He now hurried forth, and hastened to his old resort, the village inn—but it too was gone. A large rickety wooden building stood in its place, with great gaping windows, some of them broken, and mended with old hats and petticoats, and over the door was painted, “The Union Hotel, by Jonathan Doolittle.” Instead of the great tree that used to shelter the quiet little Dutch inn of yore, there now was reared a tall naked pole, with something on the top that looked like a red nightcap, and from it was fluttering a flag, on which was a singular assemblage of stars and stripes—all this was strange and incomprehensible. He recognized on the sign, however, the ruby face of King George, under which he had smoked so many a peaceful pipe, but even this was singularly metamorphosed. The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters, “GENERAL WASHINGTON.”
There was, as usual, a crowd of folk about the door, but none that Rip recollected. The very character of the people seemed changed. There was a busy, bustling, disputatious tone about it, instead of the accustomed phlegm and drowsy tranquillity. He looked in vain for the sage Nicholas Vedder, with his broad face, double chin, and fair long pipe, uttering clouds of tobacco-smoke, instead of idle speeches; or Van Bummel, the schoolmaster, doling forth the contents of an ancient newspaper. In place of these, a lean, bilious-looking fellow, with his pockets full of handbills, was haranguing, vehemently about rights of citizens—elections—members of Congress—liberty—Bunker’s hill—heroes of seventy-six—and other words, which were a perfect Babylonish jargon to the bewildered Van Winkle.
Washington Irving, “Rip Van Winkle,” in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., 1st ed. (New York: C. S. Van Winkle, 1819–), https://lccn.loc.gov/50051833.
Part I. Comprehension
Which event explains the changes Rip sees?
- King George has died and a new king has been crowned.
- The Dutch have retaken the village from the English.
- The American Revolution has been fought and won while he slept. Answer
- The village has burned down and been rebuilt.
Why are the speaker’s words “a perfect Babylonish jargon” to Rip?
- The speaker is addressing the crowd in Dutch.
- Rip is too far from the door to hear him clearly.
- They are part of a new political vocabulary. Answer
- Rip doesn’t pay attention to politics.
Part II. Close Reading
Dramatic irony occurs when the reader understands something about a character’s situation that the character does not yet understand. Identify one detail in this passage through which the reader realizes what has happened before Rip does. How does knowing more than Rip affect the way the reader interprets his situation?
Model answer
Rip sees many things that he does not understand. The reader does understand them. Any one of these details is a good answer:
- the flag with “stars and stripes”: the American flag
- the pole with “a red nightcap” on top: a liberty pole, a symbol of the Revolution
- the new name of the inn, “The Union Hotel”
- the picture of King George, now labeled “GENERAL WASHINGTON”
- the speaker’s words: “members of Congress,” “Bunker’s hill,” “heroes of seventy-six”
A reader who knows some American history sees that the Revolution has happened. Rip does not know this yet. This changes how we read his situation in two ways:
- It is funny. Rip is confused by things that everyone else in the scene already knows.
- It is sad. Rip does not yet know that he has lost twenty years of his life.
A strong answer may add one more point. The passage makes familiar things look strange. We see the flag and Washington’s name as Rip sees them, as if for the first time.
Given the dramatic irony, interpret the significance of this sentence: “There was a busy, bustling, disputatious tone about it, instead of the accustomed phlegm and drowsy tranquillity.”
Model answer
The sentence shows that the Revolution changed the people, not only the signs and flags.
- Before, the village was calm and sleepy (“phlegm,” “drowsy tranquillity”). The people were ruled by a king who was far away. They did not have to make decisions or argue about politics.
- Now, the village is “busy, bustling, disputatious.” The people are citizens. They must vote, choose a side, and try to persuade each other.
The word “drowsy” also connects the old village to Rip. He is a lazy man who has just slept for twenty years. He belonged in the old village. He does not belong in the new one.
