Analysis Of The Poem ' My Papa 's Waltz ' By Theodore Roethke

In “My Papa’s Waltz,” Theodore Roethke illustrates an image of a father-son romp around the kitchen that is both harsh in its play and delicate in its memory. Roethke illustrates the poem’s images from his own childhood memories. Roethke uses simple words to create puzzling phrases that could be interpreted in different ways. The poem is ambiguous due to certain word choices that have baffling double meanings. Roethke’s poem paints an image of his childhood interactions with his father. Roethke paints this picture by using ambiguity within a waltz-like structure.

The poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, uses four stanzas to explain what many readers would conclude as a beating by an abusive and out of control father. He uses metaphoric language to set the tone for his poem. Studying Roethke’s biography you learn his poems are based on events he experienced during his development from childhood to adulthood.

Poetry is made to express the feelings, thoughts, and emotions of the poet. The reader can interpret the poem however they see fit. Critics are undecided about the theme of Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz." Some people believe that the poem is one of a happy exchange between a father and son. The more convincing interpretation is that it has a hidden message of parental abuse. Careful analysis of the keywords and each individual stanza back up this theory of child abuse by a violent and drunken father.

In the poem "My Papa's Waltz" written by Theodore Roethke, the interpretation of the poem depends on the readers`perspective. Some people think that this poem is one of a happy exchange between a father and son. Other people believe that this poem has a hidden message of parental abuse. In my point of view, the imagery and language, the symbolism, and tone in the poem gave me the impression of the love between the father and son, not of an abusive relationship.

Archetypes and poetry have always had a close relationship. Some examples are roses and their connection to love and matters of the heart, water and the feelings of stillness and peace it may bring to mind when reading a poem involving it, and many others. In this exposition we will discuss the archetype of an actual father figure in poetry and the usual uses of one in two different poems from two different authors. The first poem we will venture into is “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, the other is “The Victims” by Sharon Olds. Each describe a father figure and the relationship between the narrator and his father which is in turmoil. We’ll explore in some lengthy detail about the archetype of a bad father and the narrator’s take on them.

In the poem "My Papa's Waltz" written by Theodore Roethke, the interpretation of the poem depends on the readers` perspective. Some people think that this poem is one of a happy exchange between a father and son. Others believe that it has a hidden message of child abuse. In my point of view, the imagery and language, the symbolism, and tone in My Papas Waltz gave me the impression of the abusive relationship between the father and son, but then later realizing the positive side.

In the poem My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke, he looks back in his memory as a child and explains the love he has for his father despite all the flaws his father holds. Roethke describes his emotions through this poem by using diction, imagery, and the use of tone.

The whiskey on his breath is not necessarily negative due to the factors of the working class culture in 1948 when this poem was published. To add on to this view that he is a hard worker with knuckles that are battered and a “palm caked hard by dirt,” the man is a grafter who works long and hard for the family he loves. The overwhelming joy he feels when he sees his son makes him want to dance in a waltz. Due to him and his father’s height difference, the son’s ear scraped on the father’s belt buckle. The longer they dance the happier he get. This causes him to become more and more clumsier due to his drunken state, and it starts to become too much for the son the handle and begins to become very rough. This dance becomes so rough that the dancing causes the pans to fall to the floor and causes the son to, “hang on like death” to his father. The beating on his son’s head is part of joy at the music he hears in his head. The mother remains an outsider to what is actually happening in front of her and is naturally unhappy due to the random disturbance the father makes. After the dance is over the son goes to bed and clings to his father’s shirt in love and admiration for him.

The memories made during childhood, positive or negative, are recollected during one’s lifetime. Throughout “My Papa’s Waltz,” the reader may find it difficult to underline the true tone of the poem. Although, depending on the reader’s childhood, the tone may be evident. In “My Papas Waltz,” Theodore Roethke uses the title, diction, and tone to depict a hardworking and playful father waltzing his energetic little boy off to bed.

The poem, “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, describes the relationship between a young boy, and his father. There are many misconceptions as to what the true relationship between the boy and his father is, from the relationship of a drunk father, beating his son, to a father, playing with his son. Furthermore, if the relationship between, the boy and his father is commonly misconstrued, the meaning of the poem becomes misconstrued because the relationship between the boy and his father is the entity of the meaning of the poem. So through analysis of the poem, the meaning of the poem will be deciphered, and will discover the relationship between the meaning of the poem, and the form of the poem.

In this poem “My Papa’s Waltz “by Theodore Roethke, an unconstructive view could be created by the reader due to some of the words used in the poem. Clearly it is understandable why some could have a negative reaction to the poem. By analyzing the poem allows one to better understand what the author is truly trying to convey. The first line in the poem “the whiskey on your breath” is self explanatory enough to create

Throughout the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, I sensed a conflicted relationship between the father and the son due to alcohol getting in the way of them having a better relationship. The poem “My Papa’s Waltz” goes in depth into how the father negatively impacted the relationship he has with his son by choosing to be drunk instead of being a father figure his son can be proud of.

The poem, “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke has spurred passionate academic debate from professors, scholars, and students. On one hand, some individuals interpret this poem as a fond relationship between a father and a son. On the other hand, some imagine a hidden message of parental abuse. The imagery, syntax, and diction of the poem clearly support the interpretation that Roethke writes, “My Papa’s Waltz,” to reflect upon his own childhood experience and to reminisce upon a fond relationship with his father.

While the subject of “My Papa’s Waltz” has spurred passionate academic debate from professors, scholars, and students alike, the diction, context, and imagery of the poem clearly support the interpretation that Theodore Roethke writes “My Papa’s Waltz” about a fond memory of an intoxicated father and a young child waltzing around enjoying every moment they have together. In this case in the title, the author intentionally uses the word “papa” instead of the word father or dad to describe the relationship he has with his “papa.” However, many other readers notice a different perspective in this poem. Readers assume the poem is about a little boy being abused by his father. Although ,after deconstructing the poem it becomes undeniably clear that it's about a young boy and his father waltzing around making memories together. Roethke uses context to prove his point.

"My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke is a demonstration to how a child lives with an alcoholic father. the Father's addiction to alcohol has a strong effect on the child and his life. The Father also involves his child into his drunken ways by being abusive towards him. Waltzing is an expression that the father does because he is drunk. The child still seems to love his father even though he is very abusive. The child is being dragged into the father's lifestyle. The Theme could be that the waltz was a dance of the father but now the child is being forced to dance with him.