Richard Cory Poem Analysis

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The poem “Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson is about the tragic death of a wealthy idolized man. Robinson uses the irony of a man that seems to have the perfect life, to show us the reality that all is not what it seems. It is not the actual suicide that is the subject of the poem, but the idea that outward appearances may not always reflect what is going on inside, and that money may buy fame and admiration but not true happiness. Through the poem, it never hints or shows any relationship Richard Cory may have made. There is nothing mentioned about family, friends, or even a lover ,and from seeing this, we may get the intention that Robinson is saying that companionship is essential to mankind. Richard Cory had been hiding his sadness and need for relationships. He is trying to maintain a strong image. It may be fooling other people but it doesn't fool himself.

In the first stanza, the third and fourth lines are the first to describe Richard Cory. “He was a gentleman from sole to crown”, and which implies that he is of much higher socio-economic class vs. just simply saying “a man”. The use of the word "crown” gives the reader a picture of someone noble and regal. Robinson reinforces that image of a magestic royal figure by follwing that with the use of the word "imperially". The reader now has a picture in their mind of a man who could easily be a king. Robinson takes that image and carries it into the next stanza by saying he is richer than a king. The poem begins with a mention of richard Cory going downtown and "we people" are mentioned. There is a feeling right from the stark that we have a drastic contrast in social status. The common folk and the well loved, rich, noble man.

The reader begins to depict a scenic downtown with its two different class settings: the wealthy part of downtown where charity balls, political fundraisers, and fancy restaurants are and the lower class part where there are many apartment buildings, city workers and homeless lurking about. When picturing these two factors its makes the reader better understand the next line that is “We people on the pavement looked at him”. Since we already know that Richard Cory is wealthy as wealthy can be, he must be attending of the “higher” part of downtown rather then the lower section, and thus we can infer that “We” the people looking at Richard, are only wistfully wishing that they could be like him and attend the same balls and command the same respect and wear the same clothing.

The fact that he puts a bullet into his head, shatters the image of the perfect life and leaves the reader to wonder why. Maybe things are not so perfect. Maybe the clothing and money and status wasn't enough. Maybe Richard Cory was just a struggling human, just like the people watching him. Robinson leaves the reader to wonder why. Perhaps suggesting that life is all too fragile and that image is just that, image.