I Knew a Woman Theodore Roethke Free Sample

Question: Describe a Literature for My Papas Waltz and I Knew a Woman. Answer: A) My Papas Waltz and I Knew a Woman Theodore Roethke has presented the diversified relationships in his two different poems. The first one is My Papas Waltz where the poet described the relationship with his father. The other poem I knew a Woman depicts the love relationship with his lady love. In the first poem, Roethke highlights his moment of life with his father. Every child fears the father, but loves them the most. The inevitable death may come to the fathers first usually, but everyone wish to grow older with them. In this poem, Roethke portrayed his emotions of losing his father at the age of fifteen. The highlights of the happy moments like making noises, dancing in the kitchen, and annoying mother are the major portraits (Roethke 1090). However, the abusive nature of an alcoholic father may even signify some controversies, but it is also counted as the happy moments that a child reminds when the father is no more. On the other hand, Roethke in I Knew a Woman presents his sensual relationship with his wife. He has portrayed the sweet and kind nature of his lady love that makes him attracted towards her. Her different ways of making love have created the romantic and sensual feelings. Her beauty and charismatic behaviour have made him fall in love with her. He has considered himself as a martyr who can turn into a slave (Roethke 1092). He has described the physical beauty of the woman with an intense explanation and illustrated the picture of her white shadow. Hence, this poem has the romantic and intensified elaboration of the woman he loves. There is the clear explanation of the dominant nature of a drunken father over his child in My Papas Waltz. When the poet illustrates the childs mind being forced to dance, it simply highlights the ruthless nature of the father. However, the poem is not just elaborating the literal narrative; it is even demonstrating the feeling of child of memorising these incidents when his father died. Similarly, the real picture of the love and affection is portrayed in the second poem, I knew a Woman. Roethke has not only illustrated the ladys physical beauty, he described his endless affections towards her. Therefore, it is seen that both the poems are not limited within the literal narrative, these are presenting the real life feelings as well. In My Papas Waltz, the metaphor was used as the central theme. The poet described beating as a waltz, which changed the surface interpretation when he started dancing and was not beaten around. Similarly, in the second poem, I knew a Woman, Roethke presented the metaphor by describing the beauty. The line She was the sickle; I poor I, the rake is presenting the most highlighted metaphor that has been used in this poem. B) For the Union Dead Lowell, in his poem For the Union Dead has portrayed the images of nature and the industry. Firstly, he has pointed out the declines of the urban civility. The comparison between the images of nature and industry is signifying the disruption on the Boston Common, which was temporary. On the contrary, the life of the Americans was illustrated by describing the demands of the automobile. The poet described the nature by recalling his memory in his early childhood. The poet described the nature by illustrating the beauty of the deserted South Boston Aquarium. The image of the ruined building has been specifying the major comparison. The poet tries to imply that the images he portrayed in his childhood is completely different today. The nature of Boston is ruined due to the industrialisation. In explaining the contrast imagery of these two environments, the poet has presented the abolishment of a city. The irony has been highlighted through the description of the surroundings. The poet tries to indicate the emergence of the urbanisation, which has interrupted the statehouse and statue of Colonel Shaw (Lowell 1307). The poem is thus presenting the private and public intensity. References Roethke. My Papas Waltz, p.1090 Roethke. I Knew a Woman, p.1092 Lowell. For the Union Dead, p.1307