Alcoholism and the effects that it has on a person are becoming a pressing issue. People handle their aggression in different ways, and the abusiveness that comes along with alcoholism can cause detrimental effects on a family.  Upon first glance at the poem “My Papa’s Waltz,” by Theodore Roethke, it appears to be a loving story of a father and his son dancing playfully in their home, told from the perspective of the boy. There does not seem to be any form of violence or alcoholism involved. However, if the poem is not read literally and the reader focuses on the imagery and irony that Roethke incorporates, it becomes evident that it is not as innocent and playful as it may at first seem. Instead it becomes a story of how the son has dealt with many hardships from his father, an alcoholic, but still loves him unconditionally.  The poem reveals the presence of alcoholism, alcohol-induced aggression, and the effects they both have on a family.

From the first stanza of “My Papa’s Waltz” there is an immediate revelation of hostility and signs of alcoholism. The opening line of the poem, “The whiskey on your breath/ Could make a small boy dizzy;” is the first incident with the father being heavily intoxicated around his family. This could be viewed as a sign of substance abuse because a large quantity of alcohol had to have been consumed for the son to be able to smell it on his breath. The use of imagery intensifies this scene because the father reeks of alcohol and the sour smell of the whiskey makes a lasting imprint on the child’s memory. Irony is also used in the first line because although the smell of whiskey could possibly make the boy dizzy, it is more probable that he is dizzy from the father swinging him around. The boy also says, “At every step you missed/ My right ear scraped a buckle.” In other words, the father was stumbling through the house and was harming his son in the process.  Drinking to the point where he is incapable of walking straight and having no regards for his own child exemplifies the presence of alcoholism in the father. Parents should be responsible for and protect their children but here he acts carelessly and is putting his addiction before his son.

The Waltz is supposed to be a rhythmical dance performed between two people in close proximity, symbolizing their love. However in “My Papa’s Waltz” the dance described is much more than just a playful one between a father and son, but rather reveals the extent of the underlying violence that is occurring. The line, “We romped until the pans/ Slid from the kitchen shelf;” suggests that the encounter is more aggressive than lighthearted because pots and pans do not easily fall off of the shelves just simply from dancing. This implies that the father is dragging his son around roughly, and banging into the shelves in a destructive and reckless manner. This is another example of irony in the poem because the waltz is considered to be a graceful gesture that is not generally compared to “romping” and should not be causing the pans to fall. Another example of the father’s violent behavior is seen in the lines, “The hand that held my wrist/ Was battered on one knuckle.” This proposes that the father’s hands were holding onto the son tightly which is restraining and gives him more power over the boy. Instead of holding his son’s hands, which signifies a connection and an idea of safety between two people, the father is grabbing his wrists suggesting a harsher interaction where he has full control. The speaker refers to his father’s knuckles as “battered” which creates an image that his hands are beat-up from previous actions. This could imply that he has been in fights or had hit someone, proving his aggressive behavior. 

The father’s drinking problem and the violent behavior that is seen throughout “My Papa’s Waltz” causes negative effects on his family.  It appears that the mother is aware of the father’s alcoholism and recognizes how he is treating the boy, but is not able to interfere or help. The boy advocates, “My mother’s countenance/ Could not unfrown itself.” In this instance, the mother is helplessly witnessing her son being abused. The visual image created is that the mother cannot come to the aid of her son and because of that she is permanently frowning. The absence of the mother’s help makes it harder on the boy because he is the target of his father’s aggression and struggles to deal with his actions. From the line “Such waltzing was not easy” he admits that handling his father was difficult for him to do at times. The irony behind this is that the waltz is supposed to be an easy and graceful dance, but the speaker compares it to his father’s drunkenness and recklessness. Although there is evidence of the father abusing his son, the boy still loves him unconditionally. He states, “I hung on like death” revealing how he did everything that he could to be with his dad. The idea of the little boy holding onto his father for dear life, as he is being beat around depicts the love that he has for him. The line “Still clinging to your shirt” also shows the speaker’s desperation to remain close to his father despite everything that he has been through.  This gives the impression that the boy still loves him and just wants to be loved by his father in return. Even after the violence he experienced, the son is still dependable to his father and clings to him for love.

“My Papa’s Waltz” taps into the emotions of readers as he/ she sympathizes with the young child who experiences grief and pain. Theodore Roethke successfully conveys the presence of alcoholism and its effects on the nuclear family in his rhythmic poem. The combination of imagery and irony were beneficial in showing the father’s alcoholism and abusiveness. By shining a light on such a sensitive topic, Roethke sets the stage for awareness of such negative events.
