Richard Cory Essay

Richard Cory Society
The upper echelon of society The Song "Richard Cory" by Paul Simon and the poem "Richard
Cory" by Edwin Robinson share the same theme, that Richard Cory the character is distant from
the lower echelon of society due to his status and wealth. It also shows the theme that you
shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The points I will make throughout will be how the song
focuses on the miscreant behavior and how the poem talks about idealizing his image. The biggest
difference is the view the upper class in the poem holds him in reverence and the song curses him,
but both the song and the poem wish for the life he had. In Simon's song Richard Cory is the
brightest star out there, he has everything "power, grace, and style (Simon, 4)."...show more content...
Even with all the party and pretty facades the song and poem end in his ultimate suicide. Even
after his suicide, they still wanted to be him. People even view celebrities like they have
everything and even celebrities commit suicide or have severe depression. They may have all the
possessions in the world, jewelry, money, mansions, cars but that still doesn't make one happy.
The lower class wish to have the materialistic luxury of the upper class but the class wants the
happiness of the lower class. Kurt Cobain for example had everything, an awesome rock n' roll
lifestyle with his rocker chick, they seemed happy; but happy people don't use drugs to make
them happy, sad people do. Kurt lost his life to a drug overdose. What people need to understand
is that just because someone may look like they have everything their soul most likely does not.
Even after Kurt Cobain's death people still idolized him, they still wanted to be him. In "Richard
Cory" both written by Edwin Robinson and the song by Paul Simon show that the narrator and
the townspeople still wanted to be him even after he committed suicide. The Xavier 4 poem and
song have a lesson that can be learned besides the simple joy of reading. Money cannot buy
happiness. In fact most of the time material possessions only make someone happy for a short
period of time. The moral of the story is being Happy for how little you have because even if you
have a lot you might not be happy. Xavier 5 Works Cited
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Richard Cory
I chose to write about the poem "Richard Cory" by Edwin Arlington Robinson. I chose to write
about this poem because it interested me, the way the setting and the personality of the protagonist
lured me into writing about it. What I liked about this poem was its mysterious ending. This poem
relates to our world today because many people are seen as perfect or nearly as perfect, but in their
own eyes, they're in reality, miserable. The poem "Richard Cory" is about a rich man that commits
suicide. In the poem, the protagonist which is Richard Cory, is lonely. Money can keep a person
happy for a while, but then they start realizing that money won't keep them emotionally satisfied
forever, it's temporary. In this poem,...show more content...
"Downtown" usually means where the working–class people live in, it's a dichotomy. This would
only mean that Richard Cory would be coming from up–town where the wealthy live. "Gentleman
from sole to crown" symbolizes that Richard Cory was a wealthy person from the upper class, he is
someone that is well dressed in all aspects, he was looked up to as a kingly manner. "Clean Favored"
and "Imperially slim" symbolizes that he is well groomed, a man of privilege, and he is seen as
royalty. In the second stanza, though Richard Cory is a wealthy and a fine dresses man, "He still
spoke to the working–class people normally/He was always human when he talked/Fluttered pulses
when he said, 'Good Morning,' and he glittered when he walked/Quietly arrayed". He didn't look
down towards them but his presence still made those around him nervous. "And he was rich–yes,
richer than a king– And admirably schooled in every grace: In Fine, we thought that he was
everything To make us wish that we were in his place"
In this third stanza, explains that Richard Cory is really rich and wealthy, he also exaggerates
stating that Richard Cory is "Richer than a king". He explains his Richard's wealth rather than his
personality and if he does or doesn't have a good life, but in the second line, the author explains that
Cory has good behavior and appreciable knowledge. Cory is

