, the narrator tends to tell the event what befall on Rip Van Winkle in descriptive way. And also the narrator itself can comment about the situation while telling the story.
Satire is very much present in Irving's short story Rip Van Winkle.
The main character's relationship with his wife may be considered an element of satire: Rip was a "henpecked husband". He was constantly given lectures by his wife due to his idle nature when it came to do any profitable labor or help her at home. "...and a curtain lecture is worth all the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and long-suffering." - here, we can tell that the curtain lecture isn't so much valuable as it is insufferable and intolerable to Rip.
Rip's wife, Dame Van Winkle is also a separate element of satire: much like the puritan, she lacked humor and flexibility in her (and Rip's) work ethic and general living - "...his wife kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness, and the ruin he was bringing on his family. Morning, noon, and night, her tongue was incessantly going, and everything he said or did was sure to produce a torrent of household eloquence." - in this excerpt the word eloquence is used in an ironic manner, as her speeches were the contrary of something poetic or beautifully said.
It is interesting to notice how the women in this story are described as the "amiable sex" when they are the opposite of amiable. "Certain it is that he was a great favorite among all the good wives of the village, who, as usual with the amiable sex, took his part in all family squabbles...".
The last satirical moment is a rather political one, and it occurs when Rip returns to the village twenty years later and visits the old inn. The only visible change is the portrait hung on the wall (then a portrait of King George III, now a portrait of George Washington) which implies that the revolution was a mere switch of leaders, questioning the changes brought by the American Revolution and their value and/or meaning - "The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was held in the hand instead of a scepter, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters, GENERAL WASHINGTON."
O narrador em Rip Van Winkle pode considerar-se como heterodiegético, tendo em conta que a história é contada na terceira pessoa e relata acontecimentos independentes do narrador "...a simple, good-natured fellow, of the name of Rip Van Winkle..." (pg 31). Não deixa de ser interessante que, apesar do conhecimento total que o narrador tem da história e suas personagens, quer ao nível de tempo cronológico "...but it´s twenty years since he went away..." (pg34), estados de espírito "...he dreaded to meet his wife..." (pg33), ou espaço físico "...At the foot of these fairy mountains..." (pg 30), o que indicaria uma focalização omnisciente, seja comum o aparecimento de considerações e pensamentos do próprio narrador, inclusive com recurso ao pronome "I",..."I have observed that he was a simple, good-natured man..." (pg 31), dando não só a impressão de que nestas instâncias o narrador é uma personagem da história, mas também que assume uma posição subjectiva, uma vez que explicita as suas opiniões e ideias..."for those men are most apt to be obsequious and conciliating..." (pg 31). É ainda de fazer notar que, por vezes, o narrador estabelece uma conexão com o leitor, por exemplo através da pergunta retórica, não só para fazer com que este pondere sobre os assuntos tratados no conto, mas também para "se aproximar do leitor", na medida em que aquilo a que se refere é comum à vida de muitos..."but what courage can whitstand the ever-endurig and all-besetting terrors of a woman's tongue?" (pg31).
HACI HALİM KURUMEHMET
2) Rip Van Winkle is narrated by a third-person omniscient narrator because narrator knows about the feelings and personal tendencies of the characters. Also, in the part which is written in italic, narrator knows writer’s biography and by portraying his purpose and contribution, he praises the writer. He makes comments on characters’ point of view and describes their presence with the use of constative sayings.
The narrator does not ‘analyze’ characters since he already knows them, he just illuminates readers thanks to his awareness about the protagonist and antagonists. For instance, he knows how such a shrewish woman Mrs. Dame is. He is also aware of the fact that Rip is careless, imcompetent and fool man who is totally isolated from his own responsibilities. The narrator even knows happiness of a dog after they ran away from home with Rip, which means that he knows even an animal’s feelings.
Moreover, in order to prove that this short story is narrated by a third person omniscient narrator, we can say that he uses past tense for the narration which can be regarded as if the narrator witnessed the plot and action which took place there.
Washington Irving's use of satire as a literary element is consistent throughout the piece--be it hyperbole or even parody. But I think it's worth pointing out the satirical use of a tone of pity for characters who wouldn't normally deserve it, given the character introduction he gives us of Rip Van Winkle, his wife Dame Van Winkle and even the inn landlord Nicholas Vedder.
