Analysis Of My Papa's Waltz Poem By Theodore Roethke
Precious Memory While the subject of the poem “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 reminisce a precious memory with his father. However, the author makes it a fraction difficult to understand his intended meaning. Roethke uses a variety of words and phrases that lead the reader to interpret the poem a different way than it was intended to.
Although the author provides many controversial context, the text is made clear once it is examined thoroughly. Roethke uses many words such as “Romped” and “Battered” which leads a sentence to have multiple meanings. To start off, in stanza one the author states that his “Papa” had “Whiskey” On “[his] breath” followed by the author hanging on “Like death.” when first reading the poem, most will probably think these statements mean that the father came home drunk. In addition, in stanza 2 it
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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. As he writes about a precious memory, he provides the readers with certain terms that illustrate a perturbing image, while at the same time making them appear sweet with others, leaving the reader on their own to interpret in their own
Why Does Theodore Roethke Use Ambiguous Language
119 Words | 1 PagesIn “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
My Papa's Waltz By Theodore Roethke: Poem Analysis
536 Words | 3 PagesThe subject of “My Papa’s Waltz” poem 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 describe the fond relationship with his father as a child. It has been argued that If he was being abused that he would have run away when he had the chance, rather, he didn’t want to let go of his father because they both were having fun. The son’s mother was growing due to motherly instinct out of her son’s safety of how crazy they were walzting, but made no attempts at the son and father’s intervention because it wasn’t necessary to interrupt them. Ultimately to describe
My Papas Waltz Analysis
657 Words | 3 PagesThe imagery of “My Papas Waltz” can clearly be understood as a father waltzing with his son in the kitchen, tapping the beat too his son’s head, and his ear scraping his buckle against his child’s ear. The poem is playful when the poem says, “At every step you missed/ My right ear scraped a buckle” (Roethke lines 11-12).
Compare And Contrast My Papa's Waltz And Those Winter Sundays
648 Words | 3 PagesThe use of this metaphor emphasizes the depth of the father's love, despite his struggles and sacrifices. Another literary device that both poems use is tone. Roethke's poem has a playful and nostalgic tone, with the use of words like "romped" (Roethke, line 5) and "clinging" (Roethke, line 16) suggesting a fond memory of his father. However, the tone also has a hint of darkness and danger, with the description of the "battered" (Roethke, line 10) knuckles and the "ear-scrap(ing)" (Roethke, line 12) dance.
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1278 Words | 6 PagesAlternatively, the poem is more about the spirit of courage and strength and the essence of memory that provides support and consolation to an individual’s mind all through and following the period of acute crisis. Conversely, “the poem love
My Papa's Waltz And Those Winter Sundays Analysis
871 Words | 4 PagesThe 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.
Theodore Roethke No Fun Waltz Analysis
439 Words | 2 PagesThe tone of the poem was set into a negative direction due to the situation at hand. Roethke’s father is under the influence of alcohol; that is made abundantly clear in lines 1 and 2 when Roethke writes, “The whiskey on your breath could make a small boy dizzy”(Roethke lines 1 & 2). It is difficult to find a positive tone in a story that involves a character that is, for lack of a better term, drunk. Alcohol is burdened with a negative public view and opinion that is shared among many people.
Connotation In My Papa's Waltz
902 Words | 4 PagesThe use of positive connotation in the text is utilised to illuminate the positives of the relationship, as they “romp” and “waltz” their way through a fun life. However, Roethke intentionally included those words with negative connotation to show the constant complexity and imperfect nature of their relationship. In lines 3-4, Roethke states “[b]ut I held on like death:/[s]uch waltzing was not easy,” which is the first metaphor for their relationship. In this quote from the text, as Roethke preaches the difficulty of the waltz, he is really writing about the relationship between his father and son as being “not easy.” And although their relationship is not easy as it goes through life, the boy still “hung on like death,” showing his love for his father and another positive for the relationship.
Compare And Contrast Sylvia Plath And My Papa's Waltz
846 Words | 4 PagesIn Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz”, the speaker seems to be an adult reminiscing his childhood through a metaphor of a dance. The poem suggests that the boy was abused and the mother stood by without doing much about it. Three topics that
My Papa's Waltz Devices Analysis
563 Words | 3 PagesA father and son romping around in the kitchen as the mother is looking. While others may view this poem as a family torn by a father's misfortunes. In line 1, the word “Whiskey” gives some characteristics of the fathers crooked ways. Continuing on, the signs of foul play and roughness with his hands, "battered on one knuckle", and "a palm caked hard by dirt".(11-14) More so, some of “Papa” few escapes most likely consist of a drink when he gets home from a rough day. Concluding, “Papa”makes his own family feel very uncomfortable around him.
Analysis Of My Papas Waltz By Theodore Roethke
764 Words | 4 PagesRoethke’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.
Comparing Poems 'Piano And Those Winter Sundays'
659 Words | 3 PagesThe speaker as a child would see his father as a harsh man but as an adult, when he looked back he saw that his father had a love for his family. His father's love could be considered as a hidden love. However in the poem “Piano” the speaker's life seemed great until he looked back at his past to see his mother playing the piano and
What Is The Theme Of Violence In 'My Papa's Waltz'
664 Words | 3 PagesIn 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.
Imagery In My Papa's Waltz
898 Words | 4 Pages“We romped until the pans slid from the kitchen shelf;” (5-6) we already know that the father has been drinking, Roethke’s diction leaves little to the imagination but chosen carefully have put together an educated form of rough play. We also witness in the next two lines that the mother is not at all happy about the situation, “my mother’s countenance could not unfrown itself.” (7-8) If there is a positive message from this poem, we do not see it any longer. There is no mention of the mother helping; there is just an image of a mother standing back letting the waltz
Cather Love Queer History Essay
917 Words | 4 Pages“Someone will Remember Us,” holds the hope that even in death, someone will remember and thus those people will be a part of history. However, in Renée Vivien’s translation of the poem, concepts such as, “erotic suffering, obsession, and anxiety” are present. Nonetheless, those negative emotions resulted in “eternal devotion” within the poem (36). Through the translation of Sappho’s poem, Vivien takes on the role of Sappho’s lover, and thus she proves that someone did remember her. Love believes that Sappho and Vivien both represent loneliness and isolation within the poem.
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