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Rip Van Winkle | Essays and Criticism

• Manipulating the Hero

  Bily teaches writing and literature at Adrian College. In this essay, Bily examines Irving’s manipulation of the hero archetype in his story.

• Theme in Historical Context

  Ozersky is a critic and essayist. In this essay, Ozersky puts the theme of Irving’s story in its historical context, seeing in the famous sleeper a symbol of a vanishing culture.

• Rip, Ichabod, and the American Imagination

  In the following essay excerpt, Martin explores the symbolism of the transformation of the village from a place of dreamy fantasy to one of stark reality.

• Fallen from Time: The Mythic Rip Van Winkle

  In the following essay excerpt, Young looks to mythological influences on ‘‘Rip Van Winkle’’ and the impact that they could have on interpretations of the story.

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1. Rip Van Winkle: Introduction
2. Rip Van Winkle: Summary
3. Rip Van Winkle: Washington Irving Biography
4. Rip Van Winkle: Characters
5. Rip Van Winkle: Themes
6. Rip Van Winkle: Style
7. Rip Van Winkle: Historical Context
8. Rip Van Winkle: Critical Overview
9. Rip Van Winkle: Essays and Criticism
   1. Manipulating the Hero
   2. Theme in Historical Context
   3. Rip, Ichabod, and the American Imagination
   4. Fallen from Time: The Mythic Rip Van Winkle
10. Rip Van Winkle: Compare and Contrast
11. Rip Van Winkle: Topics for Further Study
12. Rip Van Winkle: Media Adaptations
13. Rip Van Winkle: What Do I Read Next?
14. Rip Van Winkle: Bibliography and Further Reading
15. Rip Van Winkle: Pictures
16. Copyright

Related Topics

1. Washington Irving

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