How Did Literature Impact Rip Van Winkle

Does Rip Van winkle’s decision to go up the mountian to be free from his wife later affected him in the future? Rip Van Winkle, written by Washington Irving, was published in 1819 and was written around the time of the American Revolution. The american Revolution which took place from 1765 to 1783, was a revolt of thirteen colonies who wanted independence from Great Britain. They gained their independence and defeated England and became the United States. The American Revolution caused many changes in society, the culture, and literature, the people had to try new things like going from having a king to now having a president and living with things they had never experienced in their life before. The Literature during the Revolution usually was trying to get the citizens to join the revolution and fight for Independence. Washington Irving shows this concept of change in his book which shows how the main character, Rip Van Winkle, gets to see how life was before and after the American Revolution. Rip was a very lazy kind of stay at home husband, he did not enjoy working and preferred to live his life talking and having a good time sharing stories. Rip’s wife, Dame constantly reminded Rip of his laziness and dishonor he was bringing to the

Wahington Irving had both long and short term impacts on Literature. Irving was known as “The father of American Literature”. “American Literature was actually greatly influenced by Irving, and many later American authors may not have existed without his effort.” Many people even say that they think Washington Irving 's works influenced Literature so much they believe that if his work had never existed and the potential authors of the past didn 't read his works that American Literature would have never existed. “Irving started out as being a not so outstanding student and became a lawyer. His true passion from the beginning was writing. Perhaps Edgar Allan Poe had been inspired by Irving 's Gothic short stories.”