My Papa Waltz Analysis

“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke sparks differing opinions within the minds of many. Roethke was influenced greatly by his experiences as a young boy. For instance, his uncle and father both died when he was the age of fourteen. “My Papa’s Waltz” is written in remembrance of his father after this dreadful occurrence. The author’s use of imagery brings light to the his adoration for his father. Notably, his way of stringing together ideas reinforces the fond memories they shared. Roethke’s captivating choice of words supports his purpose to make known the love he has for this man. While the subject of “My Papa’s Waltz” has spurred passionate academic debate from professors, scholars, and students alike, the imagery, syntax, and diction of the poem clearly support the interpretation that Theodore Roethke writes “My Papa’s Waltz” to bring attention to the loving relationship he had with his father.

Theodore Roethke was born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1908 he was only fourteen years old when he lost his father due to cancer. He idolized him following him everywhere and anywhere, because he was his hero. Roethke spent a lot of his younger days working in a greenhouse with his father they practically lived there considering all the hours they spent together there. “My Papa’s Waltz” is just one of the many poems that the greenhouse is reflected in his writing. From the beginning of this poem in the first two lines presented in the introduction Roethke leaves us with the connotation of his father has been drinking whiskey and it has not been light drinking. He has drank so much that it has stained his breath to the point where it could make a young boy dizzy as it does with his son. By saying his son hangs on to him like death shows us that he has become dizzy by his breath and using the word death shows it is not one of the better memories he has in the vault of their relationship.

My Papa’s Waltz is a poem written by Theodore Roethke, published in his collection of poems in 1942. It captures the complex relationship the speaker has with his father. The speaker describes his relationship with his father as difficult and frightening using symbolism, tone, and word choice. The poem reveals that the speaker is afraid of his father although he still loves him. In this essay, I will explain how Roethke portrays their relationship with the aforementioned literary terms.

My Papa's Waltz is by Theodore Rothke it is about a childhood memory written later in his lifetime. Theodore Rothke's dad was an alcoholic drunk. Theodore Rothke went through a period where he was depressed and mentally unstable. Theodore Rothke was fascinated by the nature of the world; many of his poems were about this subject. Some people who read My Papa&'s Waltz come to the conclusion that it is about a drunken abusive father. However, I think when he was writing this he was reminiscing about a good childhood memory from when he was around seven years old.

Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz” has spurred passionate academic debates among professors, scholars, and students; the imagery, context, and diction of the poem clearly supports the interpretation that Roethke writes “My Papa’s Waltz” reflecting on his relationship with his father. A relationship in which, notably, causes harm to the author. However, through all the nights Roethke spent in pain and in horror, his love for his father still exists. While many people believe that the author tells a lovely story of a fond memory with his father, it is not possible that the use of negative imagery and negative diction does not play a role in the story told. “My Papa’s Waltz” tells the story of a “small boy” who is abused by his

The poem "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke is a moving representation of childhood spent in a working middle class family. The speaker of this poem is a man recalling his childhood, his father and his mother through the means of a waltz. The following essay will present a detailed analysis of the dramatic situation and speaker through the explanations of the various poetic tools used in this poem such as similes, choice of words and style.

“My Papa’s Waltz” is one poem written by Theodore Roethke. Roethke’s style is unique, because he uses situational irony. This is a simple poem, created with four stanzas of four lines each, called quatrains. “My Papa’s Waltz” is the interpretation of an adult’s emotions. Roethke describe the relationship with his father. This poem is a monologue where the persona is an adult telling about himself and a particular situation by looking back at his childhood. The poem describes a typical moment in a family life, where the father has been drinking whiskey, the little boy seems afraid and the mother appears to be unhappy. Through this pome the persona who is now an adult expresses emotions of fear and love. Recalling the past Roethke tells how his alcoholic papa hold him and make a danger waltz. In “My Papa’s Waltz”, Roethke uses imaginary and metaphors to reveal his theme.

While the subject of “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke has spurred passionate academic debate from professors, scholars, and students alike, the imagery, syntax, and diction of the poem clearly support the interpretation that Roethke writes “My Papa’s Waltz” as a loving relationship between an imperfect father and young son.

Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz” is a complex read, despite the short and simple lines. The poem follows the son’s memory of him and his father participating in a waltz around the house. Strategic folds make this seem like a sweet reminiscence of a childhood memory. However, with the use of tone and imagery, the truth is revealed as the poem starts to unravel. After catching these subtle clues, it becomes evident that the boy is not enjoying this experience with his father.

The poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke looks into the relationship of a father and son back in Theodore Roethke childhood. In this poem the son admires his father very much and reminisce on the things they once did together. “My Papa’s Waltz” shows the love or fear between a son and father, how hard the father works to take care of the family and the special bond the father and son shared in dancing together.

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.

Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz" is a poem that consists of sixteen lines. Roethke made the rhyme plot abab, cdcd, efef, ghgh. Roethke utilizes this rhyme plan to influence it to seem as though the poem is a waltz. The rhyme throughout the stanzas gives the poem a beat. Every stanza consists of four lines, which the first and third lines rhyme, and the second and fourth lines rhyme. As you first read the poem you portray a little kid who is hitting the dance floor with his intoxicated father in the kitchen. In line 7 and 8, you get the feeling that the little kid's mom is annoyed with the father. The pictures in the sonnet incorporate the kid's dad faltering around, and the little kid supposes he and his dad are moving. Another picture the poem leaves is the father's hands "battered on one knuckle" and "built up hard by dirt" which is stated in lines 10 and 14. This leaves a picture of a hard-working man, and the mother is furious. The last picture in the poem is the place that the drunk father is putting the little kid to bed. Roethke utilizes a likeness in the sonnet contrasting how the kid was being dragged around while the kid thought he was moving stated on line 3. The waltz is a generally developed allegory. The little kid trusts that he is moving, however, his dad is just dragging him around. The tone of the poem is gloomy. Roethke utilizes in line 3 and 10 the words "battered" and "passing" to make the tone of the sonnet gloomy. The father appeared to have gotten into an encounter while being intoxicated, and his significant other is worried about him. The little kid did not have any desire to go to bed since in line 16 it says he was sticking to his dad's shirt.

The words will get into your soul and bring sorrow and anger to the surface. The word “whiskey” (line 1) shows the father is a drinking man, and the word “dizzy” (line 2) implies the amount of whiskey his father consumes sickens the boy. The boy is young and fragile which plays in the lines of the poem “death” (line 3), “battered” (line 10), “beat” (line 13), and “caked hard” (line 14), are all negative hidden meanings. The word “countenance” (line 7) parallels the mother’s stern disapproval. “Hung” (line 3) is past tense reflecting on an earlier time.

The poem does not follow a rhyme scheme or meter, which means that there is rhythm in the poem and it makes the poem more like a song. The poem has four stanza’s and has five lines within each stanza.

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.