Reading in “My Papa’s Waltz”
Sometimes a poet can mean one thing, and a reader can come away with a different thing. Other times, a poet intentionally wants there to be multiple readings of the same poem. Poems, like people, can be understood in different ways, at different times, and by different people. One reading of Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz” lends itself to a reading in which the poem is a way to express a domestic violence that is occurring between the father and the song depicted in the poem.
One thing that does not seem unclear within the poem is that the father is quite intoxicated. The first two lines read, “The whiskey on your breath / could make a small boy dizzy;” (Roethke, 1-2). The language of
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the poetry and the imagery both lend themselves to readings in which there is violence being inflicted upon the “small boy” in the poem. One reading also lends itself to not just physical, but sexual abuse occurring within the poem. At the same time, these two lines exhibit that the boy is remembering the breath of his father. He feels the limit to which it was unpleasant and strong. These two lines show that how the poem writer was beaten by his father. Waltz is shown as a symbol of abuse. Waltz hands were filthy, as it is demonstrated by these lines. The image of a drunken man, dancing with his “small boy” son is one that is off-putting, and somewhat troubling. The boy certainly does not seem to be enjoying one minute of it, so that eliminates a reading in which it is harmless fun being enjoyed by an intoxicated father and his son. Instead the speaker says, “Such waltzing was not easy” (Roethke, 4). “Romp” perhaps had a different meaning during the time that the poem was written at the beginning of the 19th century, but nowadays there is a strong sexual connotation with the word. There is also troubling line like, “The hand that held my wrist” (Reothke, 9). The relationship between the father and son seems strained, and the mother figure present, is present as a vapor—she disapproves of the scene unfolding before her but is powerless to do anything about it. The speaker says that his mother’s countenance “could not unfrown itself” (Reothke, 8). The fact that the speaker’s head is parallel to the drunken father’s belt buckle further compounds the notion that something seedy and untoward is happening within the narrative of the poem. Rather than saying that his father “tapped time” into his head, he writes, “You beat time into my head.” The conclusion seems to be the final straw in an developed construction that there is not just abuse going on, but that there is sexual abuse. His father waltzes the speaker off to bed “Still clinging to your shirt.” This certainly could be innocent, it could be that the father is merely trying to play with his son, but is unaware of how crass his behavior is because of his intoxication. But this seems more than coincidence that this reading is present in the poem. Whether the poet meant it to be the primary reading, a secondary reading or was unaware of the reading of abuse within the poem, this reading is very present. From images of a scared son (the speaker), to time being “beat” into his head, to an ear scraping a buckle, it is clear that the speaker does not desire what is happening to happen, but he is powerless to stop it. This gives this poem a strong argument that abuse is the primary theme, being told through a forced waltz. When I read the poem for the first time, I thought that the poet had illustrated the structure in the dark and frustrated tone. I perceived that the poem was about the memories of a boy, who remembers his abusive father. Some particular lines (1-4) took me to this result. Few words did also paved my way to the perception of unlightened meaning behind the word, like death or assault. After second reading the poem was seen from the different lens. Second reading made it clear to me that poem exhibits a loving memory of a boy with his father. In the poem, poet enjoys lively and spirited fight with Waltz (his father). This conclusion had not been made in the air. Last lines of the poem support this conclusion, “Then waltzed me off to bed/Still clinging to your shirt” (Roethke, 14-15). After taking a poem from both perspectives, I believe that the poet wanted the narrator to recollect the memories of his father (Mr.
Waltz) who was no more in this world. This poem seems to be happy and joyful but at the same time sad one as well. The purpose of Roethke was to plot attentive and warm memories. It seems that the poet makes use of some literary tools to assist the reader better understand that the father of the narrator had some undesired characteristics. As per my opinion, the most controversial attributes are pitch black and frustrated tone, highlighted by the narrator. I came across with these attributes in my first reading. It is clear that the narrator of the poem forgives these negatives of his father’s personality throughout the poem. By the tactful utilization of rhyme and symbols, the poet shares his emotional tornado or vortex with …show more content…
us. The lines such as “the hand that held my wrist/was battered on one knuckle” and “with a palm caked hard with dirt”, persuades me to believe that Mr.
