Interpretation of Richard Cory, by Edwin Arlington Robinson Essay

The speaker of the poem recounts that Richard Cory was a “gentleman from sole to crown, clean favored, and imperially slim” and that he was “richer than a king”. The words “crown”, “imperially”, and “king” hints that people viewed Richard Cory as a man of high status and royalty. Even though he was a man who was unlike any other, “he was always human when

Richard Cory and Miniver Cheevy, both are shunned from society neither having any real friends. Richard Cory is admired by his peers, whereas, Miniver Cheevy is different; people did not look up on him. One man giving the impression to have everything takes his own life, while the other had nothing accepts his misery. For Richard Cory, the saying money cannot buy happiness, could not be more appropriate. He is, according to the people of the town, the man with everything. “Whenever Richard Cory went down town, We people on the pavement looked at him: He was a gentleman from sole to crown, Clean favored, and imperially slim.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” is a saying that most people have heard since they were young, but this saying can also be applied to people just as well. One cannot judge another just by looks, and if one does, the assumptions made are most likely wrong. In Robinson’s “Richard Cory,” Richard Cory is envied by the poor because he is rich and has everything he could possibly want, or at least that what they think. To the common people he seems to be happy and kind, and everything in his life must be perfect. But the common people only envy Richard Cory because of their assumptions. By the end of the poem the people learn that his life must have not have been all that it seemed to be because he ended up committing suicide. Even when someone has everything in life, like power and wealth, and they seem happy, they might not be happy with their life because if they already have everything, there’s nothing to live for or to work for. It shows that people can’t be judged by what they look like or what they show you just to be polite. This poem shows that a person’s personality and character cannot be judged just by what they look like, and most assumptions made of a person shouldn’t be based on first impressions because they don’t do people justice to who

Richard Cory written by Edwin Robinson was taken from the point of view of the townspeople around him. They make him out to be this rich, happy, and admirable man. “In fine, we thought that he was everything. To make us wish that we were in his place.” To everyone in the town, he seemed like a great guy; someone everyone wanted to be. They distanced themselves from him though, put him on a pedestal. The town says

“Richard Cory” written by Edwin Arlington Robinson is about a man who appears to be admirable on the exterior but no one is familiar with his interior, which is suffering badly. The narrator talks Richard Cory up by stating, he was "richer than a king,"(line 9) "admirably schooled,"(line 10) "we thought that he was everything to make us wish that we were in his place."(lines 11-12) Until an abrupt ending to the poem, "one calm summer night, went home and put a bullet through his head."(lines 15-16) This poem makes one think about true happiness and what it entails. From the outside one may appear to have everything but happiness does not come from wealth, it comes from within ones self and the narrator didn't take the time to really get to

The poem had been made up of three stanzas describe the subject and the fourth stanza which give the reader a shock with Cory’s act of suicide. The poem contain the use of rich languages. The narrator doesn’t used rhythmical devices, no simile, no symbolism, and no metaphor but contains rich words with character. “Went down town” indicate a different neighborhood, he seems to live in a wealthy neighborhood. The main characteristic of this poem is the differences between the wealthy and the less-well-off. There is a distinction that shows the comparison between “Us” and “Him”. “We people on the pavement looked at him” shows clearly the comparison between the lower class and the upper class. This poem shows a sensory experience rather than vivid image that you can visualize. I think this poem is trying to show is that money is not everything, you may be wealthy but you are lonely and sad or even sick. Richard Cory seems that he doesn’t show his emotions and at the some point he couldn’t hold it and decided to end his life. What we can take from this poem is that appearance is deceiving but looking at the picture closely we can find much more than we think. It rhythm flows, it shows the human characteristic and express all this while being literal without any metaphor or

While reading the poems “Richard Cory” and “Ezra Farmer”, it is almost immediately evident which poem is an original and which is a parody. Both poems are clearly about men that are popular among those he meets, but once the reader looks beneath the surface, they notice how the diction plays an important role in relaying the theme to the audience it is presented to. In the poem “Richard Cory” written by Edwin Arlington Robinson, the theme being portrayed is that people are not always as how they seem.