In "Richard Cory", Edwin Arlington Robinson uses irony, simplicity, and perfect rhyme to depict the
theme of the poem. The rhyme in "Richard Cory" is almost song–like, and it continues throughout
the whole poem. The theme of the poem is that appearances are deceiving. The poem is about a man
who everyone thinks is a "gentleman from sole to crown", who then commits suicide. Irony is used
in the poem very skillfully to show that appearances may be deceiving. When reading the poem, you
get caught up in the song–like rhythm and it intensifies the effect of the tragedy. You think that
everything is going perfectly, and that the poem is going to have a happy ending until you get to the
last two lines, which are, "And Richard Cory, one calm...show more content...
Judging by the poem, the story is told from that of one of the townspeople. This can be shown by
looking at the second line of the poem where it states, "we people on the pavement looked at him"
(line 2). This person seemed to be confused as to why a man held in such high regard would take
his life. He seems to be confused that a man, a man everyone wanted to be like, would commit
suicide. Although it is not directly stated in the poem as to why everyone is confused about his
death, the tone of the poem seems to explain why they are all perplexed by his death.
The poem focuses on how the townspeople admired Richard Cory. "He was a gentleman from
sole to crown" (line 3). We get the idea that Richard is a "Clean favored" good looking man, and
that his attire is fully formal, "he was always quietly arrayed" (line 4). What is meant that "he was
always quietly arrayed" means that he dressed nice, but not so nice as to attract attention to
himself. The fact that "He glittered when he walked" gives us the idea that he has this aurora
about him. He has this special quality that will make him stand out in a crowd. However, he did
not look down on the townspeople. "He was always human when he talked," (line 6). He was
always down to earth when he spoke to them. We learn that Richard is quite the wealthy man as it
states "And he was rich–yes

Richard Cory, by Edwin Arlington Robinson Essay
Many poets write about death and appearances. In the poem Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington
Robinson, the author tries to communicate several things. Robinsons poem is about a rich man that
commits suicide, and the thoughts of the people in town that watch him in his everyday life. In
Richard Cory, Robinson is communicating that outward appearances are not always what they seem,
an that money does not always make a person happy
Through the poem, Robinson never hints to any relationships that Richard Cory may have had.
There is no mention of lovers, family, or even friends in the poem. I believe that Robinson was
trying to communicate that companionship is essential to almost all people. Richard Cory was hiding
...show more content...
Richard Cory also appears to keep all of his emotions hidden from the rest of the world through his
everyday routine. By keeping his emotions bottled up, he may eventually have popped and decided
that he no longer wanted to live.
Richard Cory is symbolic of upper society, and the townspeople are symbolic of the middle class.
The lesson that Robinson tries to teach is that people in the middle class should not desire that they
were as wealthy as the upper class. Money will not bury your problems, nor will it make everything
better. Although you may have all the money one can imagine, certain problems in life will still
haunt you. It is hard to argue that in todays world that money will not make you happy in one way.
"And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, went home and put a bullet through his head".` The
calm summer night that Robinson refers to is meant to build the idea that the night was like any
other. Richard Cory's breaking point was reached that calm summer night, for one reason or another.
The fact that it happened on a warm summer night also tends to make one think that the thoughts of
suicide had been on Richards mind for some time. It seems that he was not suddenly driven to
suicide, but rather he became depressed overtime and slowly became suicidal.
Robinson was trying to communicate that appearances may be

Connotation Of Richard Cory
Richard Cory is a narrative poem written by Edwin Arlington Robinson. The poem was first
published in 1897,and has been completed in July of that year as a part of The Children of the
Night. In the 1893 is when the economic depression occurred which recall Robinson's most popular
poems. At that time, people could not afford meat and had a diet mainly of bread, often day–old
bread selling for less than freshly baked goods. This hard times experience made the townspeople
even more aware of Richard's difference from them, so much so that they treated him as royalty. The
Poem describes a person who is wealthy, well educated, mannerly, and admired by the people in his
town. Robinson uses connotation for Richard Cory high on a pedestal above the townspeople. The
townspeople are a lower class than Richard Cory. This suggests that Richard Cory is coming
down, or lowering himself, to the level of the townspeople when he comes into town. He also does
not treat the towns people with no respect he actually wants to make them feel comfortable with
them. Robinson positions the characters to show the differences in their financial status. He also
shows that it is the townspeople, and not Cory, that seem to define these positions. Cory is
perceived as distant royalty, he is perceived as a gentlemen,an aristocraft above those who
worked,are not able to communicate with other people.This is an example of of showing that
Richard Cory isn't as happy as we all think he is, as he seems like the perfect gentlemen,but he
commits suicide one "one calm Night."
Although it is written by an American poet and set in an American town, connotation is used to
suggest a noble, royal image of Richard Cory. His name, Richard, is the name of many kings. Also,
Richard contains the word "rich," which suggests his wealth. There are many other royal
connotations and images in this poem including: "sole to crown," "imperially slim," and "schooled
in every grace."Crown, imperially and grace all suggest royalty. Robinson uses denotation, or the use
of words for the exact meaning to emphasize this image of Richard Cory being local royalty. Richard
Cory was a rich, well– educated man. Robinson writes, "And he was rich... and admirably
schooled..." to make

