"My Papa's Waltz"

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how Theodore Roethke combines two themes; his attempt to understand his relationship with his father and his use of the dance as a metaphor for life itself. The paper notes the ambiguity of the poem but interprets it in a negative way that portrays a drunk father who beat his small son while the mother stood nearby watching.

From the Paper:

"In "My Papa's Waltz," Roethke unites two of his more important themes--his attempt to understand his relationship with his father and his use of the dance as a metaphor for life itself. Roethke's father, Otto, was a person who enjoyed the outdoors and the pursuits of happiness as shown by the greenhouse that he so loved working in. Like most fathers, he wanted his son to be like him. Theodore loved his father but was unable to demonstrate that love in ways that his father could understand. Worse, Otto died while Theodore was still a teenager, so the father never learned what a leading role in his chosen field the son would play--nor did Theodore have a chance during his father's lifetime to resolve the differences between them."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Booth, Alison. Hunter, Paul J. Mays, Kelly. The Norton Introduction to Literature(shorter Ninth Edition). New York, London. W.W. Norton & Company. 2006.

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• Poem Review # 65382 : "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke"

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