ipl-logo

My Papa's Waltz Literary Devices

467 Words2 Pages

In “My Papa’s Waltz” the playful behavior of the father towards the speaker, presumably his son, is a deceptive and ambiguous front set up by poetic tone, poetic form, and poetic language; instead, the poem’s dark and unsettling nuances point to an abusive relationship. The tone the speaker conveys is reflective. The speaker recalls his time with his father “waltzing”, and remembers that “Such waltzing was not easy” (4). The speaker’s tone shifts to mournful for the child he once was, and is disappointed of his father’s foul actions once he epiphanized that he was abused as a child. The pleasant rhyme and rhythm of the iambic trimeter style poem makes it sound short, innocent, and sweet. The words utilized in the rhyme scheme are not completely identical such as “dizzy” and …show more content…

The father being drunk is a rational assumption because of the strong stench of whiskey in his breath, which could've brought upon the abuse inflicted on the speaker. The form of the poem is deceiving proven by the poetic language. The word choice is so precise it's vexing because the interpretations of the words’ meanings are controversial. The word “romped” in “We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf;” could be interpreted as two puppies roughly and energetically playing about (5-6). The word “romped” could also mean illicitly engaging in sexual misconduct which could have been a component of the abuse. “My mother's countenance / Could not unfrown itself” could mean his mother’s expression could not unfrown itself because him and his father were waltzing around; on the other hand, “countenance” translates to “support”, which could mean his mother disapproved of the probable bad behavior taking place (7-8). The literal action of the poem is waltzing, so “You beat time on my head” could mean keeping in time with the beat

Show More
Related

Why Does Theodore Roethke Use Ambiguous Language

119 Words | 1 Pages

In “My Papa’s Waltz,” poet Theodore Roethke uses sensory details and ambiguous language to persuade both the boy and the reader that the boy still loves his father, despite him being an alcoholic. On the third sentence of the first stanza, Roethke uses ambiguous language by stating: “But I hung on like death. Such waltzing was not easy.” Although this plainly means that the boy was holding onto his father without ease, it can be interpreted in another way; the boy still loves his father, even though it is hard to love him with his alcoholism at times, and the boy still loves his father very much. The boy is reflecting on this idea while waltzing with his

Read More

Domestic Violence In My Papa Waltz

475 Words | 2 Pages

The poem My Papa Waltz by the title sounds like it could be sweet and loving. The poem is actually very dark in my opinion. In the poem the father is drunk, stumbling and hurting the boy. Even though they could just be having a good time, running around, and the father could also be trying to teach the boy to grow up, I believe that the poem is about a boy being abused by his father. Because he also states that the father is so drunk that his breath could get a small boy drunk.

Read More

My Papa's Waltz Literary Devices

551 Words | 3 Pages

“You beat time on my head/ With a palm caked hard by dirt,/ Then waltzed me off to bed/ Still clinging to your shirt.” The first two lines talk about how so much time has passed. The child talks about what the father does like, “ you beat time”, “palm caked hard by dirt” these lines describe how the child thinks that their father counts every second go by with the hands they use to work with. The next two lines say, “waltzed me off to bed”, “still clinging to your shirt” The child shows that the father tries to put the child to bed but the child is still with the

Read More

My Papa's Waltz Devices Analysis

563 Words | 3 Pages

Although “Papa” may not be the most sensitive man around, but he is still to be a hero in his son's eyes. Referring from the title of “My Papa’s Waltz”, “Papa” does not seem like he’s being violent intentionally but not accidentally hurting his son. This poem also, symbolizes dance in the relationship of a father and

Read More

My Papa's Waltz Syntax

690 Words | 3 Pages

In discussions of “My Papa’s Waltz,” one controversial issue has been that several people believe it’s an abuse issue. On the other hand, some readers argue it is not abuse although, a loving dance between a father and son. 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” to show a beating of a son by his father that is told in a beautiful dance. Roethke uses imagery, syntax and diction which brings his poem together to reveal a profound meaning.

Read More

My Papa's Waltz Meaning

650 Words | 3 Pages

The mother has nothing but a “countenance” expression to the actions the father is doing to his child. It can show that the narrator didn’t know anything better but to love. Although the poem may sound simple and easy to understand, My Papa’s Waltz is really a complex story

Read More

Analysis Of My Papas Waltz By Theodore Roethke

764 Words | 4 Pages

In the final analysis, most readers of this poem tend to deduce a dark theme of physical violence due to its tone, word choice and imagery. Nonetherless, Roethke balances positive and negative tones of the poem to give it a rich and ambiguous quality. The exceeding tendency to paint the picture of child abuse deprives it, of this quality. “My Papa’s Waltz,” illustrates a special and powerful moment, shared between a father and a son through a waltz.