What Is The Tone Of Richard Cory
Richard Cory by poet, Edwin Arlington Robinson, was originally published in 1897 as a part of
Robinson's book The Children of the Night. The poem regards a man named Richard Cory, who
seems to own it all. Possessing qualities such as being "clean favored, and imperially slim" (line 4),
Cory was adored by many, so when he commits a terrible suicide the townspeople are stunned.
Edwin Arlington Robinson was born in 1869 and passed in 1935. Robinson was nominated for
countless awards for his astounding poetry. He also won three Pulitzer prizes. He began writing
poetry at a young age and would go on to write many award winning poems throughout his career,
including Richard Cory. Edwin Robinson uses formal diction to demonstrate to his audience the
type of man Richard Cory is. Robinson applies words like "Crown", "King", "Grace", and
"Glittered" to portray the gentlemen that is Richard Cory. The speaker wants his readers to
understand that Cory has it all, however, there is a deep secret Cory keeps hidden beneath his
perfect persona. The speaker demands for us to see the elegant side Cory, completely throwing us
off for the ending. Robison even goes as far to pick the perfect name; Richard Cory. Richard was a
common name amongst kings and often means royalty, while Cory means...show more content...
Robinson lures the readers in with clean grammar and specific words to set the tone for the poem.
He includes the phrase "from sole to crown" (line 3) to assure the readers that Cory is royalty, and
he can do no harm. Robinson compels the audience to feel a sense of leadership from Cory,
someone to look up to, like the townspeople do. Robinson uses these misleading phrases to hide
Cory's tragic thoughts. Although he wants us to believe he is fine, he is internally struggling with
his harsh realities. Robinson uses royal tones to guide us into a different direction then he going
making the ending a shocking

Do you think some people inherit everything wished for? Richard Cory is a poem written by Edwin
Arlington Robinson. The poem published in 1897, occurring near a severe economic depression
known as the Panic of 1893, and uses couplets, which have pairs of verses rhyme with each other to
create the units. The author Edwin Arlington Robinson began publishing in 1891 in local
newspapers and magazines, then later on published the book The Torrent and The Night Before. His
second book, The Children of the Night, contains Richard Cory and it became popular after Ted
Roosevelt reviewed it. In the poem, a well known man named Richard Cory, who, despite being
admired and having a quality life, kills himself one night. The narrator, along with the townspeople,
have an envious yet an admirable attitude toward Richard Cory. And this attitude continues to the
very end of the poem, where the narrator simply, formally states how Richard dies. Robinson uses a
limited point of view to describe Richard Cory and details his public life with imagery and diction.
Throughout the poem, the verses frequently describes the fortunate life of Richard Cory from an
outside perspective. In the first few lines, the poem introduces with, "Whenever Richard Cory went
downtown, / We people on the pavement looked at him" (1–2). The reference of "we" describes the
point of view of someone other than Richard Cory and the quote shows how much attention Richard
receives from the city. At a different point, thethought of the narrator reveals, "In fine, we thought
that he was everything/ To make us wish that we were in his place" (11–12). Envy or perhaps
admiration shows throughout the thoughts of the onlookers. Displays of the thoughts and
admiration of the lower class citizens toward Richard show the audience how Richard appears in
the public, however the presence of Richard Cory's emotions or thoughts never revealed itself to
the readers. Therefore, the narrator looks at the outside life of Richard Cory and envies Richard's
qualities without knowing the deeper reason why Richard would kill himself. The poem uses
selective language to add to the overall atmosphere of royalty. Rather than using "head to toe" and
"well behaved," the poem instead

