“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke first appeared in The Lost Son and Other Poems (1948), a collection that explores themes of childhood, memory, and familial relationships. The poem’s popularity stems from its ambiguous tone, which allows for multiple interpretations—some view it as a tender recollection of a father-son bonding moment, while others perceive an undercurrent of violence and hardship. The imagery of the “whiskey on your breath” and the child’s struggle to keep up with the “waltzing” suggests both affection and difficulty, reflecting the complexities of parental love. The playful yet rough nature of their dance, evidenced by “My right ear scraped a buckle” and “With a palm caked hard by dirt,” highlights the physicality of their relationship, leaving readers to ponder whether this is a fond memory or a painful one. Roethke’s ability to evoke such strong emotions through rhythmic, musical language has cemented the poem’s place as a widely studied and debated piece in American literature.

Text: “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

Annotations: “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

Line	Annotation	Literary Devices
“The whiskey on your breath”	Describes the strong scent of whiskey on the father’s breath, implying he has been drinking.	Imagery, Alliteration
“Could make a small boy dizzy;”	Suggests the overwhelming effect of the whiskey on the child.	Imagery, Hyperbole
“But I hung on like death:”	The child holds on tightly, comparing it to the unrelenting grip of death.	Simile, Hyperbole
“Such waltzing was not easy.”	Describes the difficulty of the waltz, indicating it’s not graceful.	Metaphor
“We romped until the pans”	The child and father are playing roughly, causing noise.	Imagery, Alliteration
“Slid from the kitchen shelf;”	The pans falling emphasize the roughness of the play.	Imagery, Personification
“My mother’s countenance”	Refers to the mother’s facial expression, which shows disapproval.	Symbolism
“Could not unfrown itself.”	The mother is unable to stop frowning, showing her dissatisfaction.	Personification, Hyperbole
“The hand that held my wrist”	Describes the father’s hand tightly gripping the child’s wrist.	Imagery
“Was battered on one knuckle;”	The father’s hand is rough and worn, suggesting hard labor.	Imagery
“At every step you missed”	The father struggles to keep rhythm, missing steps while dancing.	Imagery
“My right ear scraped a buckle.”	The child’s ear brushes against the father’s buckle, emphasizing the roughness.	Imagery, Alliteration
“You beat time on my head”	The father rhythmically taps the child’s head, perhaps too forcefully.	Imagery, Metaphor
“With a palm caked hard by dirt,”	Describes the father’s palm, which is rough from work.	Imagery
“Then waltzed me off to bed”	The father leads the child to bed, still dancing, though it’s more of a stumble.	Metaphor, Imagery
“Still clinging to your shirt.”	The child continues holding on tightly to the father’s shirt.	Imagery

Literary And Poetic Devices: “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

Literary Device	Example Line or Phrase	Explanation
Allusion	“Like death”	A subtle reference to death, implying the child clings tenaciously, similar to the finality of death.
Anaphora	“Could” (repeated in “Could make” and “Could not”)	The repetition of “Could” at the start of lines emphasizes the cause and effect of actions.
Assonance	“Waltzing was not easy”	Repetition of the vowel sound “a” in “waltzing” and “was” creates harmony in the line.
Hyperbole	“Like death”	An exaggerated comparison showing the intensity of the child’s grip.
Imagery	“The whiskey on your breath”	Creates a vivid picture of the father’s scent, appealing to the sense of smell.
Irony	“Such waltzing was not easy”	The supposed fun of waltzing contrasts with the difficulty and roughness of the actual dance.
Metaphor	“Such waltzing was not easy”	Compares the physical act of dancing to a metaphor for struggle.
Onomatopoeia	“Slid”	The word imitates the sound of something moving smoothly, reinforcing the physical movement.
Oxymoron	“Small boy dizzy”	The combination of “small” and “dizzy” creates an effect of contradiction in terms.
Personification	“My mother’s countenance could not unfrown itself”	The mother’s frown is given the human quality of being unable to stop, as if it were a person.
Repetition	“Could” (repeated in “Could make” and “Could not”)	Repetition of the word “could” emphasizes the effects of the father’s behavior on the child.
Rhyme	“Dizzy” / “Easy”	The end sounds of these words rhyme, contributing to the musical flow of the poem.
Simile	“Like death”	Compares the child’s firm grip to the unyielding grasp of death, intensifying the imagery.
Symbolism	“The hand that held my wrist”	The father’s hand symbolizes control, power, or authority in the relationship.
Synecdoche	“The hand that held my wrist”	The hand represents the father’s entire presence or role in the child’s life.
Tension	“Such waltzing was not easy”	The tension between the roughness of the dance and the intimacy of the moment creates conflict.
Tone	“Could not unfrown itself”	The tone here is serious and filled with tension, reflecting the mother’s displeasure.
Understatement	“My right ear scraped a buckle”	The understatement of the child’s discomfort from the buckle highlights the physicality of the dance.
Volta	“Then waltzed me off to bed”	The shift or “turn” in the poem from struggle to resolution, where the child is taken to bed.