It is not clear which village the narrator likes more. “Disputatious” makes democracy sound noisy, and “accustomed” sounds like he misses the past. But “phlegm” and “drowsy” are not kind words for the old village either.
The Story of the Hard Nut
This great tumult did not a little disturb young Drosselmeier, who had yet his seven steps to accomplish: however, he recollected himself, and had just put his right foot back for the seventh step, when Mrs. Mouserinks, squeaking in a most hideous manner, raised herself from the floor, so that Drosselmeier, as he put his foot backwards, trod on her, and stumbled,—nay, almost fell down. What a misfortune! The young man became at that moment just as ugly as ever was the princess Perlipat. The body was squeezed together, and could scarcely support the thick deformed head, with the great goggling eyes and wide gaping mouth. Instead of the wooden roof for his mouth, a little wooden mantel hung out from behind his back.
…
Nobody had taken the least notice of young Drosselmeier. The princess, however, reminded the king of his promise, and he immediately ordered the young hero to be brought before him. But when that unhappy young man appeared in his deformed state, the princess put her hands before her and cried out, “Away with that nasty Nutcracker!” So the court marshal took him by this little shoulder and pushed him out of the door.
E. T. A. Hoffmann, “The Story of the Hard Nut,” from “Nussknacker und Mausekönig,” in Die Serapions-Brüder, 1st ed., 4 vols. (Berlin: G. Reimer, 1819–21).
Part III. Comprehension
Why does young Drosselmeier have “seven steps to accomplish”?
- Court etiquette forbids anyone to turn his back on the princess.
- The horoscope that prescribes Perlipat’s cure also requires the man who cracks the nut to take seven steps backward without stumbling. Answer
- He owes one step to each of Mrs. Mouserinks’s seven sons.
- The king has promised him a reward for every step he takes.
What is the significance of the “little wooden mantel”?
- It is the court uniform the king awards him for curing the princess.
- It is a piece of the shell of the nut Krakatuk.
- It is the lever that works a nutcracker’s jaw. Answer
- It hides his deformity from the court.
Part IV. Close Reading
Identify any other story that has a prophecy. Compare the role of prophecy here with its function in that story.
Model answer
You may choose any story, from this course or not. Some examples are Oedipus the King, Macbeth, “Sleeping Beauty,” and Harry Potter. A good answer names the prophecy in that story and explains what it does in the plot.
In Hoffmann’s story, the prophecy is the horoscope that the astronomer reads. It says how to cure Perlipat:
- She must eat the kernel of the nut Krakatuk.
- A young man who has never shaved and never worn boots must crack the nut.
- He must give her the kernel with his eyes closed.
- He must then take seven steps backward and not stumble.
This prophecy works like a list of instructions. The rules are strange and very exact. The characters go on a long search in order to follow them. The cure works, but Drosselmeier stumbles on the last step. That one mistake is enough to put the curse on him.
A strong answer explains a difference between the two stories. For example, in Oedipus the prophecy is a fate. The characters try to escape it, and that is how it comes true. In Hoffmann, the characters try to follow the prophecy, and the danger is that they will make a mistake.
Why does Princess Perlipat reject young Drosselmeier? Is this surprising? Why is it significant?
Model answer
Why? She rejects him because he is ugly. She covers her eyes and calls him “that nasty Nutcracker.” She names him for how he looks.
Is it surprising? Yes, for three reasons:
- A moment ago, she was just as ugly as he is now. She should understand that a person is more than how they look. This makes her a hypocrite.
- He became ugly because he cured her. She is not grateful.
- She is the one who “reminded the king of his promise.” She wants the hero until she sees him.
Why is it significant?
- In most fairy tales, the hero who ends the curse marries the princess. This story does not follow that pattern.
- It prepares the rest of the story. Drosselmeier can be cured only if someone loves him even though he is ugly. Perlipat has just failed that test.
- The court acts as she does: “Nobody had taken the least notice” of him. The story criticizes a whole society that cares more about beauty than about what a person has done.