"My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke

Paper Summary:

The writer of the poem examines the symbolism of darkness that appears throughout Roethke's poem "My Papa's Waltz." On the surface the poem appears to be a happy memory of the author's childhood but deeper examination proves that this is not necessarily so. This paper explores the combination of the juxtaposition of themes, the unbalanced iambic rhythm and the diction of the poem that clearly explains why this work is so highly entertaining to ponder and discuss. The writer of this paper also supplies a brief biography of poet Theodore Roethke.

From the Paper:

"Still, even in this context, the darkness is evident. In fact, it may portray an even deeper element: that of a battle between genders. It is easy to suppose that the poem is collusion between males (father and son) against a female (mother) In fact, this is likely not only an attempt for Roethke to recapture his own father's rough attempts at love in an autobiographical way, but also reflects the dual tone of this dance and the poem as a whole, saying it was partly rough and scary and partly dear and loving. Also, at this moment in the dance, the speaker directs his focus toward the mother and away from the father, thus heightening the opposition between his parents."

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• Poem Review # 108517 : "Painful Proof of Love"

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