https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiG71oBX4iM

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. 

Diction:  We thought he was everything 

Gentle man from Sole to crown: visably a gentleman and proved it in his dail life 

“Good Morning” 

Richer than a king 

One calm summer night Went home and put a bullet through his head 

Arrayed  

Admirably  

Fluttered  

Imagery: Small town vibe, friendly, Richard Cory seems noble and like a very well known and liked man 

Setting 

The poem takes place in what the reader can assume is a modern–day city. The atmosphere is jealousy at first. The author describes Richard Cory as a well put together man who is very wealthy. Although Richard Cory ends up shooting himself in a twist ending making the atmosphere about death and depression. 

American dream

 Symbolism  

The description of Richard Cory, how he was clean and neat looking represented his wealth. It is the stereotype that if a man is clean and well put together, that he has money. 

Another symbol is when the author said, “He was a gentleman from sole to crown,” Using the crown as a symbol of his role in society as an upper-class civilian. He is rich, powerful, and what seemed to be a perfect life. 

Thematic Statements:  

Connect to cultural identity 

When people are born into money, everyone that looks in from the outside immediately believes that their life is amazing, there is no trouble because money can save all the problems. That is not the case as the end of the story shows. Behind the money and so–called perfect life, there is the feeling of happiness money cannot buy. To an extent yes money can buy happiness but that is short term. In order to feel truly happy that comes from within and not from money. 

 

Conflict: the conflict is everyone wants to be “Richard Cory” because he just has it all the respect and the money and people’s attention. He is the man everyone wants to be, but something makes Richard put a bullet in his head. People only saw his outside his fame and money and looks, people only saw his outside nobody could tell that he was feeling not so well on the inside.  

Irony: the irony of the poem is that the main character “Richard Cory” is put out to be this rich handsome slim and a gentleman and yet he still goes home one summer night and puts a bullet in his head. People only saw his outside nobody took the time to see his inside.  

Other poetic devices 

Author background: Edwin Arlington Robinson was an American poet. Robinson won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry on three occasions and was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature four times. He was born Dec 22nd, 1869 in the united states. He died April 6, 1935 in New York.