The Comparative Study of Rip Van Winkle and Zhen Zhong Ji

唐睿

Abstract：This study is aimed for a comparative research between Rip Van Winkle and Zhen Zhong Ji，which are created by different writers from different countries in different times，while there still exist some similarities.This paper consists of four parts.First is a brief introduction to the two literary works；second and third are the distinctions and similarities respectively；Lastly lies the conclusion，that is，both the two works reflects social realities and peoples mentations despite some differences.

Key words：Rip Van Winkle；Zhen Zhong Ji；distinctions；similarities

Ⅰ.Introduction

Theoretically speaking，dreams are considered successions of images，ideas and sensations that occur involuntarily in ones mind during certain stages of sleep.Meanwhile，dreams can occasionally play a mysterious role，even possessing some magic power in the literary world.

Rip Van Winkle，published in 1819，is one of the masterpieces of Washington Irving，an outstanding American author and essayist of the early 19th century，while Zhen Zhong Ji created by Shen Jiji，a well-known novelist and historian in Tang Dynasty，tells about intriguing experiences of a scholar at that time.

Dream plays a crucial role in these two stories，where both the leading characters have gone through unusual dreams，even resulting in their turning points in life.This paper summarizes the similarities and differences between the two works，analyzing the social reality and peoples psychological states of their times，and assists in understanding the magic of analogous methods and plots adopted by writers from totally different backgrounds for similar writing purposes to record the then social situations.

Ⅱ.Distinctions

2.1 Personal desires of characters

Based on the accounts in the two stories，it is apparently shown that the original desires of the two characters are diametrically different.

“The great error in Rips composition is an insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labor”（Irving 6），which results in Dame Van Winkles “keeping continually dinning in his ears about his idleness，his carelessness，and the ruins he is bringing on his family”（Irving 10）.From this narration，it is apparently reflected that Van Winkle might desire to live an opposite lifestyle compared with his condition at the former time，that is，he would like to “take the world easy，eat white bread or brown，whichever can be got with least thought or trouble，and would rather starve on a penny than work for a pound.If left to himself，he would have whistled life away in perfect contentment”（Irving 8）.

When it comes to the young scholar Lu，it is a different story.From the content of Lus beautiful dream，his true desire can not be hard to be recognized.It seems that Lu shares much more focus on the physical life than Rip Van Winkle does，which might reflect two different thoughts，that is，to enjoy physical life through working hard or satisfy spiritual desires without working hard.But the final result of Lu that he acquires some sudden insights as life is but a dream may declare the denial of the worldly success.

2.2 Endings

the two stories share differences in the ending parts as well.Rip Van Winkles life has been totally changed after his amazing dream.Having become a free citizen of the United States，Rip is able to say a forever good bye to being a subject of his Majesty George the Third；On the other hand，another “species of despotism under which he has long groaned，that is，petticoat government”（Irving 44），has been put to an end as well—Rip “has got his neck out of the yoke of matrimony，and can go in and out whenever he pleases，without dreading the tyranny of Dame Van Winkle”（Irving 46）.

On the contrary，the result of the young scholar named Lu is not that encouraging.When he awakes to the reality，the host's millets are still in cooking.“He wonders ‘Was all this but a dream？ The old man smiles and says，‘Things in this world are just like that ”（Shen 27）.Lu merely enjoys a dream of a fantastic life but gaining nothing from the reality.Or more positively，Lu might obtain a kind of spiritual “gift”，a tragic truth that life is but a dream.

Ⅲ.Similarities

3.1 Characters

There exist great similarities between Rip Van Winkle and the scholar Lu.From a utilitarian viewpoint，the two characters are both losers.

Always willing to assist neighbors，Rip is admired by all in town for his simple-mindedness and amiable nature，yet remains a hen-pecked man forced to bear his termagant wife.To escape his wife's nagging，Rip has only to wander up the mountains with his dog，idling away tedious days.Meanwhile，he lives a materially poor life.He owns “the worst-conditioned farm in the neighborhood”，and “his children，too，were as ragged and wild as if they belonged to nobody”（Irving 8）.

While in Zhen Zhong Ji，the scholar Lu is merely an ordinary poor young man.The writer talks of no detail about Lus characters but only describes him as a poor man frustrated from the official examinations.It remains a doubt whether the scholar Lu himself is a good man or he once makes contributions to others or not，in other words，except his miserable life，we can not figure out any good features of Lu which may demonstrate that he deserves a reward in real life.

