In "Richard Cory", Edwin Arlington Robinson explores the deception of
appearances. Richard Cory was a wealthy man, admired and envied by those who
consider themselves less fortunate than he. Seemingly, Richard Cory was the model of
success, dignity, and wealth. A standard to which every man was measured. However,
Richard Cory didn't have everything; the desire to live. Through Richard Cory, Robinson
illustrates how appearances can be deceiving and how depression and despair is not
confined to the "people on the pavement" (line 2).
Cory's portrait is drawn for us by a representative man, who depicts him as
"imperially slim," (line 4) "a gentleman from sole to crown," (line 3) and "richer than a
king" (line 9). Cory is immediately elevated from the ordinary man to a position often
associated with monarchy. This contrast serves as the primary tone of the poem.
Nowhere are we given direct evidence of Cory's real character; we are given only the
comments of the people about him, except for his last act, taking his own life. Iro...
...er him as the hero is was and not the man he was accused of becoming.
In contrast, Richard Cory was viewed as the gem of the neighborhood, unlike The Barbie doll. Richard Cory was a man loved by all. He was a man that society had put up on a pedestal. He had the looks, wealth and the manner that everyone wanted. Even though people did not really know him they wanted to live like him an...
just because the guy he was. He a big effect in his family and had a big influence on his family.
Nobody was better looking than anybody else,” (627). This quote shows that in Harrison Bergeron’s society, everyone is identical to everyone else. People are not allowed to be unique or different in any way, shape, or form. This is due to the immense pressure of society that forces people to conform. In this case, it is the Handicapper General, one of the most influential powers, that is oppressing the individuals to become similar as well as the common person who is going along with it. When the Handicapper General suppresses George, he is forcing him to conform to be “normal,” and when the majority of the population goes along with it, they are reinforcing the conformism. This idea is also reinforced in the poem, “Richard Cory.” When describing how society views the “perfect” protagonist, the writer explains “In fine, we thought he was everything / To make us wish that we were in his place, (Robinson Lines 11-12). This quote shows how society has forced Richard Cory to be this perfect image of a man. Richard Cory was not allowed to be individualistic due to society’s standards. A good man was supposed to be rich, a gentleman, and happy. These qualities of a good person pressed in on Cory and made him become something that he was not. In the end, Richard Cory’s downfall is
Robinson, Edward Arlington. "Richard Cory." The Pocket Book of Modern Verse. New York: Washington Square Press, 1954. 153.
he suffered through-out his life, ie. the war, the holocaust, his wife's suicide, and his heart disease.
During his lifetime, he was a very dedicated and hardworking person who accomplished many things. Many people believe that he was a hot headed person, meaning that he was quick tempered, but that meant he could focus and get his stuff done. People also believe that
...his tragic ending becomes a clear symbol of the clashing perspectives of communism and individual values: even an individual who had managed to find success in the Marxist system of communism could not maintain happiness for long before losing everything, including the reasons for living.
won millions to his cause. Even though he said that at his death he was "...the
of how he should live and how people should perceive him. His entire adult life rested on
In “Richard Cory”, the main character, Richard Cory, is a man who comes across as perfect to others: a gentleman, clean, slim, educated. Richard Cory was admired by all and was the man whom everyone desired to be. Those who had admired him came from a lower class than him and looked up to him as being superior. However, despite Cory’s perfectness that was displayed to others, one night Cory did the unpredictable and shot himself in the head. Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of the first
This fairy-tale like story not only entertains the readers, it also educates them about the distinctions of the social class system in this era. The author of this poem successfully introduces his audience to a royal king and queen, a prestigious bishop, and a brave and honorable knight. Furthermore, the writer cleverly uses these characters to enlighten his readers to the inner workings of this “pyramid of power” and demonstrates how this social class system effects social interactions in the fourteenth century. While the author of this poem is unknown, there is no questioning the quality of this wonderful work of literature and the value it possess in regard to understanding the social class distinctions of the fourteenth century.
Richard Cory poems are a traditional type of poetry found all throughout different time periods. The poems range from the original to song variations, all contributing their own perspectives on what Richard Cory symbolized, and each takes their own distinct form. Richard Cory poetry usual contains the distinct ending of Richard Cory taking his own life, but each poem adds its own variations to this repetitive theme. Throughout the poems, there are also many similar themes, which portray a consistent theme of the American Dream and how it transforms. Many symbolic issues that deal with this dream are related to wealth, which is the most prominent reoccurring theme in the two poems. Whereas Robinson's "Richard Cory" focuses on symbolic issues of wealth during an early time period, Paul Simon creates a contemporary "Richard Cory", showing the transformation of the American Dream coinciding with the passage of time.
Isolation is defined as the state of being in a place or position that is separated from people, place or things. Many people identify with a desire to be isolated, despite science saying that people’s natural instinct is to gravitate toward others. Studies have shown that isolation is not good psychologically. Isolation can be voluntary or involuntary; however, whether it is with a human or an animal species, physical touch, communication, and emotional connection is necessary to survive in everyday life. In a number of literary works, isolation is seen as a theme among characters who are sick, mentally ill and those who are incarcerated to name a few. In the literary works we have read in this unit, the isolation of the protagonist, whether voluntary or
his life. I hope to change this flaw in the history books by telling you as