My Papa's Waltz, by Theodore Roethke, is a poem about an abusive father from the perspective of his child. The poem has a bit of violence and mature themes that give it a dark tone. However, this dark tone is hidden by a lighter tone given by simple rhymes and diction. The theme of the waltz also gives this poem its lighter tone, as the dance is elegant, simple, and innocent. Overall, this poem uses its structure to create a poem which seems simple upon a first listening, but demonstrates deeper meanings and themes when further analyzed.
My Papa's Waltz is written in a manner which makes it seem childish and innocent. One factor that contributes to this is the theme of the waltz. The waltz is a dance with elegance and simplicity, and the protagonist portrays their relationship with the father as elegant, like a waltz. The poem follows a simple A-B-A-B pattern, with most of the lines ending with rhymes. The poem also uses six syllables in almost all the lines. The A-B-A-B pattern and the syllable count both give the poem a positive feel and create a rhythmic style which strengthens the waltz theme.
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However, some figurative language also helps give this poem a darker, hidden meaning.
The pattern of six syllables per line does not last throughout the whole poem, with some lines having seven syllables. One example of this is "Such waltzing was not easy" (Stanza 1). Also, some of the apparent rhymes are not actually rhymes, but near-rhymes. For example, the words "pans" and "countenance" are not full rhymes, as the syllables at the end are pronounced slightly differently (Stanza 2). Both of these patterns are broken, not from mistake or by accident, but to contribute to the meaning of the poem. These patterns represent the rhythm of the father's "waltz", which includes many
missteps. The specific word choice, or diction, used throughout the poem, also contributes to the poem's style and tone. Roethke's inclusion of words such as "battered" and "scraped" imply abuse and violence in the household (Stanza 3). Words such as "whiskey", "your breath", and "dizzy" imply that the father is an alcoholic. All these portray the father as an immoral person. Words such as "not easy" and "missed" represent the child's struggles. However, words like "hung on" and "clinging" represent hope and love. More specifically, this is hope and love for the child's father, and their relationship. This poem demonstrates the difficulties in a relationship between a father and a child, especially an immoral and abusive father. The poem acts as though it were innocent, because of its structure. This innocent structure is shown in rhyme and syllable patterns similar to those of children's poems. However, there are deeper connotations hidden by certain breaks in these patterns. These deeper and darker connotations are also shown in the word choice. Overall, this poem's meaning and message is deeply affected by its structure.
The most notable qualities of Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz” are the tone and language of the poem which convey the nostalgia adult author feels thinking about the time spent with his father. In the title narrator’s father is affectionately referred to as “Papa” making the impression that the main character and his father are close. The use of possessive pronoun “my” contributes to the overall impression that the father holds special place in the narrator’s heart. As word “waltz” in the title implies the poem gives account of the festive occasion in which the narrator’s father takes part.
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 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.
Inevitability at one point in most of our lives we have to deal with some type of hardship. A lot of us have experienced first hand or known someone who has had the unfortunate experience of dealing with a close friend or family member who becomes abusive and aggressive because of drug or alcohol related problems. My Papa’s waltz is a poem that tells the story of a young boy dealing with an abusive father and a broken home. Despite the initial light atmosphere of the poem Theodore Roethke uses strong and powerful language to convey an underlined meaning to their dance. My Papa's Waltz is a poem of fear, all the more horrible because the boy is terrified and hurt by his father, even in play, yet he clings and hangs to him showing how strong he is despite his age and through his actions he illustrates his love and patience for his troubled father.
In the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, the speaker is reflecting on a childhood experience involving his father. Some people assume that this poem is about a happy relationship between a father and son while other people assume that this poem emphasizes hidden messages of parental abuse. In my
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)
"My Papa 's Waltz," by Theodore Roethke 's, is a poem about a boy who expresses his affection for his father, but at the same time expresses a sense of danger that comes from the father. The poem appears to be a snapshot in time from a child’s memory. The uplifting experience is created through the father and son’s waltz while the father’s uncontrollable movements juxtaposes the menace of the drunken father.
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.