Richard Cory Poem Analysis
Ever since the 1600s when William Shakespeare described the whole world as "a stage" and "all
the men and women merely players", the idea of people wearing masks and hiding their true
feelings has been present in literature in one way or another. In the late 1800s, Paul Laurence
Dunbar publishes "We wear the mask", a poem that focuses on people hiding their true feelings from
others and everyone can relate. Unlike Dunbar who talks about different kinds of emotional masks
people use, Edwin Arlington Robinson uses his "Richard Cory" to draw attention to a mask of
money and success, which makes the average people ("we people") admire and idealize the
successful person (Richard Cory) only because we do not know and do not even try to see what is
hidden behind the mask. With ABABrhyme scheme, in just 4 stanzas and 16 lines, Edwin Arlington
Robinson tells a meaningful and timeless story about misfortune of Richard Cory, a person behind
the mask of money and success who seemingly has everything anyone could wish for. Robinson
starts the first stanza with a description of Richard Cory's appearance and a clear distinction
between the two sides, Richard Cory and "we people". The speaker mentions Richard Cory in the
first line without any introduction, which means that everyone should know who Richard Cory
was, so the introduction is not needed. Furthermore, whenever Richard would come to
downtown, "we people of the pavement" admired him. The people of the pavement or people
from the streets of the downtown, including the speaker, were obviously of a lower
socioeconomic class in comparison to Richard Cory. What is more, the speaker uses "we people"
as he wants to include the reader as well. In other words, the speaker is confident that a reader
would have also admired Richard Cory if they had seen him. In the next two lines, the speaker
uses a metaphor and implicitly compares Richard to a king: "He was a gentleman from sole to
crown" as well as "imperially slim". Instead of saying a gentleman from the feet to the head, the
author uses a phrase "sole to crown" to put Richard Cory on a king's pedestal. In addition, Richard
is "imperially" thin, which is another characteristic of kings. So, was Richard Cory really a king

All too often, those who have little money envy people with more. This is depicted in "Richard
Cory" written by Edwin Arlington Robinson, the narrator describes Richard as if he were royalty;
rich, worldly, well spoken, and educated (677). He wished he could be Richard, and live with all
the pleasures afforded the wealthy. Is it possible Richard had the reverse in his mind when he
ended his life? Money appears to be a key that unlocks happiness to people on the lower end of the
financial spectrum. If that were the case, then those who are well–to–do should be measurably
happier. Studies give conflicting evidence as to a possible link between wealth and happiness, but for
those with lower incomes it is there. While the issues...show more content...
As the level of wealth grows within a community, individuals do not see themselves gaining
financial ground on their competitors and neighbors. They only see what they still do not have
instead of recognizing how much of a better position they are able to enjoy. This constant
comparison and revealing of shortcomings can only lead to feelings of inadequacy and sadness
by the thought of failing to measuring up. Keeping up and staying ahead does lead to a temporary
form of satisfaction, and at the same time it highlights a new void. Once an object is attained or a
milestone is reached, there is another, and another... and so on. An unending string of acquisitions
that do not usher lasting happiness into one's life. In part, this "Joneses Syndrome" is echoed in a
new study conducted by Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School. A magic income level
was located, about $75,000 annually. People with incomes lower displayed increasingly unhappy
tendencies as they moved further below this mark. Above $75,000 a plateau formed, the coupled
income and happiness gains stopped. Measurable happiness ceased to increase along with income
beyond that number (Luscombe 1). Researchers said that those with lower incomes were more
"ground down" by problems they experienced. A lack of latitude afforded by a higher income could,
for

Symbolism In Richard Cory
The speaker of "Richard Cory" uses symbols, imagery, and wordplay. Edwin Arlington Robinson
was born in the village of Head Tide in the town of Alna, Maine, on December 22, 1869, third son
of Edward and Mary Elizabeth Robinson. He described his childhood in Maine as "stark and
unhappy". His parents had wanted a girl, and did not name him until he was six months old. When
they vacationed for a holiday there a woman drew a name from a hat and chose "Edwin" He hated
the family's habit of calling him "Win," and as an adult he always signed himself as "E. A." The story
Richard Cory describes the people watching his as "we people on the pavement." This creates the
assumption that they all admire Richard Cory. As the poem continues he is described as a
"gentleman from sole to crown" as if he was looked upon as royalty. He's separated from the speaker
by his wealth, his manners, and fashion. These traits make his death at the end all the more
shocking. As a reader, we are left with the realization that speaker at the end of the poem didn't
truly want to be like Cory at all. He was a man who had everything but had nothing he was adored
by many but was loved by nobody. Robinson's writing with his use of imagery and ironic language
gives the reader a sense of how Cory's life was scrutinized by people who did not know him and was
responsible for his death. In usual poems the speaker is in the story itself but instead the speaker
tells the story as a viewer because the speaker did

