Title: Rip Van Winkle Character Analysis | LitCharts
Headings: Rip Van Winkle Characters
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Rip Van Winkle Characters
Diedrich Knickerbocker
Rip Van Winkle
Dame Van Winkle
Rip Van Winkle, Jr.
Derrick Van Bummel
Nicholas Vedder
Hendrick Hudson / the crew of the Half Moon
Minor Characters
Judith Gardenier
Rip Van Winkle III
Peter Vanderdonk
Jonathan Doolittle
Brom Dutcher

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Diedrich Knickerbocker
Diedrich Knickerbocker
Knickerbocker is the fictional historian who narrates the story of Rip Van Winkle. We learn that Knickerbocker has died shortly after composing this history. Formerly an “old gentleman of New York,” Knickerbocker fostered a… read analysis of Diedrich Knickerbocker
Rip Van Winkle
The protagonist of the story, Rip Van Winkle is a genial, passive man living in a small Dutch province in the Catskills, who spends his time engaging in work that is not useful or profitable… read analysis of Rip Van Winkle
Dame Van Winkle
Rip Van Winkle’s wife is a sharp-tongued and nagging woman whose only role in the story is to antagonize and hound her lazy husband, who avoids all domestic duties. Though Dame Van Winkle’s unceasing harassment… read analysis of Dame Van Winkle
Rip Van Winkle, Jr.
The son of protagonist Rip Van Winkle and Dame Van Winkle. Rip Jr. is determined to grow up to be just like his father. The reader sees at the end of the story that he… read analysis of Rip Van Winkle, Jr.
Derrick Van Bummel
Derrick Van Bummel is the schoolmaster. He is an educated and articulate man who eagerly participates in earnest discussions of the news contained in old, outdated newspapers with other townspeople at the inn. He… read analysis of Derrick Van Bummel
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Nicholas Vedder
Nicholas Vedder is the landlord of the old inn, who sits all day in the shade of a large tree, who speaks very little, and whose opinions are indicated by the way he smokes his… read analysis of Nicholas Vedder
Hendrick Hudson / the crew of the Half Moon
Hudson was a 17th century explorer of the New York metropolitan region, most famous for sailing up the Hudson river (which now takes his name).