Learn about the themes of Edwin Arlington Robinson's poem ''Richard Cory.'' Review an analysis of the poem, its rhyme scheme and meter, and its use of epiphany.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Richard Cory by Edwin Robinson | Themes & Analysis
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the message or lesson of the poem "Richard Cory"?
In "Richard Cory" by Edwin Arlington Robinson, the theme of wealth and status leads to the message that things, such as riches and high social status, do not ensure happiness.
Why did Richard Cory put a bullet through his head?
In the poem "Richard Cory," any analysis or speculation about why Richard Cory died by suicide points to loneliness or emptiness, but the real reason remains unknown.
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ShowEdwin Arlington Robinson was an American poet and son of a wealthy merchant in New England. He wanted to pursue his literary talents, but his father preferred he get an education in business. After starting school at Harvard, Robinson sent poems for publication but was promptly turned down by various magazines and newspapers. He then decided to self-publish his poems instead.
Robinson became an important poet of the 20th century, winning the first Pulitzer Prize ever awarded to poetry for his book Collected Poems. He won his second Pulitzer Prize in 1924, with his poetry collection titled The Man Who Died Twice and a third Pulitzer Prize for his poem Tristram in 1927.
Robinson was well known for his poetry and it's the only genre he ever wrote in during his lifetime. He was devoted to poetry. Robinson published several manuscripts and was nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature.
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One of the most well-known pieces written by Edwin Arlington Robinson is the poem "Richard Cory."
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.
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.
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.
So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.
In summary, "Richard Cory" is a poem about a man who walks around town and looks like he has it all, such as money and good looks. He always seems happy and the people in town are always glad to see him, even though they envy him. One night, however, Richard Cory dies by suicide. Those that live in the town are taken aback and wonder why he did it when it seemed like he had everything in the world. They assumed he was happy, but just because it looks like someone "should" be happy, it doesn't mean they are.
In literature, an epiphany is a moment when a character comes to some sort of realization or awareness, and the events following are seen in a different light. In ''Richard Cory,'' the epiphany is achieved at the end, when the speaker reveals Richard Cory's death by suicide, effectively challenging assumptions and proving that outward appearances are not necessarily indicative of inner thoughts or emotions.
"Richard Cory" consists of four-line stanzas that follow an ABAB rhyme scheme. There is also a sense of momentum due to each stanza forming a complete sentence.
The poem's meter is iambic pentameter. Iambic pentameter consists of five iambs (two-syllable feet with an accent on the second syllable) or 10 syllable lines with an accent on every other syllable. It sets a nice pace.
Using this rhyme and meter creates a sense of predictability that is shattered in the final two lines. The turn of events is startling.
In the poem, there is also a sharp contrast between those living in poverty and those who do not. "We people on the pavement" shows the geographical separation between Cory and the people "down town." Those living downtown admire Cory and wish they had what he had, which reveals that they do not have much.
Cory's wealth seems to be beyond measure; he "glittered" and was "richer than a king." He is described in royal terms, while the people living downtown have to go "without the meat" and can only afford to eat bread.
Yet everything Cory had could not shield him from his pain.
"Richard Cory" Theme
There are several themes present in this poem. "Richard Cory" themes include:
- External Appearance - Instead of being seen as a neighbor or a friend, Cory represents what everyone in the community wants for themselves. The envy and admiration they show towards him stems from how he looks on the outside, such as his face and his clothing.
- Internal Life - Envy and admiration did not allow the community to get to know Cory as a human or to understand any of his personal pain through empathy. Consequently, they were unprepared for his death and also missed any opportunity to prevent it.
- Psychological Trauma - The truth about what drives Cory to complete suicide is never mentioned, but is not needed because the point of the poem is that no matter how well-off a person is, no one can be understood based on appearances alone.
- Class - The emphasis on Cory's good looks and money, as well as the comparison of his wealth to the poverty of the community, stresses the moral that money does not guarantee happiness. Those in the poverty community will continue to live their lives; Cory will not.
In this poem, Robinson utilizes juxtaposition. In literature, a juxtaposition is when an author places two dissimilar things side by side as a way of showcasing their differences. There is the juxtaposition between those living in poverty and those who do not, between the serenity of "one calm summer night" and Richard Cory's death by suicide, and the external appearance in contrast to the internal turmoil.
"Richard Cory" Analysis
The "Richard Cory" poem showcases the difference between reality and perception. The poem warns not to judge a person by their appearance, especially since it is not known what is going on inside their head or what burdens they carry.
One "Richard Cory" analysis places this poem into the genre of American Literary Modernism because it deals with disillusionment, which is the disappointment one feels after discovering that something is not as good as they thought it would be. Like other Modernist pieces, Romantic language is used to describe Cory ("glittered" and "like a king"), but the last line shows the disillusionment of the society towards Richard Cory. Not only are the perceptions of the other characters in the poem shattered, but also that of the reader's.
