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
This shows how he can’t deal with the pressure and becomes an alcoholic. In my poem this can be shown, “I feel like a drunk” (line
“Sober Song” by Barton Sutter is arranged as a free verse poem with a rhyme scheme pattern within every other line. This poem describes a man saying his goodbyes to the memories he has had with alcohol. The poem’s beat and rhythm reminds the reader of a broken love song to the liquor that had once taken over his life. In lines in 1 through 4, we have a special pattern displayed not only in these lines, but throughout the entire poem.
The fact, that most people infer this poem to be about abuse is reasonable. however, according to Roethke’s biography, his father passed away due to cancer in 1923, when he was just 14, basically forcing him to become head of the family. In results to this, Roethke suffered from depression and other mental illnesses, and not to mention, his mental breakdown in 1935. Influenced by this tragic event, he then later wrote “My Papa’s Waltz” in 1942. Nevertheless, with his use of diction and sensory imagery, he successfully provided readers with an unexpected controversy.
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
Roethke’s My Papas Waltz Many literary scholars, researchers and readers in general, driven by intrigue, have tried to dissect, analyze, and interpret the ambiguous meaning of Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz.” Their explications however, result in ambivalent, and sometimes controversial views. Some critics argue that “My Papas Waltz,” portrays the physical violence inflicted by a father to his child.
Meanwhile, Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz” the speaker implies abuse through a metaphor about dancing, where, in lines 5, 6, and 11- 13 the speaker vaguely mentions abuse, saying “We romped until the pans/ slid from the kitchen shelf”, “at every step you missed/ my right ear scraped a buckle./ you beat time on my head.” These lines imply the father is abusive, boisterously beating the child in the kitchen so much so that pans fell, without actually saying so. In both poems, the speaker experiences abuse from the father figure in their
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.
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.
My Papa’s Waltz is a poem written by Theodore Roethke. The poem is a memory of a short moment of his childhood. The setting of the poem is in a kitchen. The poem starts when the dad comes home and his son hangs himself on to his dad. This poem has a simple abab rhyme scheme.
These lines create a picture of the speaker in a bar or club sulking in a corner, alone, while he glares at women dancing with other people. The use of imagery in this poem helps the reader see the speaker and how he might behave when faced with a social situation.
Response paper – 11 In My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke, father had too much whiskey. Father’s breath of whiskey make little boy dizzy. Now dad is having dance named waltz in the poem, around the kitchen with his son. Father and son waltz is pretty awkward.
The text I am going to be analyzing is ‘My Papa’s Waltz’, a poem written by Theodore Roethke. The poem was written in 1942. The poem discusses a domestic situation of a little boy describing the behaviour and characteristics of his parents, especially his father. Roethke had a difficult relationship with his father, who died when he was fifteen, and the poem reflects that. The themes of the poem are family and admiration.
The Waltz of Love and Fear The speaker in Theodore Roethke poem, “My Papa's Waltz”, is a young boy who illustrates how his father waltz him to bed. This poem gives many different meaning that the reader can grasp, but ultimately the imagery, word choice, and tone shows how a horrific beating is told in a lovely manner. This description is not always true, but it is one of the major themes that most readers often assimilate when analyzing the poem.
This image suggests that the poem is a journey, a place where readers can explore new ideas and emotions. If readers approach the poem with a predetermined mindset or try to “tie it to a chair,” they limit the possibilities of the