Connotation In Richard Cory
Richard Cory is a narrative pom written by Edwin Arlington Robinson. The poem was first
published in 1897, as a part of The Children of the Night, having been completed in July of that
year. Robinson's most popular poems, recall the economic depression of 1893. At that time, people
could not afford meat and had a diet mainly of bread, often day–old bread selling for less than
freshly baked goods. This hard times experience made the townspeople even more aware of
Richard's difference from them, so much so that they treated him as royalty. The Poem describes a
person who is wealthy, well educated, mannerly, and admired by the people in his town. Robinson
uses connotation extensively to place Richard Cory high on a pedestal above the townspeople.
Connotation is the use of words to suggest meanings beyond the dictionary definition. To lower the
townspeople, Robinson places them "downtown." This suggests that Richard Cory is coming down,
or lowering himself, to the level of the townspeople when he comes into town. He also places
people on the "pavement," which is lower than the sidewalk where Richard Cory most likely walks.
Robinson positions the characters to show the differences in their financial status. He also shows
that it is the townspeople, and not Cory, that seem to define these positions. Cory is perceived as
distant royalty, he is perceived as a gentlemen,an aristocraft above those who worked,unable to
communicate with common people. The author uses this as the suggestion that something is wrong
with Richard Cory as he seems like the perfect gentlemen,but he commits suicide one "one calm
Night."
Although it is written by an American poet and set in an American town, connotation is used to
suggest a noble, royal image of Richard Cory. His name, Richard, is the name of many kings. Also,
Richard contains the word "rich," which suggests his wealth. There are many other royal
connotations and images in this poem including: "sole to crown," "imperially slim," and "schooled
in every grace."Crown, imperially and grace all suggest royalty. Robinson uses denotation, or the use
of words for the exact meaning to emphasize this image of Richard Cory being local royalty. Richard
Cory was a rich, well– educated man.

Isolation In Richard Cory, By Edwin Robinson
Edwin Robinson was an American poet during the twentieth century. His intense dedication to his
poetry allowed him to be considered one of the most unique American Poets of all time. Through his
short poem Richard Cory, Robinson demonstrates his undeniable skill that is his poetry. On his
incongruous portrayal of a quiet man that is admired by many, Richard Cory manages to entertain
the reader as well as leave them overwhelmed with confusion. Robinson's usage of theme, point of
view, and tone allows the short poem to have quite an astonishing effect upon the audience. Isolation
is a something that no one can ignore– or better yet control. Everyone at some point in their life
experiences isolation that can be unforgiving. By focusing on the universal theme of isolation,
Robinson constructs an importance. Although Richard Cory is ВЁricher than a king" and
"glittered when he walkedВЁ, he is immersed in constant isolation from the others around him.
Because of his exceptional praise and riches, one would expect Richard to be a reserved and happy
individual, but this is wrong. It is obvious that he is dealing with eternal pain. Richard's lack of
emotional representation throughout the poem adds in conclusion that he is suffering from
isolation. The point of view is crucial for any situation, whether it be someone else's or your own.
Robinson's usage of first person point of view limits the audience to only know the world that is
being illustrated by the narrator. This then allows

