When it comes to his own land, however, he seems to have bad luck. He is good at hunting and fishing, and is willing to do things for others. He leaves Dame Van Winkle to run the house, care for the children, and work the farm. Rip is good at helping others, but he is inept at helping himself or his family. Most of the villagers love him, but he is constantly nagged by his termagant wife, Dame Van Winkle. “Rip Van Winkle” focuses on the idle and simple character of Rip Van Winkle. Additionally, the inclusion of Henry Hudson, who was a Dutch explorer in the late 1500s, brings an element of truth and realism to “Rip Van Winkle.” plot summary For example, the setting is under the Catskill Mountains and on the Hudson River-both real and prominent places in New York state. However, although shaped like a folktale, “Rip Van Winkle” is still based on some truth. His presence reminds readers to question the truthfulness of the supposedly historical narrative at hand. Knickerbocker is an unreliable character. Irving previously used Diedrich Knickerbocker’s character to publish A History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, a hoax history book which fooled many readers. The story of “Rip Van Winkle” is also backed up by a fictional historian named Diedrich Knickerbocker. Though set in the Dutch culture of pre-Revolutionary War New York state, the story of Rip Van Winkle is based on a German folktale. Rip Van Winkle, short story by Washington Irving, published in The Sketch Book in 1819–20.

Rip van winkle summary