Use of Language in "My Papa's Waltz"

Use of Language in “My Papa’s Waltz” The use of language, and how the poet forms the language into his or her own, is essential to conveying the theme of the poem to the reader. In “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, imagery, diction, and the overall meter of the poem contribute to the reader’s understanding of the theme. The complexity of Roethke’s chosen language emphasizes the ambiguities and tensions within the father-son “waltz”. Through the use of these poetic devices, Roethke is able to convey the deep, unyielding love the narrator has for his father. The theme of the poem is largely apparent in the abundant imagery used by Roethke. Not only does he use the sense of sight, but he also utilizes the sense of smell in the first two lines of the poem. The lines “The whiskey on your breath/ Could make a small boy dizzy” (1-2) emphasize the narrator’s strong memory of his father. He doesn’t just remember what his father looked like or other brief visual aspects, but he remembers his fathers relentless drinking and the effect it had on him. The reader also gains insight into what kind of father the narrator had and can infer that the poem isn’t about something as simple as a waltz. As the poem progresses the reader can see just how volatile the relationship, or “waltz”, between father and son was. The seemingly playful interaction hints at turning violent as the narrator describes that his father “At every step you [he] missed/ My right ear scraped a buckle” and he “beat time on my head” (11-13). These actions could be seen as innocent gestures, but they seem to suggest that an abusive relationship exists. Another image that gives the reader an idea of what the father and son relationship is like Despite these ambiguities, the reader attains a vivid image of what the scene looks like through the ample use of the senses and imagery and is able to infer what the relationship between the father and son was like and what the narrator’s feelings towards this memory are now. Roethke utilizes an array of poetic devices in this poem. One of the most apparent devices is diction. The meter and rhyme scheme, part of the diction of the poem, also contribute to the reader’s understanding of the theme. Written in iambic trimeter, the poem is read to sound almost like a nursery rhyme. When read in this way the cadence actually mimics that of an actual waltz, which is performed in triple time. The rhyme scheme of the poem follows an ABAB pattern,
“You beat time on my head (A)
With a palm caked hard by dirt, (B)
Then waltzed me off to bed (A) Still clinging to your shirt. (B)” (13-16).
This forces the poem to be read in a faster, more upbeat tempo. By forcing it to be read in this way, Roethke is able to emphasize the child-like and seemingly positive feeling of the poem and compel the reader to question whether the father is as horrible and abusive as he sounds. The organization of the words is also part of the diction and syntax of the poem. By using words such as “romped” and the phrase “my right ear scraped a buckle” rather than “a buckle scraped my ear”, Roethke is able to emphasize the nursery rhyme feel to the poem. It also builds even more ambiguity around the father-son relationship. A romp is usually associated with violence, but has a more positive connotation to it most times. By saying “my right ear scraped a buckle” he is also ridding the father of any blame for possibly abusing his son. If the buckle did scrape the young narrator’s ear, it was his own fault, not his fathers. Ambiguity is not something any reader wants to come across when analyzing a poem or any written work for that matter, but in the case of “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, it adds to the complexity of the poem, yet still emphasizes the many conclusions that can be drawn from it. Roethke effectively uses language, diction, and imagery to convey the relationship between father and son, but allows for the reader to infer what kind of relationship that is. It can be considered an abusive one, but also be seen as one filled with a son’s undying love for his father.