Richard Cory

BY EDWIN AR LIN GTON ROB INSON

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.

Historical Context
"Richard Cory" first appeared in the American poet Edwin Arlington
Robinson's 1897 collection, The Children of the Night. In four brisk stanzas,
"Richard Cory" tells the story of a wealthy man who often strolls the streets of
a poverty-stricken town whose residents all envy his seeming glory. Yet the
poem's final line reveals that, despite seeming to have everything he could
want, Cory kills himself. The poem's thematic interests in wealth, poverty, and
the elusive nature of happiness are deeply tied to its historical context: a
series of economic depressions that struck the U. S. in the 1890s
About Edwin Arlington Robinson
Edwin Arlington Robinson, (1869-1935) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
who was also nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature. He was born in
Maine but had an unhappy childhood since his parents seemed largely
indifferent to him. His siblings went on to suffer great hardship through
addiction to alcohol and drugs, and Robinson’s poetry often dwelt on bleak
themes, perhaps based on these first-hand experiences. Many think that the
poem ‘Richard Cory’ could have been based upon his brother who came to
an inauspicious end when his business collapsed.

 “Richard Cory” Summary

o Us lowly people on the streets would always stare at Richard Cory whenever he
visited the downtown area. Cory was a refined, upper-class man from head to
toe, always looking well-kept and thin.

Cory never wore attention-grabbing clothes, and he always seemed just like a
regular person when he spoke. Even so, people got excited just by hearing his
morning greetings. He had a special shine about him wherever he went.

Cory was extremely wealthy, well-mannered, and sophisticated. Basically, we

thought Cory had all the qualities we wished we had. We all wanted to be Cory.

So we kept working, waiting for things to get better. We gave up fancy, filling
food, even though we weren't happy to be eating so cheaply. And one quiet
summer night, Richard Cory went home and shot himself in the head.

“Richard Cory” Themes

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

In "Richard Cory," the community admires and envies Cory for his apparent
wealth, looks, and gentility. The poem warns that appearances can be
deceiving, emphasizing that despite Cory's seeming happiness and success,
he takes his own life, leaving the community shocked and perplexed. The
poem critiques the community's assumptions about Cory's life, highlighting the
limited understanding based solely on external indicators. The abruptness of
Cory's suicide, juxtaposed against the poem's calm structure, reinforces the
theme of concealed despair. Ultimately, "Richard Cory" serves as a cautionary
tale, urging recognition of the hidden complexities within individuals,
challenging the superficial judgments based on outward prosperity.

Wealth and Happiness

"Richard Cory" accentuates the stark disparity between the affluent and the
impoverished, a divide exacerbated by the economic depression during the
poem's composition. The narrative underscores Cory's opulence against the
backdrop of the narrator's struggling community. The poem's potential moral
lesson emerges—wealth doesn't guarantee happiness. The community,
residing in the downtown area, contrasts sharply with Cory's wealth,
suggesting his detachment from the laborious, bustling environment. The
narrator vividly describes Cory's affluence, portraying it as immense and
boundless. However, despite apparent hardship, the narrator's community
endures, while Cory, unexpectedly, takes his own life. In the historical context
of the Panic of 1893, the poem's exploration of fate and fortune adds
complexity, underscoring the transient nature of prosperity. The overarching
theme centers on the nuanced relationship between wealth and well-being.

Envy vs. Admiration

In "Richard Cory," the narrator and the community harbor a complex blend of
envy and admiration toward Cory, fostering a sense of isolation. The initial
admiration is evident in the constant attention and effusive compliments
directed at Cory. Despite the suggestion of a human connection in his
greetings, the community's admiration and envy prevent genuine relationships
from forming. The narrator hints at an underlying attraction, portraying Cory as
an almost divine figure, perpetuating a distance between him and the
community. As admiration transforms into envy in the penultimate stanza,
Cory becomes an unattainable symbol, intensifying the community's isolation.
The narrative suggests that this cycle of admiration, envy, and isolation could
contribute to Cory's ultimate act of suicide, highlighting the detrimental impact
of the community's disconnected emotions on a fellow human being.