Waltz was a working man. By using imagery, the poet exhibits that the mistakes of his father may be forgivable, but Waltz worked hard the family and came after tired night to enjoy play with his son. When it comes to dance, some terms are used in poetry. Poet used the same terms. The line “At every step you missed” (Roethke, 11), gives the reader an idea of rough dance in-house. Poet also let the readers envision a dance between boy and his father with the connection of the lines, e.g. “you beat time on my head” (Roethke, 13). It is important to highlight over here that it is not just one factor of symbolism that lead me in this poem. Many other literary tools equally paved my ways to the
conclusion. The lyrical utilization of rhythm, shouts the purpose of the poem. The story is composed of particular rhyming plot. The rhythm in the poem assists the readers to envisage the memory which is indented to be symbolized by the poet. Since waltz is considered a ballroom dance according to the dictionary, thus poet uses the imagination of the reader and the meaning behind the word ‘waltz’ to create a collaborative dance between the boy and his father. With the unitization of the same word, poet led readers to be convinced that this was the synthesized dance between boy and his father. I have seen the poem through the lens of my life and environment. Since every coin has two sides therefore everything in this world has two aspects. It depends on us that how do we assess and analyze it.
However, neither the setting of the poem nor its events can be linked to the ballrooms where people dance waltz. The opening lines of the poem portray the narrator’s father as a drunken person “The whiskey on your breath/ Could make a small boy dizzy”. The dancer is anything but elegant, he doesn’t waltz gracefully but romps “until the pans/Slid from the kitchen shelf”. The poem is set in a family home, most likely in the kitchen. Thus, the narrator is trying to downplay the social connotati...
Theodore Roethke's poem “My Papa's Waltz” is a unique American poem which is written in iambic trimeter. The poem captures the sometimes intense relationship between father and son. Roethke's own father, a German immigrant, died when he was still a teenager. His father was a major inspiration in his life and images from his childhood appear throughout his poetry. A biographer, Matt Forster comments that “His poems are often explorations of his own psyche, using imagery from his childhood to describe his interior life (Forster 2005).” He became one of the best known American poets by the end of his lifetime in 1963. In the famous poem “My Papa's Waltz” the author uses musicality and deep psychologically-rooted themes to create a poem that is unforgettable and alive with action. The poem is composed in iambic trimeter which parallels the 1, 2, 3 tempo of a waltz. This feature helps in creating the illusion of musicality and dancing as is suggested in the poem's title. Thematically the poem comments on the oedipal complex, the intimate relationship between father and son, loss, memory and music.
My Papa’s Waltz has been compared to a generational litmus test. Depending on what generation the reader was born, could determine how the reader would interpret this poem. Each generation has its own views that have been developed in them for the language used to describe Papa in this poem. The whiskey on his breath and Papa’s hand beating on his head, both sound like a negative connotation. Depending on the experience of the reader, they can either be disturbed by these words or be drawn in closer to the poem. Theodore Roethke loved his father. Not only did he love him, but he idolized him and unfortunately lost him at an early age. This poem is a reflective memorial waltz written in iambic trimeter to honor his father and mother.
Abuse is a difficult and sensitive subject that can have long lasting effects. These traumatic emotional effects are often intensified if the abuse happens at a young age because children do not understand why the abuse is happening or how to deal with it. There are many abuse programs set up to counter the severe effects which abuse can have. Even more, poets and writers all over the world contribute works that express the saddening events and force the public to realize it is much more real than the informative articles we read about. One such poem is Theodore Roethke’s My Papa’s Waltz which looks carefully through the eyes of a young boy into the household of an abusive father. Robert Hayden’s Those Winter Sundays is a similar poem from the perspective of a young adult reflecting back on the childhood relationship with his father and the abuse his father inflicted. These poems are important because they deal with the complex issues surrounding the subject of abuse and also show the different ways which children react to it. My Papa’s Waltz and Those Winter Sundays are similar poems because they use tone, imagery, and sounds and rhythms to create tension between the negative aspects of abuse and the boys own love and understanding for their father.
“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke is a representation of the journey toward reconciliation of the love and the fear that the speaker, a young boy, has for his father, and is an extended metaphor for the way that we balance the good and bad in our lives. Whilst reading this poem it is impossible to determine definitively whether it is truly about a dance or if the speaker is actually being abused. However, I don’t believe that it really matters either way. Actually, I believe it is this ambiguity and push and pull between the two extremes that creates the overall sense of struggle that comes with the reconciliation of the facets of the father and son’s relationship. This dance between love and fear is accentuated by Roethke’s use of ambiguous diction, end rhyme, and iambic trimeter.
