The waltz is a fast paced, triple time dance performed in pairs. Often when the word waltz is mentioned, people think of fancy ballrooms and black-tie attire. In the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, the word waltz takes on a different meaning. Roethke uses waltz to engage and mislead the reader. When the reader first sees the word waltz they probably imagine all the things listed above, but Roethke uses it differently. Through the repetitive use of the word ‘waltz,’ Roethke is trying to portray the relationship between the speaker and his father as a dance to emphasize the theme of one’s personal struggles. 

Roethke first uses the word ‘waltz’ in the title to catch the reader off guard. Roethke does this on purpose to catch the reader’s attention and drag them in. The appearance of the word ‘waltz’ in the title is somewhat misleading because it makes the poem seem like it could literally be about a waltz when it is not. The poem is actually about the speakers struggle with his father and the father’s struggle with alcohol. The use of the word ‘waltz’ here was a good choice by the author because it catches the reader’s attention when they begin to read the poem. It sets the image in the reader’s mind of rhythm and beauty. While there is rhythm in fighting and struggle, there is no beauty in this poem. With the word ‘waltz’ in their mind when one starts reading the poem, their initial reaction to the story might not be what they expected. 

The second time the word waltz appears is in the first stanza. Roethke says, “Such waltzing was not easy”(Carolina Reader “My Papa’s Waltz” 4). This is the first example of not only the speaker’s struggle with his father, but it is also the first example of the father’s struggle with alcoholism. It is known that the father has a struggle with alcohol because Roethke opens the poem with the line, “The whiskey on your breath could make a small boy dizzy”(Carolina Reader “My Papa’s Waltz” 1-2). Often times when people drink too much they get a dizzy feeling or sensation. Roethke uses this to introduce the father’s struggle alcohol. The speaker’s struggle with his father can also be inferred by the speaker’s use of the line, “but I hung on like death”(Carolina Reader “My Papa’s Waltz” 3). Since the speaker uses ‘waltz’ after this line, the speaker is describing the struggle with his father like a dance, specifically the waltz. Also, since the father seems to get physical with the boy, Roethke uses the word ‘waltz’ here to signify the physically abusive relationship between the father and the speaker. The reader can then infer that the father gets physical with the speaker based on the lines in the following stanza, “We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf”(Carolina Reader “My Papa’s Waltz” 5-6). The word romped is often used to refer to people playing roughly, however there is no playing in this situation. Roethke uses the word romped to signify the physical fight or struggle that is present between the speaker and his father because of its definition. When two boxers are fighting announcers will often say they are dancing around the ring. So, when Roethke uses the word ‘waltz’ to describe the situation, he could be using it to reference a more physical component in the speaker’s struggle with his father and the father’s fight with alcoholism.

The third and final time the word waltz appears is the third stanza. Roethke says, “then waltzed me off to bed”(Carolina Reader “My Papa’s Waltz” 15). This appearance of the word waltz comes after the speaker more specifically defines the struggle with his dad. This can be seen in the first two lines of the poem which state, “you beat time on my head with a palm caked by dirt”(Carolina Reader “My Papa’s Waltz” 13-14). The word waltz here can signify the speaker dancing away from his struggles. This can be inferred from the occurrence of the word ‘waltz’ here. Since it is at the end of the poem as the speaker is going to bed, it seems as if his struggles with his father will end for the moment. This use of the word ‘waltz’ is the most important because it shows the complete cycle of the speaker’s struggle and tells the whole story. Also, this use of the word ‘waltz’ could possibly show the end of the father’s struggle with alcohol. The line, “Then waltzed me off to bed”(Carolina Reader “My Papa’s Waltz” 15), could also be representative of the father’s death due to his alcoholism. Since many people refer to death as going to sleep, Roethke’s use of the words “waltzed me off to bed” can imply the death of the father.

In Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz,” the word waltz is repeated throughout the poem. Roethke initially uses the word to catch the reader off guard in the title. He then uses it twice more in the poem; once to describe the speaker’s struggle with his father, the father’s struggle with alcohol, and to show how the speaker is trying to get away from this struggle. Roethke uses this word differently each time to tell a story. By putting each word in three different contexts the word can be interpreted in three different ways. This helps tell the story because Roethke used the word waltz in the story progressively, making it move the story along. Also, each time the word waltz is used it has a different connotation on it because of the different context it is presented in. The appearance in the title is more of a joyful or content connotation of the word waltz because the reader is not yet informed on the relationship between the speaker and his father. However, once the poem starts, waltz has a malice meaning because of the context it is received in. In Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz,” Roethke uses the word waltz repetitively to reinforce the theme of one’s personal struggles and show the struggle behind the waltz.
