Written in 1897 by Edwin Arlington Robinson,"Richard Cory" is a detail-oriented poem designed to make the reader think very thoroughly about the words and phrases that are used throughout the piece. Using a variety of rhetorical devices, the author characterizes the eponymous Richard Cory as a regal and admirable man, yet he is ostracized from a society that refuses to embrace his attempts at socialization. Robinson uses imagery to describe the character through the townspeople's eyes, and irony to show the reader who the real Richard Cory is. Although Cory is a man who seemingly has everything, in the end we find out that he has committed suicide. Robinson is not obvious about the reason that Cory chose suicide, but subtle hints and language lead the reader to consider that isolation and depression may have been the motive behind his tragic act. Robinson never hints to any relationships that Cory may have had - no lovers, no family, not even friends - and this leads the reader to conclude that Cory must have been a very lonely and unhappy man at the time of his death. .
In Robinson's first stanza he classifies Cory as a respected and well-mannered gentleman that is on far higher economic ground than the rest of the townspeople. The line, "Whenever Richard Cory went down town"" (line 1), illustrates that he does not live nearby with everyone else, but is a visitor who is regularly seen in the area. In the second line, the speaker refers to himself as a member of the "people on the pavement " (2), which does not include Cory. This sets him apart as an outsider that is regarded in a higher status, since he does not walk on the pavement with the rest of the ordinary crowd. It also establishes that the narrator has only an external view of Cory "he does not know him personally. From this viewpoint, the narrator begins to lay out an assortment of descriptions about Cory. The speaker's imagery reveal his concerns with Cory's status and wealth, even remarking that he is "imperially slim"" (4), bringing to mind images of kings and royalty.
E.A. ... An extreme example of this satire is within the poem "Richard Cory". ... E.A. ... This technique of revealing the truth at the end is used in "Richard Cory," and "Miniver Cheevy," among others. ... Without the crucial ability to perceive, we are no different than Miniver, nor the poor people standing aside Richard Cory. ...