In 1897, Edwin Arlington Robinson composed the poem Richard Cory. The important message of the poem was beneficial to readers centuries ago and is equally as valuable today. Robinson does a great job of utilizing various literary devices to convey this knowledge and enhance the pleasure of the reading. The superficial appearance of an individual does not define their reality.

Robinson gives a physical description of Richard Cory as "Clean favored, and imperially slim." While this seems to be physical, many symbolic issues of wealth are expressed through this line. Cory is once again given a description of royalty by being called "imperially slim" and by also being "clean favored" he seems he may be above all else or at least that aura was personified. In Simon's poem, rather than royal traits, Cory is given characteristics of being "everything a man could want: power, grace, and style." These traits move from a regal standpoint, to one usually associated with famous, sophisticated people. This repositioning of the American Dream is apparent after evaluating the way wealth transformed the way the public viewed Richard Cory.

Imagery was seen throughout the poem due to the way words were placed by Robinson. Edwin Robinson includes the statement, “Whenever Richard Cory went down town, We people on the pavement looked at him” (Robinson, Line 1-2). As the audience reads those lines, it is as if they imagine a celebrity walking the streets and people admiring the celebrity. Robinson includes this perspective because he wants us to imagine the altitude of the effects as the man was walking being admired. In addition, he also states that

The poem “Richard Cory” is a description and story of a man named Richard Cory, of course. The speaker of the poem is an impoverished, blue-collar

He tried to speak to the people on the pavement however “he fluttered pulses when he said ‘Good Morning”. The people on the pavement put Richard Cory on a pedestal and therefore could not speak to him. They envied him and hated him they wanted his life so easy, so simple, and so happy. They continued to work and hope that one day they too could be as rich and as happy as Richard Cory, hating him even more everyday they “went without meat”. Then “Richard Cory, one calm summer night, went home and put a bullet through his head”. One calm summer night implies there was nothing special or unusual about that particular night, it was the same as any other and yet the town’s god/outcast, commits suicide, for apparently no reason. Robinson gives no insight into Cory’s mind, we can only assume he was so miserable that he could not bear to go another day, with the people on the pavement looking at him and hating him more and more.

Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington Robinson represents a life we all strive to achieve. The narrator describes Cory as, “Richer than a King”, “gentleman from sole to crown”. Richard Cory not only possess the wealth, his characteristic of being a gentleman makes him even more admirable. The narrator also views Richard Cory’s life as exemplary and states, “In, fine we thought that he was everything to make us wish that we were in his place”. However, as the poem comes to an end Cory commits suicide showcasing the irony that wealth does not bring happiness as so many of us often believe it will. This story relates to the American dream because we constantly strive to achieve a better life with a career, jobs, good finance and happiness. To

For good reason, I believe Robinson wants the reader to reflect that when Richard Cory died, he was probably a very lonely and sad man. A supporting fact of this would be the lack of relationships in any form throughout the poem. With no lover, no family, and no friends, it could be assumed as one factor in the decision making to end his life. It can also be assumed Richard Cory appears to keep all of his emotions hidden from the rest of the world through his everyday routine. (Richard Cory - Analysis) I connect this as Richard Cory was living a lie every day he was hiding his humanly need for relationships. “Whenever Richard Cory went down town” (Robinson, Richard Cory) more than likely the only form of socializing he had. He was alone and unhappy and was going down town greeting the townspeople. This why Richard Cory “went home and put a bullet through his head” (Robinson, Richard Cory) he could no longer live a lie and committed suicide. “I shall have more to say when I am dead” (Robinson, Inspiring Quotes ), Robinson was trying to connect that companionship is essential to all people. Robinson was trying to ensure that although money can make a person happy, they may grow tired of it over time. When you become very used to one thing over time, it may begin to matter less and less. (Richard Cory -