An-Analysis-of-Rip-Van-Winkle

Romanticism,DisturbedOrderandHumorinANobody’sTale—OnWashingtonIrving’sRipVanWinkleHaibeiHu0111163043June10th,2014Inthehistoryofliterature,folktalesareneverararetopic.Therearethoseaboutromance,revenge,heroes,theordinary,magicandetc.Differentstorieshavedifferentstylesandthemeswithdifferentlevelsofinfluence.Nodoubt,thehighreputationofWashingtonIrvingasFatherofAmericanLiteratureiswelljustifiedinhisworld-knownfolktaleRipVanWinkle.Thisessaywillfocusonanalyzingitsthemesaswellasthelanguagestyle.ThestoryissetbeforetheAmericanRevolutionaryWarinatranquilvillageatthefootofKaatskillMountains.RipVanWinkle,thegood-naturedandhenpeckedprotagonist,livesanidlelifethereandshirkshardlabor.Oneday,sofedupwithhistermagantwife’sincessantnagging,Ripwandersupthemountains.Therehehearsavoicecallinghimandseesastrangemanaskingforhelp.Together,theyreachahollowwhereRipfindssomeodd-lookingandodd-dressingmen.Gradually,Rip’sfearfadeawayandheenjoystheirmoonshinewhichputshimintoadeepsleep.Afterwakingandcomingbacktothevillage,Ripdiscovershimselfnolongerfamiliarwithalmostanythingoranyone.Itturnsouthehassleptthroughtwentyyears!InthemiraculousexperienceofRipVanWinkleliesthetracesofRomanticism—possessingenoughlucktoescapefromone’sresponsibilitiesandunpleasanteventsasiftheyneveroccurred.Rip,thetypicalrepresentative,isalwayswillingtoattendtoothers’businessbuthisown.Despitehislazinessandunconcernforthefarmwork,heismuchlovedbythewomenandchildrenwithhishelpfulness,thoughtfulness,amiabilityandsweettemper.Livinganeasyandself-contentlife,hewouldbeabletospendtherestoflifepeacefullyandjoyfullyhaditnotbeenhishard-workingcrankywife.MrsVanWinkleseemstosymbolthePuritannotions,whichemphasizeonself-disciplineandconsideridlenessasevilandunforgivable.Butontheotherhand,itisherendlesslecturesthatleadtoRip’sescapetothemountains.Withoutatermagantwifelikethat,amanordinaryandplainlikeRipcouldnevergetachancetoexperiencea20-yearmagicaldream,norcouldthisextraordinaryfolktalebecomplete.Thetasteofthemoonshinefurthershisescapefromhishome,resultinginthatfromthetime.Allthenoisesofhislifefinallybecomeonly“distantthunder”,scarybutharmless.Whatgreatfortunehehastofacenomoreconflictsathomeandavoidtheearthshakingchangeshappeningintheawakeworld.Nowonderthestoryendsinthis,“itisacommonwishofallhenpeckedhusbandsintheneighborhood,whenlifehangsheavyontheirhands,thattheymighthaveaquietingdraughtoutofRipVanWinkle’sflagon.”Whatisnotromanticisalwaysfoundinrealitywherenoonehastheabilityorlucktosleepthroughundesirabledaysandlivelightheartedlyeverafter.Apartfromfocusingonmen’sescape,Irvingalsopresentsanotherenlighteningtheme:impactimposedonpeople’soutsideandinnerworldbychangesoftime.AfterRipawakensfromhislongsleepandreturnstothevillage,thereishardlyanythingoranyonehecanrecognize,notonlytheirfacesbutalsotheirdressingandthelookofthevillage.Hishousehasgonetodecaywithnoonelivinginit;thesmallinnhefrequentedisnowalargewoodenhotel;hiswifehasdiedandhisoldfriendshavejoinedthearmyormovedaway;KingGeorge’sportraitisreplacedbyoneofGeorgeWashington.TheRevolutionaryWarhaswonAmericafreedomandprosperity.However,italsoturnstranquilityandharmonyinthissmallvillageintoscramblesforpoliticalpowersandtherapiddevelopmentinindustrialization.Thetempooflifehasquickenedandpre-warleisurelyexistencehasacquiredabusy,bustlingdisputationtone.TheonlythingsthatremainthesamearejusttheHudsonRiverandtheKaatskillMountains.Timehaschangedpeople,thegovernment,thebuildings,butnevernaturewhichisalwaysthemosttrustworthy,comfortingandinvariable.Truefreedomandprogressareyettobegrantedtopeople’sspiritualworld.Theyshouldhavebeenachievedinthebalancebetweensocietyandnature.Butrevolutionforcespeopleintoasituationwherecontentandeasearenowheretobefoundandchangesaretoosuddentobeadaptedto.Atthattime,itispeoplelikeRipwhostaysawayfromtheheartofchangesthatwilllivewithoutfeelingmuchlossoreager.Notonlycanathemebediscussedandrememberedbypeopleforalongtime,adistinctivelanguagestyleisalsocontributivetoagreatwriter’sreputationandpopularity.RipVanWinkleischaracteristicofIrving’sstyle:thesentencesarelongbuteasy-readandwell-balanced,andthetoneisfullofhumorandsympathy.TheopeningparagraphdemonstratesIrving’sremarkableabilitytodepictanatmosphericandvividpictureofKaatskillMountainswithdetails,colors,shapesandsounds.Itbecomessofabulousandattractiveunderhismagicpenwithvarioussceneries.IndescribingRip’sfearofhiswife,Irvingusesexaggerationandsatiretomakethisimagemorerootedintheaudiences’heart.Inthethirdparagraph,itendswith“atermagantwifemay,therefore,insomerespects,beconsideredatolerableblessing;andifso,RipVanWinklewasthriceblessed”,showinginaninterestingwayIrving’sgentlewit.Exceptforthenarration,therearealsodialogueseasy,fluentandunobtrusivelysuitedtothecharacters’personalities.ItisindeedastoryfullofdistinctiveAmericanflavors:casual,cheerful,humorousandimaginative.Inspiteofvariousopinions,criticalorcomplimentary,thereisnodenyingthatRipVanWinklehasgeneratedfar-reachinginfluencesonbothAmericaandothercountries.Rip’sfantasticexperiencenotonlycreatesaworldwheretroublesandunpleas