Essay about Richard Cory, Poetry Explication
Explication of Richard Cory
The poem "Richard Cory" by Edwin Arlington Robinson is a poem written about the town
aristocrat named Richard Cory. It is written with four quatrain stanzas with a rhyme scheme of a, b,
a, b, for each stanza. The poet's use of hyperboles and regal comparisons when describing Richard
Cory help to elevate him above the townspeople, and his nonchalant mentioning of Cory's suicide
leaves the reader in a state of shock. The first stanza of the poem introduces Richard Cory as a
respected man of town. The second line uses the words "we people", implying that the townspeople
recognized themselves as being on a different level than Cory. Describing them as being "on the
pavement" gives the visual imagine of...show more content...
The third stanza talks more of Cory being great, and actually compares him to a king. In line 9
Robinson uses a hyperbole in saying that Cory was "richer than a king." Lines 11 and 12 are the
interesting lines in this stanza, as it tells how the townspeople "thought that he was everything" and
wished "that we were in his place." It is the townspeople thinking Cory was everything and wishing
they were him without actually knowing him that leads to the conclusion in stanza four. The fourth
stanza holds the shocking conclusion to this poem. It begins normal enough, showing the
townspeople once again being below Cory. Saying that they went without meat and "cursed the
bread" literally means they could only afford bread. Line fifteen describes the night as "one calm
summer night." This sets a nice tone of calmness and relaxing, which is offset by line seventeen
where Richard Cory "put a bullet through his head." This poem is about a man who was so
revered by the town that he was put on a pedestal of his own, but unfortunately was on that pedestal
alone. Everything leading up to the last line seems fine, in fact even the second to last line still does
not hint that anything is wrong. The poet does this to show that the rest of the town new nothing of
who the real Richard Cory was, otherwise they would have noticed something was wrong. The
message this poem gets across is that

Richard Cory Essay
In Edwin Arlington Robinson's poem "Richard Cory," the narrator depicts a man who appears to
have it all: wealth, looks, and charm. The narrator also explains that the entire town admires and
aspires to be Richard Cory. However, everything was not as perfect in Richard Cory's life as it
seemed; at the end of the poem, the narrator describes how one summer night Richard Cory took his
own life by shooting himself in the head. Because Edwin Arlington Robinson dotes on Richard Cory,
the audience is shocked by the end of the poem when Cory takes his own life. Robinson utilizes
word choice to elevate Richard Cory to a status above the rest of the town, establish that he has
everything, and construct the idea that the townspeople admire and envy...show more content...
For example, the narrator explains that "whenever Richard Cory went down town, / we people on
the pavement looked at him" (Robinson 1–2). Robinson's word choice depicts how Cory's status is
above the rest of the town, and how the townspeople admire and envy him; due to this phrase, the
audience is shocked when Cory commits suicide because his life appears to be perfect to the town.
To explain, although Cory was miserable, "the townspeople wished they were in his place because
of his wealth" (Scheick). Because the town envies Cory and wishes to be him, Robinson is able to
shock the audience by the ghastly ending to his poem. Also, due to his word choice of how the
townspeople react to Cory, Robinson is able to further shock the audience. To explain, the narrator
describes that the townspeople "thought that [Richard Cory] was everything/ to make us wish that
we were in his place" (Robinson 11–12). The audience is shocked when Cory takes his own life due
to Robinson's word choice pertaining to how the townspeople admire and envy Richard Cory.
Because Robinson utilizes word choice to display Cory's perceived status above the townspeople
and the admiration they felt towards him, the audience is further shocked by Cory's

Richard Cory
Explication It is the juxtaposition of this old, highly rigid, formulated, classical style with this
very modern, personal subject matter that continues to intrigue readers of Robinson's works to
this day. This next poem, considered by some to be Robinson's finest work, is a perfect example
of this conflict of form and content, and how it melds to form Robinson's singular poetic style.
"Richard Cory" Whenever Richard Cory went down town, We people on the pavement looked at
him: He was a gentleman from head to crown, Clean favored, and imperially slim. And he was
always quietly arrayed, And he was always human when he...show more content...
In the narrator's eye's, Cory continues to be the perfect, polite gentleman, as he was "always
human when he talked.". Cory was certainly not the picture of a snobbish or rude man. Cory was
also a very popular fellow, as he "fluttered pulses" with a simple "Good–morning". Add that he
"glittered when he walked.", and Cory is an impressive social figure indeed. In the third stanza,
the narrator's picture of Richard Cory's perfect life is completed, as the narrator goes on to tell us
about Cory's financial success and his refined nature. Cory is described as "richer than a king"
and "schooled in every grace." To finish this wonderful picture of this wonderful man the narrator
simply says, "we thought that he was everything / To make us wish that we were in his place."
However, the poem takes a sudden, dark twist in the last stanza. Robinson does this by first
revealing a little more about the narrator. In the first two lines of the fourth stanza, the narrator
says: "So on we worked, and waited for the light/ And went without meat and cursed the bread . . .
." This is obviously a reference to the narrator's own poor financial and social state. For the
narrator, work is a place of darkness and hardship where you simple "wait for the light." For the
narrator, there is no meat to eat at dinner–time, and after so many meals without it, you begin to
curse the cheap bread that you do have to