Childhood experiences seem to be the ones that are recollected most vividly throughout a person's life. Almost everyone can remember some aspect of his or her childhood experiences, pleasant and unpleasant alike. Theodore Roethke's poem "My Papa's Waltz" suggests even further that this concept could be true. The dance described in this poem illustrates an interaction between father and child that contains more than the expected joyous, loving attitude between the two characters. Roethke's tone in this work exhibits the blended, yet powerful emotions that he, as a grown man, feels when looking back on this childhood experience. The author somewhat implicates feelings of resentment fused with a loving reliance with his father.
A poem’s diction plays a fundamental role in analyzing a poem, considering the text is all one needs in order to discover the meaning. My Papa’s Waltz is a fairly short poem, but the words have major impact. The word “whiskey” (Line 1) implies that the father is a drunk, and this makes the boy “dizzy,” (Line 2) or in other words, it sickens him. The poem claims the boy is small, making him sound fragile, playing into the next few lines of the poem. “Death” (Line 3) is a negative connotation, along with “battered” (Line 10), “beat” (Line 13), and “caked hard” (Line 14). “Romped” (Line 5) has a positive denotation suggesting harmless roughhousing. The word “countenance” (Line 7) does not flow within the stanza, sounding sharp and negative, paralleling the mother’s stern disapproval. “Hung” (Line 3) is past tense, therefore the poem is a reflection of an earlier time. “Waltzed” (Line 15) takes on a different meaning beyond the dance, making it a synonym for taking someone somewhere. Understanding the words of a poem was the first step in order to analyze My Papa’s Waltz using this methodology.
Regardless of the interpretation one possesses, may it be seen as abusive or loving, it is clear that the poem is more "richly ambiguous" than onlookers might have felt in the first reading (McKenna). After analysis of the poem, Bobby Fong compares it to that of a seesaw in saying, "the elements of joy, are balanced against the elements of fear." Although the certainty of tone may never be known, a further look at aspects that contributes to the writing give viewers' good insight in the mind of Theodore Roethke. Readers frequently hold contradictory interpretations of "My Papa's Waltz," depending on what personal experience they filter the reading through. In the end, critics agree that there is a darkness to the poem that is definite, but equally so, an abundance of love that is undeniable.
Everyone has memories about the past in which they can remember a certain taste, smell, or feeling that brings joy. The speaker in “My Papa’s Waltz,” by Theodore Roethke is reminiscing about his father in what used to be a joyful moment but is now a haunting memory. This poem is frequently analyzed due to it’s meaning that continues to be relevant after sixty-eight years. It can be seen as a happy poem about a father and a son, but the diction and metaphors used lead to its serious and sad implication. “My Papa’s Waltz,” is a narrative poem written in a lyrical way using rhythm and beat. The speaker tells a story about a joyful memory between a father and son that has an unfortunate connotation. Behavior in family relationships is not always what is seems to be because the speaker realizes the truth behind the moments he had with his father.
Every boy has a father, good or bad they have one. Well in the poem, “My Papa’s Waltz, written by Theodore Roethke, there is somewhat a dysfunctional relationship between a father and his son. Although this is a fairly short poem, the words speak volume giving one much imagery in reference and between the two characters. In this poem you get a feel of a son’s affinity toward his father, as well as the father’s relationship toward his son. Not only is the author able to convey the father and son’s relationship but, he’s able to convey the relationship that the father has with alcohol. Many poems are lengthy and all seem to have a theme, however, this poem is short, to the point it, and isn’t easy to figure out exactly what the author had
Theodore Roethke expresses his past feelings and heartache through his writing especially in “My Papa’s Waltz”. He tries to show the readers a lesson through his work as well. Encouraging kids who are beaten around the world to know that kids are not play toys parents can rough house with. Roethke writes this poem to influence kids to stand up for themselves and what the readers believe in, to show who actually the weak link in the family is, and to have pride in one another. Roethke proves through his writing he is a living figure of a child who was once thought of as nothing, but with hard work and perseverance, came out on top later on in his life. To show this through his writing, Roethke uses vivid imagery in “My Papa’s Waltz” to relate
The Poem “My Papa Waltz” by Theodore Roethke is about a young boy waltzing with his father who has had a little too much whiskey and ends up getting violent. The theme of the poem is respect and admiration because even though the boy’s dad treats him rough, he still shows love and respect towards him. Symbolism, irony, simile, and diction play a huge part in the poem because they all help develop the theme and help the readers have a better understanding on what is occurring.