Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle

The year 1819 was of little historical significance to most of the world. No major wars were being fought. No leaders were assassinated; it seemed to be a year of unimportance. Highlights of the year would include Alabama’s admittance into the union and Colombia’s breaking free from the rule of Spain. However, the most important event of 1819 did not involve war, independence, or anything of the sort. That event was the publishing of Washington Irving’s short story “Rip Van Winkle.” The importance of this tale is deeply unrecognized by many people. Those who do realize this story’s significance consider “Rip Van Winkle” as the first critical writing about life in the newly independent United States. Throughout time, analysts have realized the

The Articles of Confederation, the new nation’s first form of government, were a nightmare for those who advocated a strong national government. On the other hand, those who opposed strong national government, mainly state legislators, thought that the Articles of Confederation were exactly what the new nation needed. This created a rift that is still noticeable within the United States today in the form of partisan politics. Irving hints at this separation in our government when “Another short but busy little man pulled [Rip] by the arm, and raising on tiptoe, inquired in his ear, ‘whether he was Federal or Democrat’” (479). Although Irving does not go into detail about the viewpoints of Federalists and Democrats, this is still one issue that arose in post-revolution life. Irving purposely points out the division of the American government as a subtle critique of the nation’s new governmental system. In fact, the division between Federalists and Democrats was the reason for the writing of the Constitution of the United States, which Irving alludes to in his story. When Rip returned to the village, “There was a whisper, also, about securing the gun, and keeping the old fellow from doing mischief. At the very suggestion of which… [had been] retired with some precipitation” (Irving 480). In this, Irving directly symbolizes the newly written constitution and its second amendment. His allusion to the constitution may be subtle, but it is important in understanding the change in regimes and how the reign of Great Britain and the freedom of the United States