
When thinking about their childhood, most people immediately think about their family and the people they were raised by. Theodore Roethke grew up helping his hardworking father and uncle manage a 25-acre greenhouse. Being with them all the time helped establish a strong bond between them. Both his father and uncle died at an early stage in Roethke’s life. In “My Papa’s Waltz” Roethke writes about a boy and his father sharing a dance around the house, while the boy’s mother looks on unapprovingly. The main theme of this poem is the veneration this boy shows towards his father. Roethke writes about elements such as the boy’s father being drunk, the masculinity his father displays, and the security he feels when in the presence of his father. Relationships can be interpreted in many different ways based on past experiences. While many readers assume that the relationship between the boy and his drunken father is abusive, the tone and theme of the poem suggest the contrary. Roethke uses the graceful term “Waltz” to describe this father-son relationship which, at times, can seem abusive and at others, seem very loving.

 Throughout “My Papa’s Waltz”, Roethke uses examples of traits indicative of a father figure. Roethke refers to the boy’s father’s hand as being “battered on one knuckle,” (Roethke line 10) and his palm as being, “caked hard by dirt.” (Roethke line 14) These depictions of the father’s rough, beat up body exemplifies how his dad works a vigorous blue collar job. The boy admires this trait about his father and looks up to him as a hard worker. There is an impression of masculinity about having a battered, rough look because it shows the strenuous efforts and hardships that had to be overcome to achieve whatever work he did. The sacrifices he made were for his family. It can be assumed that the boy’s father came home from a long day of work and although drunk, he spent the little time that he had together with his son waltzing around and having fun. The reverence the boy has for his father comes from his father’s willingness to dance around with him even after a long day of work. Roethke uses the word “hard” (Roethke line 14) when talking about the father’s hands to ingrain the image of his hand’s as being rugged and callused. This imagery connotes a strength his father has to still play with his son after his long day’s work. Roethke uses this imagery to show the strong and bonding relationship between the young boy and his father.

Relating back to when we are children, the most highly revered people in our lives are the ones who support us growing up. In Roethke’s own life, he was raised by his two, very supportive parents, but seemed to have an especially strong bond with his father. In “My Papa’s Waltz” Roethke seems to mimic his early childhood relationship. Roethke writes, “My mother’s countenance could not unfrown itself.” (Roethke lines 7-8) This statement comes soon after the boy and his father are dancing and knock pots and pans off the kitchen shelf. Yes. The mother is frowning from the pots and pans falling off the shelf, but the reader can assume she is jealous of the strong relationship the boy and his father share. Some may argue that the pots and pans flying off the shelf is caused by abusive actions and that the dance is a more violent event. Roethke disproves this by the positive language he uses to describe the scene in the poem; He writes, “We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf.” (Roethke lines 5-6) The word “romped” (Roethke line 5) has a positive connotation meaning to play energetically. This suggests that the boy and his father are having a good time. It is this playful spirit that the boy admires about his father.

In Roethke’s writings, he uses vague words to make the true meaning unclear and up to interpretation. In “My Papa’s Waltz” some words have double connotations, but depending on how you look at them can make the difference between whether the poem is talking about an abusive relationship or a loving one. The background knowledge we have about Roethke’s childhood further supports the idea of the poem being about the respect and admiration the boy shows for his father. Roethke states, “You beat time on my head.” (Roethke line 13) This portion of the text does not refer to the father hitting his son in the head with a watch but rather that he is merely tapping along to the beat of the song on the top of his son’s head. The word “time” in this sense is referring to the notes and the beat of the music. This further fits the theme of the waltz. Another thing Roethke writes that some may view as abusive, “Every step you missed my right ear scraped the buckle.” (Roethke lines 11-12) Often times, when children misbehaved they were whipped with a belt, but if you were especially bad you were whipped with the buckle side of the belt. Some readers may interpret the quote above as the young boy getting whipped by the belt and the buckle hitting his ear. What the quote actually suggests is that the boy is small and when they are dancing around the room and his dad misses a step, his dads belt rubs up against the side of his head. Roethke puts this quote in the poem to show how young and dependent on his father the boy is. When the boy looks at his father he has to look up to him, this symbolizes the respect he has for his father. When you look up to someone it is usually because you deeply revere them. 

Furthermore, the language in the poem can also show how the poem has an upbeat meaning. Roethke’s word choice will direct readers towards thinking the poem does not have an abusive theme. In the line, “Then waltzed me off to bed Still clinging to your shirt,” (Roethke lines 15-16) the word clinging has a deep impact on the way the readers view the poem. When it is time for the boy to go off to bed, he does not want to go. The word “clinging” (Roethke line 16) suggests how the boy does not want to let go of his father who he respects and loves so much. He clings on to the dance he just shared with his dad, and the memories that come from it. Clinging means overly dependent on someone emotionally; but in this case, it is out of respect for his father. He thinks so highly of his father, and his hard work, that at the end of the day when it is time for his father to put him to bed, he holds on tight and does not want to let go. Going to bed signifies the end of their dance and the time they will have together for the rest of the night. The boy will now have to wait to see his father when he gets home from his next long day of work. 

Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz” is about a boy and his father sharing a meaningful dance around the house. The admiration this boy shows towards his father is an important concept in the poem. The boy in the poem’s father being drunk, the masculinity his father displays, and the security he feels when in the presence of his father, all contribute to the idolization of the father by the boy.  Relationships shared amongst people can be interpreted in many different ways and different people will take different views on the same relationship. Roethke is able to convey the emotions the boy feels towards his father through tone and diction, contributing to the contrasting theme of a relationship between a drunken, but non-abusive father and his son. 