Another "Richard Cory" analysis of the time period reveals this poem was written in 1897, during the economic depression following the Panic of 1893. There were many people who wanted to die by suicide because of how hard life had gotten, and it was not just those living in poverty either.
The main point is that wealth and status do not guarantee happiness for anyone. Sometimes those that travel by fortune's road may carry the heaviest load.
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"Richard Cory" is a poem written by Pulitzer Prize winner Edwin Arlington Robinson. It is about a man named Richard Cory who seemingly has it all. He is described in royal terms but ultimately takes his own life. The iambic pentameter in the poem, which is 10 syllables long and is accented on every second beat, serves to set the pace of the poem. There are also a few uses of juxtaposition, which is when an author places two dissimilar things side by side as a way of showcasing their differences. There is the juxtaposition of those who live in poverty and those who do not, also the serenity of "one calm summer night" juxtaposed with Richard Cory's death, and external appearance contrasted with internal turmoil.
The message of the poem is to not judge others based only on appearances, for there is no way to know what burdens they carry. Understanding this helps bring the reader closer to Richard Cory, to the struggles he may have faced, and what struggles the reader may face as well.
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Video Transcript
Edwin Arlington Robinson
Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869-1935) was a major 20th-century American poet and three-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. Beginning with his first collection, The Torrent and The Night Before, Robinson established himself as a poet deeply rooted in tradition, exploring themes related to artistic pursuit, the certainty of change, individual failures, and materialism, as evidenced in his short poem ''Richard Cory.''
Synopsis
The subject of the poem is the title character, Richard Cory. The poem's narrator notes how the character moves through town while the 'people on the pavement' watch him. The narrator or townspeople notice the admirable ways Cory dresses (''a gentleman from sole to crown'' / and ''clean favored''); how he talks to people (''human when he talked''); how makes people feel (''fluttered pulses when he said 'good morning' ''); and even seems to exist (''admirably schooled in every grace'').
The townspeople even long to be Richard Cory as conveyed through lines ''we thought that he was everything / To make us wish that we were in his place.'' But, when the glorified Richard Cory shoots himself in the head in the last two lines of the poem, would those same townspeople be willing to take his place?
Analysis
The form the poet uses in ''Richard Cory'' opens the door to exploring the themes in this piece. The poem uses four-line stanzas with a consistent end rhyme scheme where every other line rhymes (ABAB CDCD…). The meter consists of a specific pattern called iambic pentameter, made popular by William Shakespeare. This meter consists of a foot with two syllables, an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. There are five of these feet per line (penta = five), and this downbeat and upbeat pattern provides the poem with a rolling cadence. This approach lulls the reader into complacency which is ultimately disrupted by the gunshot in the last lines of the poem.
This shock ending creates a juxtaposition, whereby two things placed together with opposite effect, between the beginning and the end of this poem. Although initially described as being admirable in every way, Richard Cory's suicide suggests that there's a deeper, more conflicted side of the title character leaving the reader to question who he really was and what was going on inside his head that encouraged him to take his own life.
Themes
The surprise ending ''Richard Cory'' leads to a deeper understanding of the two themes, or recurring ideas, namely isolation and differing perspectives. There is a marked distance between the narrator who speaks for the townspeople and Richard Cory. While the narrator describes him positively, there's no mention of friends, social connections, or a special person. Cory seems to interact in passing, yet remains distant from the townspeople, a feeling of separateness that comes to a breaking point in the last lines of the poem.
The theme of isolation relates to the theme of differing perspectives. In each situation, different people may have unique takes on what and why something happened. Throughout the day, it can be difficult to avoid remaining focused on one's own life and problems instead of truly empathizing with the lives of others. The lack of empathy coupled with dissatisfaction can lead people thinking the ''grass is always greener on the other side.''
Whereas Richard Cory is described in royal terms, including ''imperially slim,'' ''richer than a king,'' and ''sole to crown,'' the townspeople had to forego eating meat and make do with bland bread. Ultimately, this superficial separation between Cory and the townspeople results in their unawareness of whatever hardships he had to endure that were severe enough for him to take his own life.
Lesson Summary
Let's review. ''Richard Cory,'' a short poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson, provides readers with a glimpse of a seemingly enviable man who shockingly takes his own life. The meter consists of a specific pattern called iambic pentameter, which consists of a foot with two syllables and an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. The poem's shocking ending creates a juxtaposition, whereby two things are placed together with an opposite effect. Themes of isolation and differing perspectives bring us closer to understanding what Richard Cory may have endured and what struggles we may find challenging in our own lives.
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Richard Cory by Edwin Robinson | Themes & Analysis
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