Read More

Compare And Contrast Sylvia Plath And My Papa's Waltz

846 Words | 4 Pages

Comparing and contrasting Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy” and Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz”, one finds the two poems are similar with their themes of abuse, yet contrasting with how the themes are portrayed. Furthermore, the speaker 's feelings toward their fathers’ in each poem contrast. One speaker was hurt by the father and the other speaker was indifferent about how he was treated by his father. The fathers’ feelings toward the children are also different despite how each treated the child. Both poems accurately portray the parent-child relationships within an abusive home, even if they have different

Read More

Connotation In My Papa's Waltz

902 Words | 4 Pages

The relationship between father and son is one that is both sacred, yet complex as each side of the relationship faces hardships. This relationship between a son and his role model, a father and his child, is one, has its ups, but one must also know it has downs. In Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz,” Roethke’s use of ambiguity through diction allows room for the audience to interpret the text in a positive or a negative way, representing the relationship between a father and a son, which on the outside can be interpreted in an either positive or a negative way. Roethke’s use of diction creates an element of confusion for the audience of his poem.

Read More

My Papa's Waltz Literary Devices

482 Words | 2 Pages

Childhood memories linger long after one’s parents have gone and, though the memories may become clouded, the children often vividly remember the emotions that rested in their hearts. Sometimes, these emotions are negative, causing people to develop methods for dealing with them, such as attempting to see them from a positive perspective. In “My Papa’s Waltz,” the speaker recalls a childhood memory that appears positive on the surface, but literary devices such as diction and imagery reveal the negative nature of the memory. Primarily, the context of “My Papa’s Waltz” appears chipper and playful, however, through Roethke’s use of strong diction, a reader can detect the true dismal roots of the poem.

Read More

My Papa's Waltz And Those Winter Sundays Analysis

871 Words | 4 Pages

The father/son relationship are shown in both poems. Both are adults reflecting on their past. “My Papa’s Waltz” is about how the father would dance daily with the son. Although it was painful when he sometimes missed a step and his “right ear scraped a buckle”, this was a memorable memory for the son (Line 8). The poem has a happy tone of the sons childhood days.

Read More

Figurative Language In My Papa's Waltz

588 Words | 3 Pages

In the poem, My Papa’s Waltz, the speaker, Theodore Roethke, writes about a father and son waltzing. Further investigation suggests there is more going on than a waltz. The poet utilizes figure of speech and a negative toned vocabulary throughout the poem. Thus, alleviating the reader of the harsh truth of an abusive relationship whilst never dehumanizing the father.

Read More

What Is The Theme Of Violence In 'My Papa's Waltz'

664 Words | 3 Pages

In the poem, “My Papa’s Waltz”, Theodore Roethke illustrates the complex relationship between a little boy and his father by juxtaposing images of love and violence through word choices that portray feelings of fear yet affection for his father. Roethke’s shifting tone encompasses distress and a sense admiration that suggests the complexities of violence both physically and emotionally for the undercurrents of his father and son relationship. The poem begins with a series of negative images, each of which are considered violent and undesirable in a family. For example, “The whiskey on your breath” suggests alcoholism, and “Could make a small boy dizzy” emphasizes that a boy is suffering from the effects of the alcoholic parent.

Read More

What Is The Tone Of My Papa's Waltz

531 Words | 3 Pages

In the poem, My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke, is known to be a controversial story about a father and son relationship. The speaker in this poem has contradicting emotions about his father and the tone told throughout the story can be ribald yet many readers find it all just a happy memory. The main subject of My Papa’s Waltz is a young son who loved his son but still feared him. In this poem the speaker will illustrate the family views using a certain word choice and the tone he uses. The specific diction will highlight the real truth between the father and son relationship and what it means.

Read More

My Papa's Waltz Theme

934 Words | 4 Pages

In 1948 Modern English Poet, Theodore Roethke wrote the poem “My Papa’s Waltz”. Roethke uses descriptive language of a drunk father to showcase the beaten abuse of a child. The poem “My Papa’s Waltz” was first published in 1948 in “The Lost Son & Other Poems” the poem showcases the complex interweaving of disparate emotions and moods. In the poem the father appears to be over himself like he 's a bigger ego towards his son. His drunk persona of an alcoholic, disrupting shows he 's unable to follow the steps of the dance.

Read More

More about My Papa's Waltz Literary Devices

Related Topics

Open Document