APPRECIATION OF ENGLISH LITERARY TEXTS

G.C.E. - Ordinary Level

- The Centre for English Literature

Roshan Kaluthotage

Question : "What sort of message on appearance and reality is conveyed in the story
of Richard cory. Discuss with reference to the poem".

"Ricard Cord" is regarded as the magnum opus in Edwin Arlington Robinson's oeuvre. He
showcases the very idea that happiness is a myth which associated with happiness Edwin
Arlington Robinson was raised in a troublesome atmosphere Although he belonged to
weatthy family he did not deserved the real happiness of life that he had expected. So, it is
discernable that this was the reason for the birth of this master piece of literary work,
"Richard cory".

Although people in the society seem to be very happy and contended, we could not judge
them by their external appearance. In the modern day society, people appear in the
presence of others after wearing a mask of emotions and feelings. So, it is unwise to judge a
person by his outward appearance. In this very poem we can observe a wealthy person
called "Richard cory". Through this certain character the poet renders the great moral that
appearance is not the reality and it is deceptive. Here, the poet observes the character of
"Richard cory" through the point of view of the down trodden sector of the society.

In the celebrated first line of the poem, the poet describes how people are impressed by the
appearance of cory.

"Whenever Richard cory went down town we people on the pavement looked him"

Normally, When a person visits the down town, poor people do not pay their attention but
here they are attracted to the outward look of cory. They did not think the reason for cory's
visit to the down town. However, the very idea appearance is not the reality and it is
deceptive is dexterously brought out by Edwin Arlington in his great creation "Richard
cory".

When we go down the memory lane of the people on the pavement we can comprehend

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their attitudes towards Richard cory.

"And he was rich, richer than a king and admirbly schooled in every grace"

The poet aptly brings out the very idea how people are really obsessed owing to cory's
wealth. The poet describes it through a hyperbole on a wider perspective. People on the
pavement thought he was a prince who was fit for all the delicacies and luxuries of a
pleasurable, happy and contended life. At the same time the poet crystalizes how people are
impressed by cory's power of education in a nut shell. People say that cory knows every
subject and he has vivid understanding about all sides of education. Those people could not
think anything than cory's so-called happy and contented life style. So, they are really
misguided by his external appearance. In fact the poet adroitly brings out the very idea that
appearance is not the reality and it is deceptive.

When we go through the poem,

"But he still fluttered pulses when he said Good Morning" and glittered when he walked" We
can observe that how Richard cory behaves with the low class people. However, although
he seems to be enjoying a splendid life he is not arrogant or conceited. He is true and honest
to his emotions when greet people in the down town. People also really impressed by his
true human qualities. At the same time his satorial elegance and deportment also greatly
admired by those people. However, the poet aptly justifies the very theme appearance is not
the reality and it is very deceptive.

In the celebrated middle part of the poem, we can observe the great effort taken by the
people in the down to be like Richard cory.

"And we worked hard, waited for light went without meat and cursed bread"

They leave no stone unturned to achieve the luxurious and successful life style of cory. They
work hard all the time and hated the poor life style they have got until they met cory they
spent a happy contended life although they were not extremely rich as cory. However, this
also portrays that how those people are misguided on account of cory's external
appearance.

At the final stanza we find an unexpected incident.

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"And one calm summer night, Richard cory went home and put a bullet through his head"

Here the great irony is that so called weathey person has committed suicide. This was a great
shock to the people of the down town people as they thought he was the angel of a happy
prosperous life. Finally, they understood that their attitudes towards Richard cory were
some sort of beliefs. This very stanza proves the very theme that appearance is not the
reality and it is really deceptive. Although cory seemed to be a prince he was burdened with a
great problem. So this problem pared the way for his catastrophe.

To sum, we must say that when we become friendly with a person we could not judge him or
her by external appearane, satorial elegance, deportment or education. In fact, Edwin
Arlington Robinson renders the very theme appearance is not the reality like a seasoned
carpenter driving a nail into hard wood.

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