The Deceptive Allure in Richard Cory

April 20, 2024

Richard cory image — Richard Cory A man envied and admired DALLE-2

The poem “Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson indeed presents a sugarcoated bittersweet narrative. On the surface, it paints a picture of a man who is the epitome of success and grace, admired by all. The townspeople see Richard Cory as a figure of wealth and status, someone who possesses all the attributes that they desire: elegance, richness, and respectability¹. The poem’s structure, with its straightforward ABAB rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter, adds to the seemingly simple and pleasant veneer².

However, the poem’s final line delivers a shocking twist: despite his outward appearance of having everything, Richard Cory goes home and takes his own life¹. This abrupt conclusion serves as a poignant reminder that appearances can be deceiving and that material wealth and social status do not guarantee happiness¹. The poem’s bittersweet nature lies in this contrast between the townspeople’s perception of Cory and the reality of his inner turmoil.

Robinson’s poem is a comme

ntary on the human tendency to envy others based onsuperficial qualities without understanding their true circumstances. It also touches on themes of isolation and the inability of wealth to buy happiness, which were relevant to the economic depressions of the 1890s when the poem was written and remain resonant today¹.

In essence, “Richard Cory” is a narrative wrapped in a “sugarcoating” of rhythmic verses and rhyme, which ultimately reveals a bitter truth about the human condition and the fallacy of judging by appearances.

Moreover,

Certainly! Let’s delve deeper into the poem “Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson, using evidence from the text to support the analysis.

The poem’s structure is deceptively simple, consisting of four quatrains with an ABAB rhyme scheme and written in iambic pentameter¹. This regularity in form contrasts sharply with the unsettling content, particularly the poem’s conclusion. The consistent rhythm and rhyme lull the reader into a sense of comfort, only to be disrupted by the poem’s tragic twist.

In the first stanza, the townspeople’s admiration for Richard Cory is established through their observations:

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.

These lines depict Cory as a man of distinction, “a gentleman from sole to crown,” suggesting a completeness to his gentlemanly nature². The use of “imperially slim” implies a regal and commanding presence, further elevating Cory in the eyes of the townspeople¹.

The second stanza continues to build on Cory’s admirable qualities:

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.

Here, the phrase “quietly arrayed” indicates a sense of modesty in his appearance, despite his wealth². The fact that he was “always human when he talked” suggests approachability and warmth². Yet, his mere greeting could “flutter pulses,” indicating the profound effect he had on others².

The third stanza emphasizes the envy the townspeople felt towards Cory:

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.

The comparison to a king highlights the extent of Cory’s wealth and the grace with which he carried himself¹. The collective “we” of the townspeople envied him, believing he embodied the ideal life¹.

However, the final stanza reveals the stark contrast between appearance and reality:

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.

The townspeople’s struggle is palpable as they “worked, and waited for the light,” enduring hardship and dissatisfaction with their lot¹. In a shocking turn, the man they envied, Richard Cory, ends his own life¹. This final act is a powerful statement on the illusion of happiness and the unseen struggles that may lie behind a facade of perfection¹.

Through “Richard Cory,” Robinson critiques the societal tendency to equate wealth with happiness and to idolize those who seem to have it all. The poem serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of judging others based solely on outward appearances, reminding readers that true contentment comes from within and cannot be measured by material success¹. The bittersweet nature of the poem lies in its ability to present a seemingly sweet exterior while harboring a bitter truth beneath the surface.