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: Dame Van Winkle is also called a “virago,” which is a domineering woman. However, the term “virago” may also refer to a warrior woman. This highlights how Dame Van Winkle fights throughout the story against her husband. She does so to help herself and her family. Dame Van Winkle is so domineering that even Rip’s dog, Wolf, is afraid of her. Despite all of Dame Van Winkle’s efforts, her husband still does not help her. He instead goes hunting and disappears for twenty years. She passes away before he returns. Rip is relieved by her death, happy to be free from her. Dame Van Winkle is characterized throughout the story by industrial descriptions.