Title: Rip Van Winkle Characters - eNotes.com
Headings: Rip Van Winkle Characters
Rip Van Winkle Characters
Characters
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Rip Van Winkle
Dame Van Winkle
Judith Cardenier
Rip Van Winkle, Jr.
The Stranger
Hendrick (Henry) Hudson
Nicholas Vedder
Derrick Van Bummel
Brom Dutcher
Peter Vanderdonk
The Self-Important Man
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Content: Rip’s rural, simple, and idle life stands as a relic of the past. Rip’s disappearance results in his stopping in time and never changing. Dame Van Winkle continues to live in the rapidly changing town before her death, showing her ability to work and change. Dame Van Winkle's death also highlights her modern sensibility, as she dies in a fit of energy and passion. Judith Cardenier
Judith is Rip’s daughter, who takes him in when he returns from the mountains. Judith represents the changes in society that have taken place since Rip’s disappearance. This can be seen by her changed last name and current family situation. She married a helpful husband of French descent, which changes her names from Van Winkle to Cardenier. This shows how the town has not only changed in size and politics, but also in demographics. Judith’s life, so different from Rip's and her mother's, shows how things have changed.