Richard Cory - Analysis

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 his need for relationships if he had the need. Robinson may also have been trying to communicate 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. People that are not as well off as others should not measure happiness by just dollars and cents. There is a much larger picture of personal happiness that should be addressed and maintained so that personal health and welfare are sustained. I think Robinson wants the reader to think that when Richard Cory died, he was probably a very lonely and sad man. A supporting fact of this would be the absence of relationships in any form through out the poem. With no lover, no family, and no friends, it could be understood as one factor in the decision making of Richard. 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