Richard Cory poem analysis

1. Bengaluru north university
Subject : American literature
Topic : Richard cory by
Edwin Arlington Robinson
Submitted by : Sara Mumtaz
MA 1st Year
Dept of English
Ph no= 8073204055
Email =saramumtaz1044@gmail.com

3. ❖ Edwin Arlington Robinson was born on December 22,
1869 in Head Tide, Maine. Although he was one of
the most prolific American poets of the early 20th
century—and his Collected Poems (1921) won the
first Pulitzer Prize ever awarded to poetry—he is
remembered now for a few short poems.
❖ Robinson was devoted to his art and led a solitary,
often make-shift existence; he published virtually
nothing during his long career except poetry. he is
best known for his short dramatic poems concerning
the people in a small New England village, Tilbury
Town, very much like the Gardiner, Maine, in which he
grew up.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

4. • he was nameless for the first six months of his
life, Edwin Arlington Robinson would later
become one of the most well known poets
from the 20th century.
• Fame came to Robinson because of his focus
on personal failure, materialism, and isolation
in his poetry, which are also common themes
of the Modernist Era of poetry. Objected to
free verse, which was increasingly popular at
his time, Edwin stuck with a writing style that
was his own, and quite traditional as well.

5. Background of the poem
Richard cory
The poem Richard Cory is based on the
thoughts of Herman Robinson’s wife, Emma
on her husband. It is composed during the
panic of 1893 when the United States was
suffering a severe economic depression,
which is the very reason behind the tragic end
of E.A Robinson’s lover’s husband. The
“bread” functions as an allusion to the
economic depression during which many
survived by eating old bread.

6. Analysis of the poem
Richard cory
❑Richard Cory’ by Edwin Arlington Robinson is a simple poem
which shows the chasm between perception and reality and
warns the reader never to judge on appearances.
❑ ‘Richard Cory’ is a poem that shows why we should not judge
people on appearances as it subverts our expectations in the
final line. Regarding the structure and form, the poem is written
in four quatrains written in iambic pentameter with a simple
ABAB rhyme scheme. The language is straightforward though
quietly stirring.

7. First Stanza
This is our introduction to the
eponymous character, Richard Cory. He
is held in great esteem by the
townspeople. This is clear as he attracts
their attention for they ‘looked at him’
and noted that “He was a gentleman
from sole to crown.’

8. Second Stanza
The repetition of ‘And he was always’ shows
consistency and warmth of character. The fact that
‘he was always human’ indicates his sincerity.
Despite his wealth and good looks, he talked to
people without condescension or pretension.
However, this does not stop him from causing a
stir when he wishes them “Good Morning!” The
exclamation mark suggests that he has a genuine
pleasure in meeting others.

9. Richard Cory appears to have acquired his riches
through hereditary means, by the reference to a king,
or perhaps through business. A doubt is sown in our
minds in line three of this stanza where the speaker
states ‘We thought that he was everything’.
This alerts us to the fact that all may not be well, and
also reminds us of the old adage, ‘be careful what you
wish for.’ The final monosyllabic line with its
frequent alliteration propels us along to the poem’s
conclusion.

10. Fourth Stanza
There is thus a disparity between their lives and that of
Cory, except they are not alone in their suffering. Such
are his demons, that he shocks them all, by returning
home from one of his strolls in town ‘and put a bullet
through his head’. The reader is left speechless by this
revelation, and the fact that this event is preceded by the
line ‘one calm summer night’ further compounds their
shock.