Rip Van Winkle: A Romantic American Hero

Rip Van Winkle was the first, as well as the greatest, true Romantic American Hero. Many different qualities, values, and characteristics make up a Romantic American Hero and Rip possessed virtually all of them. A short few of these qualities that Rip is most known for include his innocent and pure purpose, his honor and integrity, and also his quest for a higher truth. Rip shows he possessed these amazing traits of a Romantic American Hero through his actions. He proved that he is pure and innocent by caring only for the prosperity of others and not himself. He exhibited that he is full of honor and integrity by how he cares not for silly arguments that normal people engage in. He showed that he desires an understanding of a higher truth by

Rip was one of the most pure and innocent people to ever exist. He was willing to do literally anything to assist anyone in any way he possibly can. When Rip had finished helping someone, he refused to take any type of payment for his actions. Rip avoided all kinds of labor that would involve him receiving any profit as stated in the text, “the great error in Rips composition was an insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labor.” Rip would even help people who he did not know. He lent a helping hand to a total stranger and carried his heavy keg through rough terrain and even up a gully. Rip would help any and every person he came across in any

Rip was an extremely honorable man and it was widely known throughout his village. Everyone knew and respected him for the man he was and held him in high regards. As stated in the text, “I have observed that he was a simple good natured man; he was moreover a kind neighbor, and an obedient, henpecked husband,” he was widely known for being a good man. Rip was always ready to drop what he was doing on a whim and immediately begin to do whatever he could to help someone. He stayed very humble and selfless and this was because of his sense of honor that he got from his