Themes: “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

• Childhood and Parental Relationships
• One of the central themes in “My Papa’s Waltz” is the complex nature of the relationship between a child and a parent, specifically between the speaker and his father. The poem portrays a tumultuous yet intimate connection between the child and the father, expressed through the metaphor of dancing. Despite the roughness of the waltz, where the child describes the whiskey on his father’s breath (“The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy”) and the father’s hand that “was battered on one knuckle,” the child clings to him tightly. The mixed emotions in the poem reveal how the child feels both discomfort and attachment. The roughness of the dance, marked by “at every step you missed / My right ear scraped a buckle,” suggests that the father might be less than ideal, yet the child’s attachment to him is undeniable. This complexity reflects the often conflicting feelings children experience toward their parents, where love can coexist with discomfort and fear.
• The Impact of Alcoholism
• Alcoholism is another prominent theme in “My Papa’s Waltz,” with the poem’s references to whiskey being central to its tone and meaning. The father’s drunken state is suggested by the line “The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy,” which directly links his behavior to alcohol. The effect of alcohol is not just physical but also emotional, as it contributes to the strained and somewhat chaotic interaction between father and child. The phrase “waltzed me off to bed” suggests that while the father might still be affectionate, his ability to care for the child responsibly is impaired. The tension between the physical affection in the form of waltzing and the clear implications of drunkenness raises questions about the father’s suitability as a role model. The father’s roughness, as seen in “The hand that held my wrist / Was battered on one knuckle,” suggests a lack of gentleness that could be linked to his alcohol consumption, further complicating the father-child bond.
• Playfulness and Violence
• The theme of playfulness mixed with violence is explored in “My Papa’s Waltz,” where the rough play between the father and child has both a playful and potentially harmful undertone. The child, despite feeling dizzy from the whiskey, continues to “hang on like death,” showing a form of reluctant endurance. The poem’s physical imagery, such as “The hand that held my wrist / Was battered on one knuckle,” highlights a forceful interaction, yet it is cloaked in the appearance of a dance. The line “We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf” further suggests that the waltz is not just a gentle pastime but a rough and unruly activity that leads to tangible consequences. While the child might enjoy the attention and closeness with his father, the sense of danger and discomfort is evident. The juxtaposition of play and violence creates a tension where the boundary between affection and harm becomes blurred.
• The Complexity of Memory
• “My Papa’s Waltz” also delves into the theme of the complexity of memory, especially how we remember childhood experiences with a mixture of affection and pain. The poem reflects the narrator’s recollection of his father’s rough love through a lens of nostalgia, but with an underlying sense of unease. The child recalls moments like “My mother’s countenance / Could not unfrown itself,” indicating that the father’s actions have an impact not just on the child but on the family as a whole. The imagery of the waltz and the child’s lingering attachment—”Still clinging to your shirt”—suggests that this memory is tinged with both affection and discomfort. The contradictory emotions present in the poem show how memories from childhood can be complex, not neatly divided into positive or negative, but often intertwined in a way that reflects the messy, multifaceted nature of growing up.

