Papa\'s Waltz by Theodore Roethke

¶ … Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost. Specifically it will compare and contrast the themes, imagery, and symbolism used in the poems. Poetry can vary in style, meter, theme, and symbolism, but they all still share many common elements that are vital to all poems.

These poems seem very different on the outside, but they share many common elements. For example, the themes of the two poems seem very different. Roethke's poem is a touching childhood memory of unconditional love. The father may have problems, such as alcohol abuse, but he loves his son and shows him the unconditional love of a father, just as the son shows the unconditional love of a child. This is in direct contrast to the mother, who cannot hide her disapproval of her husband. Roethke shows this by her unsmiling face. He writes, "My mother's countenance / Could not unfrown itself" (Roethke). The poem is about love, and about the little things that make up everyday life that are so special.

Like Roethke's poem, Frost's poem shows an everyday occurrence but makes it special by noting the details and having the narrator stop and watch the silent snow for a few moments. He writes, "The only other sound's the sweep / Of easy wind and downy flake. / The woods are lovely, dark and deep" (Frost). Here, Frost uses vivid details of the landscape that are slow and quiet to contrast the busy life of the narrator who has "miles to go before I sleep" (Frost). Thus, both of these poems show real people who have real responsibilities, and that is the theme of the two poems.

They share a common theme, but also symbolize the many things that pull us apart in our lives, from disapproving mothers to "promises to keep." They symbolize the business of our lives that is in contrast to the peacefulness and security we would like to feel. They also symbolize how people cope with difficulties in their lives. The father copes by drinking and escaping into a magic world where he waltzes with his son. The narrator copes by stopping for a moment in his hectic life to appreciate a moment of peace and beauty. These are far different ways of symbolizing similar coping skills, but they do have many things in common. Both poems use symbolism to mean more to the reader, and they make the reader think about their own life, too. They do this by painting vivid word pictures.