The correct answer is: Rip is relieved by the news of his wife’s death. Based on the relationship that Rip and his wife had, we can deduce that, now that his wife is gone, he will no longer be nagged for being lazy and enjoying life.
Rip Van Winkle is a short tale written by Washington Irving, and it is also the name of the protagonist of this story. In this tale, Rip is a villager who enjoys living life <em>as simple as possible</em>. He is lazy and his wife is always nagging him because of it.
The situation became worse with the years, as Rip's wife insulted even his friends, blaming them for his husband's laziness. Desperate, to escape from his wife and her yelling, he often walked through the mountains, hunting alongside his dog.
One day, when he was returning to the village, he heard voices calling his name. He found then an old man who required his help. After helping him, and going through other adventures, Rip came back to the village, learning in the process that he had been missing for almost 20 years. This excerpt is taken from the part when he meets his daughter and grandson.
