"Richard Cory" is a poem in which the speaker comes from a small town, probably during the early 1900's. There is evidence of this throughout the entire poem, when the speaker tells of Richard coming down to the town, and also in the language used in the poem. The speaker was most likely an un-wealthy or average person, because he says how Richard was "richer than a king" in line nine, and that he "made us wish that we were in his place." This poem is addressed to a general audience. It could have several reasons why it was written. It might have been written upon the death of Richard Cory, to tell others about him or meant to be some type of an obituary, or "in remembrance" type of poem. Also, it could be trying to be used to bring across the idea that money doesn't bring happiness.
The stanza pattern of this poem contains four quatrains, and sixteen verses. It has a rhyme scheme of AB AB CD CD EF EF GH GH. The majority of this poem contains masculine end rhyme with hints of feminine in lines five and eleven. There is alliteration in line two when the author says people/pavement and in line thirteen when he says worked/ waited. There is approximate rhyme in stanza two, lines one and three when the author uses "arrayed" and "said." .
Several poetic devices are used in this poem. There is a metaphor in line nine when the author compares Richard to being "richer than a king." A hyperbole is found in line eight when it says that Richard "glittered as he walked." Of course, Richard does not really glitter, but the author exaggerates this to give the audience the full effect. There are several uses of imagery in the use of the words: clean, imperially, fluttered, glittered, admirably, and calm. .
The authors tone is light and ironic. He goes throughout the whole poem making the audience feel like money is great, then at the end he drops it on them saying that Richard killed himself. Obviously money isn't so great if this man still killed himself.
