In his 1942 poem, My Papa’s Waltz, Theodore Roethke uses many different literary techniques. My Papa’s Waltz is told from a young boy’s point of view, who innocently describes the repercussions that his abusive, alcoholic father’s actions have on his home and childhood. Throughout the poem, Roethke uses literary elements such as striking imagery, extended metaphors, and point of view to effectively portray the excruciating effects of alcoholism and domestic violence on a child’s life.

Roethke’s use of striking imagery in My Papa’s Waltz gives the reader a detailed and clear understanding of the inflictions of the father’s addiction. In the first two lines, the author explains the dizzying effects of “the whiskey on your[his] breath.” This line reminds the reader of the strong and overwhelming scent of alcohol and implies that the boy’s papa has come home from a night of heavy drinking, because a person must drink a lot for their breath to have such a strong scent and effect on another person. Clearly, this is not a rare occurrence, because Roethke continues, “the hand that held my wrist / Was battered on one knuckle” (8-9). From this use of imagery, the reader can envision a bloody and scraped hand grasping the boy’s small wrist. However, the young boy uses the word “held” instead of a stronger word such as “gripped” or “grabbed.” Using a light-hearted and common word like “held” suggests that there is still a caring touch between the father and his son. Furthermore, the father’s injured knuckle suggest that he is often destructive and must have previously hit someone or something. Later, Roethke admits that the boy is “clinging to your [his] shirt” as his father walks him up to bed (16). In this line, the author’s use of striking imagery paints the picture of a frightened little boy hanging on to his abusive father’s shirt. This line is strange, because previously in the poem, Roethke explains that the boys ear was the same height as his father’s belt buckle. Possibly the boy is reaching up to grab his father’s shirt, which suggests that he loves and looks up to his “papa” despite his mistakes. Theodore Roethke continuously uses imagery in this poem to emphasize the details of events and the son’s feelings, which is vital for the poem because it allows the reader to see the true effect of alcoholism and abuse on a family. 

Throughout My Papa’s Waltz, Roethke constantly uses the waltz as an extended metaphor for his father’s beatings. In line four, Roethke admits that, “such waltzing was not easy.” Here, he compares battling his father to the popular dance, the waltz. In the same way that waltzing requires putting on a show, the boy must hang on and act strong through the pain of being abused. Later in the poem, the boy explains that his father “waltzed me off to bed” (15). Instead of describing the father’s drunken walk as “stomping” or “stumbling,” Roethke uses the word “waltz” to beautify this act as a child would. Even the meter and rhyme scheme of the poem are similar to that of a waltz song. The poem’s iambic trimeter resembles the beat of a waltz, which also has three distinct beats. The rhyme scheme, similarly, follows an ABAB pattern which creates a recurring rhythm. Roethke’s extended comparison between the Waltz and the father’s violence express the young boy’s innocence and positive attitude toward his father. Although abuse is serious and terrifying, the boy still admires his father and simply thinks of his actions as part of a dance.

Theodore Roethke’s tells My Papa’s Waltz from the literary point of view of a young boy, which makes the poem more authentic and personal. After “romping” around in the kitchen with his father, the young boy notices, “My mother’s countenance Could not unfrown itself” (7-8). “Romping” is a lighthearted word that the young boy uses, because he interprets his father’s actions as playful. However, the boy’s mother gives the reader a bystander perspective of how a mother would feel watching her husband hurt her little boy. She is only mentioned in these lines, which suggests that she may not be around often. By explaining this from the boy’s point of view, the reader feels more sympathetic for the family. The boy is young and innocent and this is the first time in the poem he recognizes that something is wrong, that his mother is unhappy. The boy later points out that his “right ear scraped a buckle,” each time his father missed a step of the waltz (12). This is the first time in the poem that the boy uses a word that expresses discomfort and pain. Because this is told from the boy’s point of view, the reader understands that the boy is hurt and that his ear did not “graze” or “kiss” the buckle, but “scraped” it. In other words, the boy is essentially the one suffering when his father messes up. In the next line, the boy explains, “you beat time on my head.”  The son’s perspective on this action is that the father is tapping his head to the beat of the waltz. However, that is not the case. In this line, the reader recognizes how naïve and innocent the boy is. Although the father may be aggressively tapping him, the boy trusts his father and thinks of it as part of the dance. By writing this poem from the boy’s point of view, Roethke wants his readers to put themselves in the boy’s shoes. The boy withstands pain and realizes something is wrong, but continues to trust and look up to his father. The boy’s perspective creates gives the poem a depressing atmosphere, because he barely understands the violence that is present.

Theodore Roethke’s use of imagery, an extended metaphor, and point of view set the disorderly and sorrowful mood of My Papa’s Waltz. The imagery in this poem presents a distinct and honest description of the father and his violent actions. Furthermore, the extended metaphor of the waltz beautifies the painful fight the young boy and his family put up against alcoholism and abuse. The young boys point of view allows the reader to share in his naïve, trusting, yet scared perspective of the father. Overall, Roethke’s use of literary elements allows his readers to see through the “waltz” and into the suffering and distress of the family.  
