Poetry Analysis

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Richard Cory

Original Poetry

Translation

Whenever Richard Cory went downtown,

Whenever Richard Cory went to town,

We people on the pavement looked at him;

We people on the sidewalk watched him;

He was a gentleman from sole to crown,

He was a gentleman from head to toe,

Clean favored, and imperially slim.

Well-liked and elegantly thin.

And he was always quietly arrayed,

And he was always dressed simply,

And he was always human when he talked;

And he was always friendly when he spoke;

But still he fluttered pulses when he said,

But still he made hearts beat faster when he said,

‘Good-morning,’ and he glittered when he walked. And he was rich - yes, richer than a king ---

‘Good-morning,’ and he shone when he walked.

And admirably schooled in every grace:

And he was wealthy - yes, wealthier than a king ---

In fine, we thought that he was everything

And perfectly trained in every grace:

To make us wish that we were in his place.

In short, we thought he was everything

So on we worked, and waited for the light,

To make us wish we were in his position.

And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;

So we kept working, hoping for better times,

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,

And went without meat, and complained about the bread;

Went home and put a bullet through his head.

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,

Edwin Arlington Robinson

Went home and shot himself in the head.

Explanation

The poem 'Richard Cory' by Edwin Arlington Robinson tells the story of a man who appears to have everything: wealth, education, and grace. The townspeople admire him and envy his seemingly perfect life. However, the poem takes a dark turn when it reveals that Richard Cory, despite his outward success, is deeply unhappy and ends his own life. This narrative challenges the assumption that wealth and status bring happiness, highlighting the hidden struggles that individuals may face regardless of their outward appearance. The poem uses simple language and a straightforward narrative to convey a powerful message about the human condition and the dangers of envy and assumptions.

Word Dictionary10

Word	In English	Plain (English)	Pron.
gentleman	polite man	a kind and polite man	jen-tl-muhn
crown	top of the head	the top of the head	kroun
imperially	royally	like a king or queen	im-peer-ee-uh-lee
arrayed	dressed	dressed in a certain way	uh-reyd
fluttered	moved quickly	made people excited or nervous	fluht-erd
glittered	shone	shone brightly	glit-erd
admirably	impressively	in a way that people admire	ad-muh-ruh-blee
grace	elegance	simple elegance	greys
cursed	complained	complained angrily	kurst
bullet	projectile	a small metal piece shot from a gun	bool-it

Poet & Context

PoetEdwin Arlington Robinson

EraLate 19th to early 20th century

Edwin Arlington Robinson was an American poet known for his short, dramatic poems about the lives of ordinary people. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry three times and was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature four times.

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When1897

WhyThe poem reflects on the disparity between outward appearances and internal realities, challenging the notion that wealth and status equate to happiness. It was written during a time when economic disparity was a significant issue in America.

FormNarrative poem

Themes & More

Themes

Appearances vs. RealityWealth and HappinessIsolationDespair

Literary devices

Irony: The poem uses irony to contrast Richard Cory's outward appearance with his inner despair.Imagery: Vivid descriptions of Richard Cory's appearance and demeanor create a strong visual image.Symbolism: Richard Cory symbolizes the idealized image of success and the hidden struggles behind it.Contrast: The poem contrasts the townspeople's perception of Cory with the reality of his life.