Analysis Of My Papas Waltz By Theodore Roethke - 873 Words

While the subject of the poem â€Å"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 â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† to look back at the fond memories he has as a child with his father. Roethke’s poem was published in 1961, he was born in 1908 so at the time of this memory he was only about five or six years old. In discussions of â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz,† one controversial issue has been that Roethke’s poem is about the abuse he suffered through as a child. On the one hand, some readers argue that it isn’t when looking at the denotative meaning. On the other hand, many readers contend that it†¦show more content†¦At first glance one might think that Roethke is talking about abuse, but as we further read we will soon be able to grasp the concept that Ro ethke is only describing the â€Å"waltz† with vivid language. The author uses the word â€Å"romped† which means to play roughly and energetically to detail how him and his father waltzed â€Å" until the pans slid from the shelf.† Additionally, Roethke uses the phrase â€Å"But I hung on like death† to describe that as a small child who only reaches his father’s waist it was quite hard to hold on as they â€Å"romped† around. Roethke chooses to describe the mother’s facial expression as a â€Å" countenance† who could not â€Å" unfrown itself† due to the fact that she was happy to see her boys romping around but was disappointed to find that her â€Å"kitchen pans† had been dropped after she might have just organized them. For those reasons, when analyzing the diction in â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† it is essential to look at the denotation of his words to be able to find the true meaning of his poem. Roethke’s use of syntax and imagery ruminates the idea that â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† is about the loving memories he has with his father. Roethke chooses to use an iambic trimeter to create a waltz like rhythm for readers to understand the slow swaying of him and his father during this loving memory. He uses the metaphor of the â€Å"waltz† as a symbolShow MoreRelatedCritical Analysis of My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke757 Words   |  3 PagesTheodore Huebner Roethke was born in Saginaw, Michigan, the son of Otto Roethke and Helen Huebner. As a student at Saginaws Arthur Hill High School, Roethke demonstrated early promise in a speech on the Junior Red Cross that was published in twenty-six languages. However, the death of his father from cancer in 1923 was a loss that would powerfully shape Roethkes psychic and creative lives. Roethke attitude toward his father Otto was depicted in his widely anthologized work My Papas Waltz writtenRead MoreAna lysis Of My Papas Waltz By Theodore Roethke1059 Words   |  5 Pages Theodore Roethke’s poem, â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† has spurred passionate academic debates among professors, scholars, and students; the imagery, context, and diction of the poem clearly supports the interpretation that Roethke writes â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† reflecting on his relationship with his father. A relationship in which, notably, causes harm to the author. However, through all the nights Roethke spent in pain and in horror, his love for his father still exists. While many people believe that the authorRead MoreAnalysis Of My Papas Waltz By Theodore Roethke768 Words   |  4 PagesTheodore Roethke was a poet who was born in Saginaw, Michigan and was influenced greatly by his father. His educational background is rather extensive, he attended The University of Michigan, took courses at Harvard University, and would then become poet-in-residence at the University of Washington. Having published several works of literature â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† is among one of his most famous. In this poem, Roethke shows his audience a plethora of viewpoints and opinions; which are free to interpretationRead MoreAnalysis Of My Papas Waltz By Theodore Roethke1062 Words   |  5 PagesTheodore Roethke’s poem, â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† spurs passionate academic debates among professors, scholars, and students; the imagery, context, and diction of the poem clearly supports the interpretation that Roethke writes â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† reflecting on his relationship with his father. A relationship in which, notably, causes harm to the author. However, through all the nights Roethke spent in pain and in horror, his love for his father still exists. While many people believe that the author tellsRead MoreCritical Analysis Of My Papas Waltz By Theodore Roethke911 Words   |  4 PagesIs it true that the most renowned people are often the most damaged? In â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† by Theodor e Roethke, this poem reflects his life’s misfortunes while confirming the question. On May 25, 1908 in the quiet town of Saginaw, Michigan, Helen Huebner gave birth to a baby boy, unaware he would grow up to be a distinguished author. However, distinguished or not, Roethke was troubled and battled manic depression throughout the course of his life. He was a brilliant man yet labeled as mentally unstableRead MoreMy Papas Waltz Personal Analysis1473 Words   |  6 PagesConclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 Bibliography †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 Introduction: For this paper, you will be able to encounter the various meanings, tones, structure, my personal opinion and analysis of the poem â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† by Theodore Roethke. For more to add, you will also encounter with a brief biography of the poet Roethke which will explain why the poet wrote this poem and how much meaning it has for him. The reason why I chose this poem out of the other seven choices that were givenRead MoreMy Papas Waltz: an Analysis of Speaker and Situation Essay772 Words   |  4 PagesThe poem My Papas Waltz by Theodore Roethke is a moving representation of childhood spent in a working middle class family. The speaker of this poem is a man recalling his childhood, his father and his mother through the means of a waltz. The following essay will present a detailed analysis of the dramatic situation and speaker through the explanations of the various poetic tools used in this poem such as similes, choice of words and style. Theodore Roethke portrays the father figureRead More The Actual Meaning of My Papas Waltz by Theodore Roethke Essay836 Words   |  4 PagesThe Actual Meaning of My Papas Waltz by Theodore Roethke Poetry is made to express the feelings, thoughts, and emotions of the poet. The reader can interpret the poem however they see fit. Critics are undecided about the theme of Theodore Roethkes My Papas Waltz. Some people believe that the poem is one of a happy exchange between a father and son. The more convincing interpretation is that it has a hidden message of parental abuse. Careful analysis of the keywords and each individualRead Moreâ€Å"My Papa’s Waltz†1568 Words   |  7 Pagesdetermine what Theodore Roethke’s poem â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† conveys. Readers either interpret the poem as telling the happy memory of a little boy playing with his father or as describing a scene of child abuse. From my point of view, the poem is more likely to be about the enjoyable time between the father and the son and I would explain this by discussing on the word choice, tone and rhythm of the poem. Before analyzing, the first thing to look at is the background of the poet, Theodore Roethke. Roethke’sRead MoreAnalysis of Theodore Roethke’s â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† Essay733 Words   |  3 PagesAnalysis of Theodore Roethke’s â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† Theodore Roethke’s poem â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† illustrates a nightly ritual between a working-class father and his young son. In the first stanza a young boy holds tightly to his father. The second stanza describes a playful roughhousing between father and son. The fourth stanza shows again the boy’s unwillingness to let go of his father. Roethke’s AB rhyming scheme and waltz-like meter set a light and joyful cadence. The music of the waltz comes through