Literary Theories and “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

Literary Theory	Explanation	References from the Poem
Psychoanalytic Criticism	This theory examines the unconscious desires, childhood trauma, and familial relationships. In My Papa’s Waltz, the relationship between the father and child is complex, involving both affection and discomfort, which can be interpreted as indicative of the child’s psychological development. The roughness of the father’s affection may reflect unresolved psychological issues.	“The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy;” – The father’s behavior might stem from emotional and psychological issues, potentially linked to alcohol. “But I hung on like death” – The child’s clinging can be seen as an unconscious attachment to the father, possibly reflecting the need for approval despite the rough circumstances.
New Historicism	New Historicism focuses on the historical and cultural context in which a work is written. My Papa’s Waltz can be interpreted through the lens of the 1940s-1950s American family dynamics, where alcohol consumption, physical discipline, and gender roles were commonly accepted. The father’s rough behavior could reflect the era’s cultural norms.	“The hand that held my wrist / Was battered on one knuckle;” – The father’s worn hands suggest a life of hard labor, which might be tied to the historical context of working-class American families. “My mother’s countenance / Could not unfrown itself” – Reflects the social and familial expectations of mothers in the post-war era, where the mother is expected to remain stoic and passive.
Feminist Criticism	Feminist criticism looks at how gender and power structures shape relationships. In My Papa’s Waltz, the relationship between the mother and father is framed in terms of power dynamics. The mother is largely passive and has no voice in the poem, while the father’s rough behavior dominates the family environment.	“My mother’s countenance / Could not unfrown itself” – The mother’s disapproving face symbolizes her lack of agency in the situation, as she cannot stop her husband’s behavior. “You beat time on my head / With a palm caked hard by dirt” – The father’s physical dominance is emphasized, with his actions positioning him as the central figure in the poem’s family dynamic.
Marxist Criticism	Marxist theory focuses on class struggle, economic disparities, and the effects of capitalism on individuals. In My Papa’s Waltz, the father’s rough and labor-worn hands can be seen as a symbol of the working-class struggle, while the child’s experience of his father’s actions reflects the socio-economic realities of the time.	“The hand that held my wrist / Was battered on one knuckle;” – The father’s labor is symbolic of the working class, whose physicality and struggles are passed down to the child. “We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf;” – The chaotic scene of broken items suggests the economic instability and lack of control, possibly related to the family’s working-class status.

Critical Questions about “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

• How does the speaker in “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke perceive the relationship with his father?
• In “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, the speaker seems to experience a complicated relationship with his father, one marked by both affection and discomfort. The tone of the poem conveys a sense of love, but this love is tangled with the roughness of the father’s actions. The child clings to the father “like death” despite the roughness of the dance, suggesting an attachment that is both emotional and physical, but not without its struggles. The line “The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy” indicates that the father might be intoxicated, further complicating the relationship by introducing a layer of danger and instability. The father’s physical affection, such as the “hand that held my wrist / Was battered on one knuckle,” speaks to the roughness of the interaction. While there is a sense of closeness (“Still clinging to your shirt”), it is overshadowed by the father’s physicality and the possible negative effects of his behavior. The poem captures the complexity of familial love, suggesting that it can coexist with discomfort, fear, and even danger, as the child’s conflicting emotions come through in the description of the waltz.
• What role does alcohol play in the dynamics of “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke?
• In “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, alcohol plays a significant role in shaping the father-child relationship and influencing the overall tone of the poem. The speaker mentions the “whiskey on your breath,” indicating that the father has been drinking, which seems to affect both his behavior and the interaction with the child. The drunkenness of the father is suggested by the line “The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy,” which implies that the child feels disoriented and uncomfortable due to the father’s state. The roughness of the father’s actions, seen in “The hand that held my wrist / Was battered on one knuckle,” could be linked to his intoxicated state, suggesting that his love and affection are influenced by alcohol. While the child may feel affection and attachment to the father, the intoxicating influence of alcohol complicates the dynamics, making the experience both affectionate and uncomfortable. Alcohol, in this context, represents the destabilizing force in their relationship, blurring the lines between care and harm.
• Is “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke a poem about love or abuse?
• The question of whether “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke depicts love or abuse is a central point of debate in the poem’s interpretation. On the surface, the poem seems to present a father’s affectionate interaction with his child, expressed through the playful metaphor of a waltz. However, the underlying tension in the poem hints at a more complicated dynamic. The line “Such waltzing was not easy” and the image of the father’s “battered” hand suggest that the physical affection may be more aggressive than loving. The child’s statement that he “hung on like death” implies an enduring, possibly reluctant attachment to the father, which raises questions about the nature of this love. Additionally, the image of the child’s “right ear scraped a buckle” as they danced indicates that the play is not without pain or discomfort. This could suggest an element of emotional or physical harm within what is supposed to be a loving moment. The child’s attachment to the father, despite these rough interactions, complicates the question, as the child seems to both cling to and resist the father’s affection. The poem does not offer a clear answer but instead invites readers to consider the blurred line between affection and potential abuse, especially in a household where alcohol and rough physical behavior are present.
• How does the mother figure into the narrative of “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke?
• In “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, the mother’s role is largely passive, but her presence significantly affects the interpretation of the poem. She is mentioned briefly, but her disapproving reaction to the father’s rough play is clear. The line “My mother’s countenance / Could not unfrown itself” suggests that the mother is unhappy or distressed by the father’s actions. However, her passive stance in the poem—simply observing the waltz and unable to intervene—highlights the lack of agency she has within the family dynamics. She is portrayed as an observer rather than an active participant in the family’s interactions. The mother’s inability to stop the father’s behavior can be seen as a reflection of the societal norms of the time, where the mother may have been expected to remain silent or accept the rough masculinity and behaviors of her husband. The fact that her disapproving “countenance” cannot “unfrown itself” implies that, despite her unhappiness, she feels powerless to affect the situation. This absence of agency might also reflect the limitations placed on women in the domestic sphere during the period in which the poem was written, emphasizing the theme of gender roles and power dynamics within the family.

