Irvings Feminist Approach
Taylor Bryant
English 11 HH
September 26, 2006
Irving's Feminist Approach in Literature
Washington Irving, a Romanticist short story writer was best known for his high
comedy, and irony. Irving used various symbols to portray hidden meanings, that every page of
a story should be relevant to what he is trying to convey overall. Irving believed that a short
story was a "frame on which to stretch materials." Meaning that he was more concerned with
literary devices rather than the story as a whole. In the two stories Rip Van Winkle, and The
Spectre Bridegroom, Irving gives the readers a view of how women were portrayed during the
late 1700'and early 1800's. He gives women an idea of how women should act, as well as how
they shouldn't. He uses various hidden symbols to portray women negatively and positively, in
both stories. He categorizes women the way that they were "supposed" to act during his time.
In Rip Van Winkle the one woman in the story, Dame Van Winkle is portrayed as being
termagant, and a nuisance in Rip Van Winkle's life. The main factor as to why Dame Van
Winkle is such a hassle is because she doesn't abide to her husbands rules, she's not what other
men would consider the "typical housewife." The husbands "role" in the house during
this time period was to provide for the family, and Rip was clearly not fulfilling his
responsibility. Furthermore, Rip is described as a man "who was ready to attend to anybody's
business but his own" (20). Dame Van Winkle, being in the position that she is, is forced to
constantly argue with Rip until he owns up to his obligation as a husband. Showing the lack of
respect for woman during this time, "Dame" Van Winkle is not given a proper name, she is
simply referred to as Rip Van Winkle's wife. Irving, at one point states "If left to himself, he
would have whistled life away in perfect contentment; but his wife kept continually
English 11 HH
September 26, 2006
Irving's Feminist Approach in Literature
Washington Irving, a Romanticist short story writer was best known for his high
comedy, and irony. Irving used various symbols to portray hidden meanings, that every page of
a story should be relevant to what he is trying to convey overall. Irving believed that a short
story was a "frame on which to stretch materials." Meaning that he was more concerned with
literary devices rather than the story as a whole. In the two stories Rip Van Winkle, and The
Spectre Bridegroom, Irving gives the readers a view of how women were portrayed during the
late 1700'and early 1800's. He gives women an idea of how women should act, as well as how
they shouldn't. He uses various hidden symbols to portray women negatively and positively, in
both stories. He categorizes women the way that they were "supposed" to act during his time.
In Rip Van Winkle the one woman in the story, Dame Van Winkle is portrayed as being
termagant, and a nuisance in Rip Van Winkle's life. The main factor as to why Dame Van
Winkle is such a hassle is because she doesn't abide to her husbands rules, she's not what other
men would consider the "typical housewife." The husbands "role" in the house during
this time period was to provide for the family, and Rip was clearly not fulfilling his
responsibility. Furthermore, Rip is described as a man "who was ready to attend to anybody's
business but his own" (20). Dame Van Winkle, being in the position that she is, is forced to
constantly argue with Rip until he owns up to his obligation as a husband. Showing the lack of
respect for woman during this time, "Dame" Van Winkle is not given a proper name, she is
simply referred to as Rip Van Winkle's wife. Irving, at one point states "If left to himself, he
would have whistled life away in perfect contentment; but his wife kept continually