COVE

Following the establishment of colonies and settlements in America, tensions rapidly grew between the British and the American colonists, leading to the American Revolutionary War. This war resulted in the formation of a whole new, independent country, the United States of America, which operated under a democratic system free from its monarchical roots. However, what if one were not troubled by politics and global affairs? What would the Revolutionary War mean to them? Well, this question can be answered through the timeless tale of "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving.

The story of a man who falls asleep in the Katskills and wakes up post-Revolutionary War, Irving's tale presents a humble, down-to-earth perspective on the events of the pivotal war; mainly, the titular character frankly does not care. Irving writes, "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. Rip, in fact, was no politician; the changes of states and empires made but little impression on him; but there was one species of despotism under which he had long groaned, and that was—petticoat government" (Irving). From Rip Van Winkle's perspective, very little has changed in regard to his daily life, so why should be he overly concerned with the outcome of this war? But what about that "petticoat government" he seems concerned over? Well, simply put, that refers to a system controlled by women - in other words, his wife. Van Winkle is more joyed at the death of his wife (and the end of her nagging) than his separation from the grasp of a tyranical monarch.

Rip Van Winkle reflects on the accomplishments and progress of the American Revolutionary war by asking "what good actually came of it?" To the average individual, geopolitical conflicts and affairs have little to no bearing on one's life. Despite that, massive changes were occuring, and Rip Van Winkle has to make a decision, as reflected in his attitude towards the passing of his wife. He will either arrive at "resignation to his fate, or joy at his deliverance" (Irving). Scholar Robert A. Ferguson summarizes the main theme of "Rip Van Winkle" concisely when he writes, "The task of the reader is to see the truth while understanding, enjoying, and, in the end, coping through fabrication with the merciless march of life" (542).

Works Cited:

Ferguson, Robert A. "Rip Van Winkle and the Generational Divide in American Culture." Early American Literature, vol. 40, no. 3, 2005, pp. 529-44. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25057421.

Irving, Washington. "Rip Van Winkle." COVE.

John Quidor. "The Return of Rip Van Winkle." Public domain, (https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.1104.html)