Richard Cory
Success doesn't always lead to a happy ending in life. In the poem Richard Cory, by Edwin
Arlington Robinson, a rich man gets a sense jealousy when walking down town and passing people
who are far less fortunate than him. This entire poem portrays human irony, such that Richard Cory
ends up committing suicide even though he had everything. In the poem it states, "And he was
rich–yes, richer than a king." One must raise the question that if Richard is being compared to a
king from a wealth standpoint than why would he give up everything that he had and pull the
trigger. As Richard was walking down the street it was clear that Richard was being put on a
pedestal. He felt the distance separated from the people downtown as he was walking down the
street in the poem it stated, "We...show more content...
In the poem it states, "always human when he talked." This quote is talking about Richard and
how he believed that it doesn't matter how poor or how rich a person is, every single person
deserves the same kind of respect. The word, "Always," is used in consecutive lines in stanza two,
mainly to point out the truths of how Richard is not the same as a typical cocky rich man in terms
of his attitude, but rather a genuinely loving person when he said, "Good–morning, and he glittered
when he walked." It is hard for Richard to not have these people to hate him because they all envy
his lifestyle, but the people do cut him some slack by saying about him that he is, "Admirably
schooled in every grace." Richard was the ideal person who everyone always hoped to be like one
day. Edwin Robinson quoted in his poem, "So on we worked, and waited for the light, and went
without the meat, and cursed the bread." The less fortunate could at least stay together and push
each other by providing support through all of their hardships. Richard seemed lost within himself
and living without a meaning of other people in his

Richard Cory Essay
The poem Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington Robinson illuminated the stark barriers between social
classes. It focused on a wealthy man, Richard Cory, who committed suicide, and was narrated by one
of the townspeople in third–person. Although, Robinson waited till the closing line to reveal Cory's
demise, and failed to elaborate further. This tactic allowed the reader to interpret the poem in their
own perspective; to understand how Robinson accomplished this, one must first analyze the poem
line by line. Richard Cory was perceived to be the man who had it all by the townspeople–he ate
meat while they ate bread, he dressed to impress while they dressed in hand–me–downs, and he was
rich, "richer than a king" (line 9). The citizens of the town did not view him as an equal, instead,
they admired him, which was implied when Robinson wrote, "We people on the pavement looked at
him"; it also indicated the narrator was a lower–class citizen with the pronoun [we] (line 2).
Additionally, Robinson never described the outward appearance of the citizens, yet when the narrator
said Cory was,...show more content...
In this stanza, the author highlighted how impoverished and unsatisfied the citizens were; then
calmly depicted Richard Cory's suicide–as if it was foreshadowed; in fact, the reader believed this
was Robinson's way of trying to say, "hey, you cannot judge a book by its cover, next time look
deeper." Overall, the poem's message stressed how one's internal conflicts are often cloaked by
outward fallacies–like a suit of armor and primarily focused on the hardships of the townspeople.
Although in the end, Richard Cory, the vision of perfection, was the one who put a bullet through his