Literary Works Similar to “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

1. “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden
   Similarity: Like “My Papa’s Waltz,” this poem explores the complex and sometimes painful relationship between a father and a child, focusing on unspoken affection and sacrifice.
2. “The Lanyard” by Billy Collins
   Similarity: Both poems reflect on childhood memories of the parent-child relationship, highlighting the emotional connection and the child’s appreciation for their parent, though with subtle tones of discomfort.
3. “Daddy” by Sylvia Plath
   Similarity: This poem, like “My Papa’s Waltz,” delves into the psychological complexity of the speaker’s relationship with the father, mixing both love and resentment in the portrayal.
4. “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore
   Similarity: While more playful and lighthearted, this poem shares a similar atmosphere of family interaction, with physicality and movement being central to the narrative, similar to the father-child waltz in Roethke’s work.

Representative Quotations of “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy;”	The speaker describes the father’s breath smelling of whiskey, indicating his drunken state. This line sets the tone for the poem’s tension.	Psychoanalytic Criticism – The father’s intoxicated state may signify unresolved psychological issues or trauma.
“But I hung on like death:”	The child clings to the father during the waltz, likening their grip to the inevitability of death. This emphasizes the emotional intensity.	Psychoanalytic Criticism – The child’s attachment despite discomfort could represent an unconscious need for connection.
“Such waltzing was not easy.”	The child reflects on the difficulty of the dance, suggesting it is rough and not an enjoyable experience, but one full of struggle.	New Historicism – This line can reflect societal norms and gender roles of the era, where affection and discipline were not always gentle.
“We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf;”	The roughness of the dance causes disorder in the home, with pans falling off the shelf, symbolizing chaos and physical disruption.	Marxist Criticism – The physical chaos could represent class struggle, where families from lower socioeconomic classes face instability.
“My mother’s countenance / Could not unfrown itself.”	The speaker mentions the mother’s disapproving expression, indicating her discomfort with the father’s behavior.	Feminist Criticism – The mother’s lack of agency in the situation underscores the limited power women had in the domestic sphere during the period.
“The hand that held my wrist / Was battered on one knuckle;”	The father’s rough hands suggest a life of hard labor, and the force with which he holds the child’s wrist conveys physical dominance.	New Historicism – This reflects the historical context of working-class families, where physical labor often shaped family dynamics.
“At every step you missed / My right ear scraped a buckle.”	The physicality of the father’s actions is emphasized, showing the roughness of their waltz and the discomfort it causes the child.	Psychoanalytic Criticism – The discomfort of the child could symbolize unresolved emotional pain tied to the father’s behavior.
“You beat time on my head / With a palm caked hard by dirt,”	The father’s hand, rough from labor, strikes the child’s head in time with the dance, reinforcing the physical dominance of the father.	Marxist Criticism – The physical force and labor-worn hands of the father signify the burdens of working-class life.
“Then waltzed me off to bed / Still clinging to your shirt.”	The father takes the child to bed after the rough waltz, with the child clinging to him, indicating their continued attachment despite the struggle.	Psychoanalytic Criticism – The attachment to the father, despite discomfort, could represent an unconscious desire for paternal approval.
“The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy;”	The repetition of the whiskey-induced dizziness emphasizes the disorienting, overwhelming effect of the father’s drunkenness on the child.	Feminist Criticism – The presence of alcohol underscores the power imbalance in the household, where the father’s behavior affects both mother and child.

Suggested Readings: “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

1. Roethke, Theodore, and William De Witt Snodgrass. My papa’s waltz. Bluestem Press, College of Saint Benedict, 2001.
2. Fong, Bobby. “Roethke’s ‘My Papa’s Waltz.'” College Literature, vol. 17, no. 1, 1990, pp. 79–82. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25111845. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
3. Southworth, James G. “The Poetry of Theodore Roethke.” College English, vol. 21, no. 6, 1960, pp. 326–38. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/372944. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
4. Pritchard, Ruie Jane. “On Roethke and Reversals.” The English Journal, vol. 67, no. 2, 1978, pp. 36–38. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/814993. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.