You see, he begins his introduction of the main character by documenting his "idleness and carelessness." How Rip van Winkle "was ready to attend to anybody's business but his own," and would find it impossible "...as to doing family duty and keeping his farm in order..." Irving goes on to explain how methodically Rip Van Winkle avoids his labors by participating in the deliberation "upon public events some months after they had taken place." Truth be told, regardless of how turbulent and violent his wife may be, Irving's character introduction doesn't leave much room for doubt that he might deserve a scolding or two a day. I would venture to say even that pitying him is quite difficult.
Yet Irving refers to this character as "unlucky Rip," and "Poor Rip," and referencing in the line "and if dogs could feel pity, I verily believe he [Wolf] reciprocated the sentiment with all his heart," the theme of pity again--alluding the fact that even Wolf, his dog might feel pity for his owner.
A short story Rip Van Winkle pode ser classificada com uma narrativa figurativa. Neste tipo de narrativas as ações são relatadas por uma terceira pessoa que não faz parte, nem está envolvida na história. Neste caso, a história é-nos relatada por um narrador, que nos dá uma breve contextualização de quem são os Van Winkle, mais concretamente, Rip Van Winkle. É-nos dada, também, uma caracterização da personagem, da sua vida familiar e da relação com a sua esposa, juntamente com o tipo de relações que mantinha com as pessoas em geral.
O narrador desta história é heterodiegético, omnisciente e parcial. Este narrador conhece o íntimo da personagem e domina os factos e os acontecimentos que vão sendo relatados ao longo do texto, o que o torna omnisciente. Aliás, os verbos que vão sendo usados denotam isso mesmo. O narrador sabe o que Van Winkle pensa (“He thought his fancy must have deceived him (…)” P.32; “He now suspected that the gave roisters of the mountain had put a trick upon him (…)” P.33) e o que ele sente (“Though rather shy and distrustful of his new acquaintance, Rip complied (…)” P.32). O narrador não é uma personagem e não entra na história, todavia, interpola-a diretamente uma vez para dar a sua opinião. Isto acontece na ocasião em que Van Winkle fala com Wolf na montanha e o narrador faz uma observação em relação aos sentimentos do cão (“(…) I verily believe he reciprocated the sentiment with all his heart.” P.32). É a única vez que o autor dá uma opinião direta na história, no entanto, este narrador faz vários juízos em relação àquilo que vai acontecendo. Ele sente pena de Van Winkle e demonstra isso várias vezes ao longo do texto. Embora pudéssemos ser levados a crer que o narrador é neutro, ele não o é.
(pesquisa feita em: http://www.uni-koeln.de/~ame02/pppn.htm#N3.1 )
3.
O conto "Rip van Winkle" escrito por Washington Irving têm três elementos satíricos que se destacam ao longo do texto. O primeiro é o casamento entre Rip e a sua mulher, um casamento sem qualquer tipo de amor. Rip odeia a importunação da sua mulher, e a mesma odeia o facto de Rip ser preguiçoso. ("(...)his wife kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness and the ruin he was bringing on his family" P: 31; "(...) clamor of his wife" P:32). O segundo é o facto de que a revolução trouxe mudanças muito pequenas, como por exemplo o facto de retrato do King George, que estava presente na taverna, ter sido alterado para o retrato de George Washington, o que poderá querer dizer que os coloniais deixaram de seguir um líder para seguir outro. ("(...) a rubicund portrait of His Majesty George the Third." P:31; "He reconized on the sign, however, the ruby face os King George (...) the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large character, GENERAL WASHINGTON" P:33,34). O terceito elemento satírico é a amizade ociosa das personagens masculinas, que falavam sobre nada na taverna. ("(...) talking listlessly over village gossip, or telling endless sleepy stories about nothing" P:31).
Correction:
On whether the narrator has an interventional or a neutral, approach we can deduce his focalization is interventional. He does intervene with opinions on the storytelling: "Poor Rip was at last reduced almost to despair (...)" (p.32); "I verily believe he reciprocated the sentiment with all his heart." (p.32); "Here then poor Rip was brought to a stand." (p.33). The last example refers to the dificulty Rip experienced after having woken up. The narrator often lets us conclude that he feels sorry for Rip with the use of the adjective "poor".
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