Richard Cory, by Edwin Arlington Robinson Essay
The narrator in "Richard Cory" by Edwin Arlington Robinson is a low class working citizen telling
the reader, in detail, about a distinguished gentleman named Richard Cory who eventually "put a
bullet through his head." Almost everyone, including the narrator, would stare at him with awe
every time they saw him. He was "imperially slim"(4), always charismatic and well–dressed. He was
extremely courteous and polite. He would please everyone's heart with a simple "Good Morning."
Then the narrator soon explains that on "one calm summer night" he executes himself by putting a
gun to his head. When I first read the poem, I thought it told the story of a young man and his riches.
After about my third or fourth reading, I realized this poem is...show more content...
When the poem read, "he was always human when he talked," I did not quite understand. Soon
afterward, I realized the author meant Richard Cory was not a conceited or arrogant man; he was a
friendly man. I could imagine him being the brightest thing on the street when I comprehended "he
glittered when he walked." I realized that Richard Cory was more than just a rich man.
"...Yes richer than a king," the third stanza states. At first reading, I thought, "This man must have
money growing on trees!" Resulting from another reading, I came to the conclusion that maybe the
narrator just couldn't picture someone having so much money and might have exaggerated to show
how much wealthier Richard Cory was than most people. As the people in line 11, I can certainly
relate to thinking that a particular person "was everything."
After finishing line 13, I did not entirely understand what was meant by "the light." Did it signify
daylight or symbolize a rescuer from the life they were living? The final stanza ended by telling the
reader how Richard Cory went home one night and shot himself in the head. I found it kind of
selfish that Richard Cory––a man who could afford to eat at a fancy restaurant

Richard Cory
Edwin Arlington Robinson's "Richard Cory" contrasts the discontented, frustrated lives of small
town people with the seemingly successful and wealthy existence of their hero, Richard Cory. As
the ordinary men compare their daily grind of denial with the glitter of Cory's world, they envy
him. But, as the poem reveals, their envy is foolish. For Richard Cory's final action reveals a
different person from the townspeople's image of him, a person who has been suffering in secret.
The poem's final lines indicate that people who are caught up in their own pain fail to see the
anguish in others.
The poem begins by describing Cory as he appears to others. The speaker of "Richard Cory" speaks
for the people of a small town, and he begins by describing...show more content...
There is, for example, the repetition of the "p" of, "we people of the pavement" which connects the
speaker to the streets. There is much use of the "w" and "th" sounds in lines such as, "In fine, we
thought he was everything/To make us wish that we were in his place." Through such sound
devices, as well as through sight imagery, symbols and images, the poet enhances his contrast
between a town's illusions and its sudden awakening to reality.
The style of "Richard Cory" expresses the poem's meaning simply and clearly. The language is easily
understood and the sentence structure uncomplicated. Robinson also uses the first person point of
view so the reader participates in the poem as one of the townspeople, thus emphasizing the irony of
the ending couplet even more.
Conveying its ironic message through simple language, "Richard Cory" is an effective poem. It
expresses an emotion that many of us feel: envy for those we think lead happier lives that we do.
And it reveals the foolishness of such envy and the secret pain and sorrow in an individual's

Critical Analysis Of Richard Cory
The poem "Richard Cory" is Robinson's famous poem about a man named Richard Cory who was
outwardly wealthy and admirable to many. The poem adopts an overly narrative style. Through
this style, the poet is able to detail of the life and timesof Robinson Cory as a loner of the upper
social class in America. It is a tale of internal conflict and dissatisfaction experienced by a man
who everybody admired. The personadescribes him using finest terms such as 'gentleman' to
denote of how people of the lower and middle social class viewed him. In the opening stanza,
Richard is regarded as being a "gentleman from sole to crown" (Robinson n. p). The statement
means that every aspect of his life seemed perfect in the eyes of his neighbors. This...show more
content...
He likened his life to that of a king, in fact, better than that of a king. The persona says "And he was
rich–yes, richer than a king–" (Robinson n. p). The other thing that is overly admirable about the
persona's admiration of Richard Cory is how he describes his mannerism. The people of the
lower social class admired to be like Richard Cory as they believed that he had everything. In the
third stanza, the persona says "In fine, we thought that he had everything" (Robinson n. p). The
poem, Richard Cory is a perfect definition of how outward looks can deceive one into believing
something that is not actually true. For instance, everybody was sure that Cory's life was perfect.
Unfortunately, that was not the case. No one was aware of his inner struggles until when he
shoots himself dead. Everybody is astonished by this act. They cannot understand how a man
with everything that anyone could strive to have decided to put an end to his life and leave all
these luxuries. The poet uses a host of stylistic devices in the poem. First, the poem adopts an
overly narrative style where the story of the life of Richard Cory and how he shoots himself is told
from a second person perspective. The other important stylistic device that everyone could note was
the use of irony. It is ironical for that a man who everybody admired shoots himself. The poem
refutes the belief that wealth and happiness cannot be divorced

Richard Cory Essay

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Richard Cory Essay