Introduction
The poem “My Papas Waltz” by Theodor Roethke tells the story of a little boy who is faced with a drunken father and an indifferent mother. Roethke may have had a similar experience in his own family and decided to give it an art form (Schreiber 4). The poem is filled with deep symbolism and imagery, clearly conveying the author’s idea through the desire to immerse the reader in the experience of a lyrical hero.
Reader’s Response and Author’s Intent
“My Papas Waltz” evoked a strong emotional response in me. I appreciated the depth with which the author immerses the reader in the context of a small child’s experiences. The poem evokes a sense of unease throughout the quatrains. The author contributes to this emotion by introducing the word “death” at the very beginning of the text (Roethke).
The anxious feeling did not evaporate after reading, since the author clearly hints at the standard and typical nature of such a situation, which can happen again at any moment. The author intended to convey the subjective feelings of fear and uncertainty that the child experienced. This poem for Roethke probably became a way of self-reflection on a traumatic memory from his own childhood.
Symbolism
Roethke uses symbolism in his poem to highlight the complexity of the relationship between father and son. The central symbol in the title of the poem is the waltz. This symbol is used by the author in a complex way, giving dynamics to the poem. The waltz is a structured form of dance that symbolically corresponds to the traditional family structure in which the lyrical hero grows up. The waltz becomes the cause of chaos and unpleasant sensations: “My right ear scraped a buckle” (Roethke).
Another prominent symbol is the father’s hand: “The hand that held my wrist/Was battered on one knuckle” (Roethke). The father’s hands become a symbol of an ambiguous life; they are necessary in the narrative to give the reader an idea of the character without directly describing him. Hands are a source of comfort and care, while at the same time posing a threat to the child. The symbols of the waltz and the hands are an allegory for the ambiguity and complexity of relationships in the family, containing the opposition of order and chaos, security and threat.
The use of symbols that are ambiguous in their fullness of meaning affects the reader, forcing them to analyze the work more deeply. The introduction of the symbol of paternal hands instead of a detailed portrait affects the perception of the character. I began to see an additional duality in the figure of the father.
On the one hand, these are the hands of a working person who finds time to play with his son. On the other hand, these hands are threatening and cause physical harm to the child. The symbol of the waltz reinforces the inconsistency of the poem, prompting me to consider the family’s deviation from fundamental values and the accepted order.
Imagery
The imagery used by the author is intended to convey the boy’s emotions. Each stanza represents a separate image that the author uses to describe the full picture of the strange dance of father and son. The first image is the smell that the child feels: the pungent smell of alcohol. This element is the engine of the plot, describing the exposition and behavior of the father of the lyrical hero.
The next visual image in the poem is the gloomy face of the mother, which makes it clear that it is not the first time this has happened: “My mother’s countenance/Could not unfrown itself” (Roethke). The image of the father’s broken knuckles adds a descriptive detail to his portrait; he is short-tempered and capable of physical force. The most prominent complex image is the beating of the rhythm on the boy’s head; this image brings the story to an end, declaring that the interaction between father and son is not normal.
The imagery, comprising sound and descriptive elements, enables the author to immerse the reader in the story. As I read, I experience an unsettling sense of impending danger, which is realized by images of the smell of alcohol, the indifference of the mother, broken knuckles, and blows to the head. Due to the imagery, the author allows the reader to feel emotions similar to those of a lyrical hero. Fear, combined with a profound understanding of the everydayness of the situation, is the primary emotion conveyed through the imagery.
Context
The author provides little context to help readers understand the story. The frames of the text are not chronological; instead, the poem is placed in a cultural context. In this work, the cultural context of a low-income family with two parents is observed; the father works at a physical job, and the mother, most likely, runs the household. Context influences the story, giving it a touch of the ordinary, which can make the reader feel more anxious.
The context is crucial for understanding the peculiarities of daily life, general fatigue, and the acceptance of violence as a normal part of life. Understanding the context affects my reading experience, making me feel the normality of such a life and the impossibility of changing something. This element connects the reader and the lyrical hero, who, like the reader, cannot change anything and is compelled to obey his father’s dangerous actions.
Characterization
The character of the father is conveyed to the reader through the author’s use of images and interaction. To describe it, mainly verbs expressing rudeness are used: romped, scraped, beat. The image of the lyrical hero, a little boy, is expressed with the help of nouns and adjectives: dizzy, death, not easy (Roethke). The words used to create two images also characterize the interaction of the characters: the father takes the leading position of control, while the child can only obey with fear.
It is difficult to evaluate the lyrical hero as positive or negative, since he is a defenseless child. The image of the father is more likely to be created negatively, since both the boy and his mother have clearly been subjected to violence. Drawing up portraits of heroes has a significant emotional impact on the reader. It seemed to me that the boy, who was in the obeying position, did not realize the horror of what was happening. From this realization, the entire poem becomes even more tragic.
Conclusion
Using the methods of artistic expression, Roethke conveys to the reader the experiences of a small child, presented through the prism of an adult. By using figurativeness and symbols, an ambiguous image of the hero’s father is created; characterization serves to complement the complex portrayal of a beloved yet dangerous family member. The unsettling feeling is exacerbated by the context, from which it becomes clear that such a situation is typical and ordinary. Roethke manages to create a successful reflection, framed in a bright and strong art form.
Works Cited
Roethke, Theodore. “My Papa’s Waltz.” Poetry Foundation.
Schreiber, Jan. “All in The Family: Parents and Children in Today’s Poetry.” Literary Imagination, vol. 22, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1-12.