Washington Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" is a comedic, unordinary tale that raises some interesting points about reality. Despite the tale's "fairy tale" like plot, the reader can relate and identify with the story's sequence of events. In the very beginning, where Diedrich Knickerbocker is introduced, Irving is instilling a sense of reality to this short story. This character is an old, wise gentleman who is very curious of the Dutch history. He is a well-liked man whose opinion is respected. Adding this character provides authenticity to the story by making the reader respect his past writings and opinions. .
The main character, Rip Van Winkle, is a man to whom many can relate. He is well liked within his community, especially with children, "The children of village would shout with joy whenever he approached" (430). He is very lazy when it comes to doing any kind of work for himself or his family. His own farm is a disgrace. In fact, "it was the worst conditioned farm in the neighbourhood" (431). He is lighthearted and loved to help others when they need a helping hand. He is also a favorite of the good wives in town; he participates in the usual female gossip concerning "family squabbles." These characteristics of Rip make him well liked by the reader. Later on, the reader feels sympathetic toward Rip for what he must deal with from his wife. .
Needless to say, Rip's personality is not well appreciated by his wife, Dame Van Winkle. The reader gets the notion that Rip is not very good at the whole marriage idea due to the fact that Dame is his third wife. It is mentioned that a wife, "in some respects, be considered a tolerable blessing; if so, Rip Van Winkle [is] thrice blessed." (430) Most fairy tales do not include multiple marriages, but these days this is common. Dame was constantly nagging him about his laziness, carelessness and how he was destroying the family.
