Roethke, “My Papa’s Waltz”, Response

In “My Papa’s Waltz”, Roethke discusses a very heartbreaking and distressful situation. He talks about alcoholism in the family and how it affects the members of the family. Growing up in a family full of alcoholism and abuse, I can relate to the point of view that this poem is written in. Although it is … Read more

Mind of a Child

Theodore Roethke writes a very simple poem called “My Papa’s Waltz”. Roethke will not let his characters communicate and reveal thier feelings and you must determine for yourself if fhe speaks of abuse or a happy reminiscence. Edward Foster comments, “The poem will let you meet Roethke’s father who gives a mixture of tenderness and … Read more

My Papa’s Waltz: Theodore Roethke

Theodore Roethke uses imagery and a unifying structure to convey the loving relationship between a daughter and her father in the poem “My Papa’s Waltz. ” Together these elements make it possible to communicate the emotional bond between parent and child to the reader. The first paragraph uses a clash of idea’s to illustrate the … Read more

Different Forms of Love

When looking at poetry it is easy to look at the structure of the poem for a better understanding. Many poets use rhyme, meter, and other forms of structure when configuring their poems. Some other poets use free verse. Free verse is when you don’t consider rhyme or meter into your work, instead it’s thoughts … Read more

My Papa’s Waltz

The father and son in the poem “My Papas Waltz” by Theodore Roethke have a complex relationship mixed with fear, joy, and love. The boy says that he “hung on like death” when his father was dancing. This implies a sense of fear between the boy, because he does not quite trust his father to … Read more

Roethke’s Use of Tone

Childhood experiences seem to be the ones that are recollected most vividly throughout a person’s life. Almost everyone can remember some aspect of his or her childhood experiences, pleasant and unpleasant alike. Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz” suggests even further that this concept could be true. The dance described in this poem illustrates an … Read more

“My Papa’s Waltz”, Roethke

In “My Papa’s Waltz”, Roethke discusses a very heartbreaking and distressful situation. He talks about alcoholism in the family and how it affects the members of the family. Growing up in a family full of alcoholism and abuse, I can relate to the point of view that this poem is written in. Although it is … Read more

“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke Analysis

In “My Papa’s Waltz”, Roethke discusses a very heartbreaking and distressful situation. He talks about alcoholism in the family and how it affects the members of the family. Growing up in a family full of alcoholism and abuse, I can relate to the point of view that this poem is written in. Although it is … Read more