Richard Cory/Miniver Cheevy

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             In Edwin Arlington Robinson's poems, "Richard Cory", "Miniver Cheevy", and "Mr. Flood's Party", two themes are apparent in each. Each of these poems shows the regression of a character. These two recurring themes are "[One] theme recurs endlessly, the tragedy of each human being- and "These hard little poems are specimens of human experience in a world in which agony is real and happiness but a wish.".
             "[One] theme recurs endlessly, the tragedy of each human being- describes people's misfortunes. In "Richard Cory" the narrator gives you the impression that Richard Cory is the ideal man. The narrator leaves you believing that the whole town wants this man's life. Then, this ideal man shoots himself, revealing "the tragedy of a human being." In Robinson's poem "Miniver Cheevy," the speaker speaks of a man who seems depressed. This poem discusses the tragedy of how the character wishes he were never born, and then ends in telling the reader that the individual is an alcoholic. The last poem, "Mr. Flood's Party," shows the loneliness of an old man. This tragedy leads to his drunken performance described to the audience in the poem. .
             "These hard little poems are specimens of human experience in a world in which agony is real and happiness but a wish," is excellently expressed .
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             throughout each of these poems. In "Richard Cory", the author explains how everyone in the town would love to live the, seemingly, perfect life of Richard Cory. Because in the end he takes his own life, the poem demonstrates how "agony is real and happiness but a wish." In "Miniver Cheevy" the agony is much more apparent and recurrent throughout the poem. The narrator informs the audience in the beginning, that "Miniver loved the days of the old" and wished he were born then.