The father in “My Papa’s Waltz” is portrayed by the narrator as one who neglects his responsibilities of ensuring safety and being a positive role model. Using many examples and implying this through writing techniques, the narrator represents the father in a way other than a loving dad. Despite the use of certain words such as “papa” and “waltz,” the overall connotation represented throughout the poem seems to concentrate more heavily on the negative aspects of the narrator’s memories. For these reasons, one can conclude that the poem aims to illuminate the immaturity and irresponsibility of the
My Papa’s Waltz presents a child’s telling of the waltz taking place between him and his father. As a verb, a waltz is “to move or walk in a lively and confident manner” (“Waltz”). The waltz described throughout the poem is quick and lively as the boy “hung on like death” (Roethke)
Poetry is a special gift, which unfortunately is not given to all of us. Mr. Theodore Roethke (1908-1963) was an American poet with this magnificent gift. Mr. Roethke is regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential poets of his generation (Wiki). His poems present figurative language, which means that it says something, but is not actually what it means, or it can be interpreted in a totally different way. Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz” has imaginary and mixed feelings between the speaker, which is a child, and his father. After having researched a lot more about the Poet’s life I find this poem highly eloquent and fallacious. Even though, it’s a brief poem I can say that this talks about Mr. Roethke’s childhood. This
The tone of a poem can only by recognized when reading carefully and paying close attention to the words and what they might suggest. The rhyme scheme of My Papa’s Waltz is extremely relevant to the poem. For example, in the first stanza dizzy and easy create the rollicking rhythm, as does the following stanza’s with the same pattern. The structure of words create an almost "waltz" like melody. The phrase " we romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf" and " waltzed me off to bed" (Roethke 5-6, 15), convey a pleasant atmosphere to the reader. The title itself creates an affectionate attitude with the connection of Papa and waltz. The choice of words and details are used systematically to produce thoughts to the reader of happiness and affection, thus, establishing the tone of this poem.
Although the dance between him and his father was rough and aggressive, the very fact that Roethke chose to write about the waltz indicates that it is a special moment he remembers sharing with his father. The poet has a remarkable ability to describe the moment and not his feelings. This is what makes "My Papa's Waltz" so interesting and leaves so much to interpretation.
...p the waltz at times because of his current state. Roethke’s father worked in a greenhouse owned by him and his brother. Knowing where the father worked, certain things of the poem describing the father, such as his battered knuckle and palm caked hard by dirt, now are explained. His battered knuckles weren’t from violence, they were from his job. Looking at the poem now, one can see that there are hardly any hints of violence.
The poem “My Papa’s Waltz” written by Theodore Roethke, the speaker, is reflecting on a childhood memory that he and his father shared. This poem has two different interpretations and theories of the relationship between the speaker and his father. Some people, such as myself, view it as a loving relationship between father and son. Others view it as riddled with undertones hinting at an abusive relationship between father and son. There are instances in the poem that contribute to both of the theorized meanings of the poem.
In the late nineteen forties, Theodore Roethke emerged with a poem that has been the source of much debate. "My Papa's Waltz," is an account of a relationship between son and father. Alas, many readers who are exposed to this piece fail to note the love present in the connection of the characters. In an attempt to illuminate the author's true intention several factors must be examined. After several examinations of Roethke's poem as well as learning of his childhood it is evident that this poem does not suggest an abusive environment, but is an appreciative account of the love and playfulness between the characters. Therefore, a successful interpretation of this poem will look beyond the four stanzas and study not only the history of the writing, but the life of the poet.
The theme of “My Papa’s Waltz” can be seen from the beginning to the end through the elements of poetry and the conflicting tone that the author, Theodore Roethke, employs within the poem. When analyzing each individual element of poetry within My Papas Waltz, the theme begins to form a much deeper meaning that is being conveyed to the readers of the poem. The form of the poem written by Theodore Roethke shows a great deal into the heart of “My Papa’s Waltz.” The poem consists of four quatrains and has a very simple rhyme scheme of ABAB. Roethke also makes use of the iambic trimeter, which is best described as a verse consisting of three beat pattern of rhythm, having an unstressed syllable following a stressed syllable. The rhyme scheme and
The three poems acknowledge the fathers; however, the poems are different in their mood. The mood of Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz,” is exciting. The poem is a childhood memory of Roethke’s father whirling him around the kitchen. The poet describes how the poet feels, as his father whirls him around. Roethke wrote, “breath and death,” “dizzy and easy.” (“Papa” 1-4) The reader imagines the father whirling the boy around, and the boy holding on tight to his father. The poet wrote, “We romped until the pans/slid from the kitchen shelf.” (“Papa” 5-6) and “My mother’s countenance/Could not unfrown itself.” (“Papa” 7-8) The mother appears to dislike the whirling around in the kitchen, but the poet uses the word “romp,” which indicates it was playful and fun. The rhyme gives the reader the choice of interpreting the poem with a favorable or unfavorable meaning. I believe the poet’s childhood memory demonstrates the father’s attention and love for his son.