Critical Analysis of My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke

Theodore Huebner Roethke was born in Saginaw, Michigan, the son of Otto Roethke and Helen Huebner. As a student at Saginaws Arthur Hill High School, Roethke demonstrated early promise in a speech on the Junior Red Cross that was published in twenty-six languages. However, the death of his father from cancer in 1923 was a loss that would powerfully shape Roethkes psychic and creative lives. Roethke attitude toward his father Otto was depicted in his widely anthologized work My Papas Waltz written on 1948. Apparently, Roethkes filial anxieties stemmed from the trauma of his father’s death, which interrupted the adolescents successful passage through oedipal rivalry (Garraty and Carnes). Roethkes drive to master his precursors, however, led him to forge significant literary innovations. By reading the poem â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† by Theodore Roethke, the reader might see either a loving relationship or an abusive relation between father and son. This poem has an intriguing ambiguity that creates different interpretations. There are some words in the poem that depict violence, such as: whiskey, death, romped, battered, scraped, beat, and clinging. The poem ends with a primarily negative texture portraying a drunken father, angry mother, and desperate child who have a desperate hope for some fun in the face of a real fear of violence and disruption (Janssen 44). However, through deeper interpretation, the reader might see a positive side of the poem shows a close relationshipShow MoreRelatedCritical Analysis Of My Papas Waltz By Theodore Roethke911 Words   |  4 PagesIs it true that the most renowned people are often the most damaged? In â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† by Theodore Roethke, this poem reflects his life’s misfortunes while con firming the question. On May 25, 1908 in the quiet town of Saginaw, Michigan, Helen Huebner gave birth to a baby boy, unaware he would grow up to be a distinguished author. However, distinguished or not, Roethke was troubled and battled manic depression throughout the course of his life. He was a brilliant man yet labeled as mentally unstableRead MoreThe Role Of Peer Based Systems On The Natural Sciences And The Arts Essay1544 Words   |  7 Pagessciences and the arts. Ultimately I will conclude that while group verification grants strength to concepts in both fields, it is not compulsory for a concept to be considered â€Å"knowledge†. In the natural sciences, group verification is arguably a critical stage that allows for the validation of beliefs as knowledge. Knowledge in this area of knowledge, as a part of the scientific method, undergoes strict and rigorous inspections before it can be accepted by the general populace as understood â€Å"fact†Read MoreBusiness and Management2600 Words   |  11 Pages | | | | | | | | |Reading Literature Closely: Analysis (pp. 120-182) | | | | |Arguing an Interpretation (pp 183-236) | |