3.2 Unusual encounters as catalyzators

The two writers similarly set strange beings in their works，who by some means guide the characters，Rip and Lu，nearer and nearer to marvelous dreams.

Rip runs into “a short，square-built old fellow，with thick bushy hair，and a grizzled beard”（Irving 18），who then leads Rip to a group of ornately dressed，silent，bearded men in the mountains，who are reported as “strange beings”（Irving 42）.It is after drinking their moonshine that Rip falls into sleep deeply，and wakes up only to find that over twenty years has passed.

For Lu，on his way to the Imperial Examination，he meets across an old Taoist priest named Lu Weng，who gains some magic arts and gives Lu “a pillow said to be able to help achieving ones ambitions if sleeping on it”（Shen 25），which actually expedites Lus miraculous dream of wealth and honor.

3.3 Dream and Reality

It is undoubted that nearly all the literary works shall more or less reflect some features of the social reality of that time.In Rip Van Winkle and Zhen Zhong Ji，the writers also reveal the social situation at that time through their literary works. Washington Irving，author of Rip Van Winkle，was born in the year when the America Independent War ended.As this new country was founded，many changes have taken place.Before the war，America remains a part of British colony，subject to British policies（Qian 15）.However，with the success of the Independent War，the United States finally gained its independence.The British kingship has ceased to rule the American land while the United States has become an independent state（Qian 1），which cast the greatest influences on the American society and the people.Democracy republican system has been established and people are debating zealously in the partisan bickering in a liberal atmosphere（Dong 114）.

Irving uses Rip Van Winkle to reflect the changes of society and American peoples mental states before and after casting off the British rule.After Rips returning home，he discovers many amazing changes.“The very character of the people seemed changed.There was a busy，bustling，disputatious tone about it，instead of the accustomed phlegm and drowsy tranquility.” “A lean，bilious-looking fellow，with his pockets full of handbills，was haranguing vehemently about rights of citizens—elections—members of Congress—liberty—Bunkers hill—heroes of seventy-six—and other words.”（Irving 32）Besides，the ruby face of King George in the portrait before a small inn has been changed for General Washington with “a sword held in the hand instead of a sceptre”（Irving 32）.Confronted with others inquiry of “Federal or Democrat”，in an attempt for safety，Rip replies that he is a loyal subject of the king，yet only to be misunderstood as “a Tory and spy”（Irving 36）.As described in the story，it is no exaggeration to say that Rip “presides over the birth of the American imagination”（Fiedler 6）as the“guardian angel”and“symbol of the mythic American”（Leary 22-23）.

While in China，in Tang Dynasty，When the Confucianism has been elevated as the dominant culture，the ancient Chinese scholars are encouraged to pursue success in the Imperial examination，seizing every opportunity to become officials and live high.It is the same with Lu in Zhen Zhong Ji.Given the social reality in Tang Dynasty，Lu is typical of ambitious scholars.As Wu Zongguo，a history professor in Peking University demonstrates，in Zhen Zhong Ji，Lus dream reflects a typical approach of common scholars to gaining rapid promotion in official careers.Zhen Zhong Ji does not tell a fictitious story but reveal the social reality at that time（Wu 255）.Nevertheless，the limited number of people to be recruited always brings about great frustration for the majority of scholars in actual life，only to leave them to seek spiritual satisfaction in dreams.The great gap between reality and dream，forming sharp comparisons，displays the difficult and awkward situation an ordinary scholar especially those who come from impoverished families，is confronted with，that is，unable to reach the high rankings，yet unwilling to stay in the low class.This kind of mental contradiction has been greatly recorded and revealed in Zhen Zhong Ji.

Ⅳ.Conclusion

Based on the analysis above，it is absolutely undoubted that many distinctions exist between the two stories given the whole contents.Nevertheless，both the writers have set characters alike in low social class，similarly strange encounters resulting in dreams and the analogous method of reflecting the social reality and peoples psychological features through literary works.

The two great works are produced by different writers from different nations in different times.For similar writing purpose，to display social reality or changes，Irving and Shen Jiji miraculously coincide with each other in terms of the work content and writing techniques.In this sense，the great significance of comparative studies has also been largely revealed.

Works Cited：

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[3]Leary，L.：“The Two Voices of Washington Irving，” From Irving to Steinbeck：Studies of American Literature in Honor of Harry Warfel，eds.Motley Deakin and Peter Lisca：University of Florida Press，1972：13-26.

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