The poem, "Richard Cory" by Edwin Arlington Robinson is the classic pity-the-star story. It has been rumored that some people worshipped by the public eye are just regular people with regular problems, but honestly how big could their problems be? Richard Cory seems to be one of those heart-stopping, rolex-wearing famous people who had a regular problem or two. In scanning the poem line by line, its is easier to uncover meaning. The first line of the poem suggests that Richard Cory wasn't a common person among the people. "Whenever Richard Cory went down town", suggests that Richard Cory lives uptown, probably in some huge house, maybe by himself, and doesn't make it into town very often. The reader could guess that maybe Richard Cory is very old, a hermit, sickly or unlike the other people in the town. After reading the second line, it becomes clearer that Richard Cory is unusual. Now, being old or sickly probably isn't much of an option, so in some way, Richard Cory is very different from the people. Different could mean a lot of different things. Upon reading the third and fourth lines, the haze of his character begins to fade and it is easier for the reader to develop a mental image. The third line: "He was a gentleman from sole to crown", is loaded with meaning. By using the word gentleman, the reader can tell that Richard Cory is a person of status, and most likely wealthy. Saying that Richard Cory wears a crown, is stating that he is a king to the people. The next line tells the reader that he is a clean man with a slim body. At this point in the poem, it is easier to develop a mental image of the character. The next four lines of the poem portray Richard Cory as a prominent public figure, may... ... middle of paper ... ...that Richard Cory did not put a lot of tears or time into his decision. The reader may envision a slender good-looking man wearing a crown walking into a large house and picking up a gun out of a drawer. Without thought, the man sticks it in his mouth and pulls the trigger. There was no big struggle and no letters to be written, just a "calm" exit. The poem itself is very interesting and would make anyone think about the meaning. When scanning the poem line by line and trying to pick out metaphors and hidden meanings, the reader can develop ideas and opinions. Most importantly, taking a closer look at words will help the reader to create a mental image. Robinson's portrayal of Richard Cory not only paints a picture of a man, but also clues the reader in on his feelings, leaving just a little bit of mystery that the reader can interpret to their liking.
There are four types of irony, verbal, situational, cosmic, and dramatic. There are situations in life that are ironic and it sometimes compares to a story. “Richard Cory” and “The Story of an Hour” are two stories that compare in the irony given.. The two stories resemble each other and they also resemble life in some situations.
Robinson, Edward Arlington. "Richard Cory." The Pocket Book of Modern Verse. New York: Washington Square Press, 1954. 153.
To help Year Twelve students that are studying poetry appreciate it's value, this pamphlet's aim is to discuss a classic poem and a modern song lyric to show that even poetry written many years ago can still be relevant to people and lyrics today. By reading this may you gain a greater knowledge and understanding of poetry in general, and not just the two discussed further on.
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.
The poem has a great language use. The poet does not use many metaphors, similes, and symbolism, but the words still have resonance, even though the poem is quite short and literal. The poet describes Richard Cory throughout the poem, giving the reader a clear idea of who Richard Cory is. In the first stanza, the poet tells the reader wh...
Although the majority of Robert Hayden's writings address racial themes and depicts events in African-American history, he also wrote short poems that capture his own personal experiences. Hayden has an enormous amount of great poems and short stories, but as I read through many of them, I was touched by two specific poems that I felt I could personally relate to. I chose these poems because I am able to put myself into the story-line and understand what the writer is talking about. I believe that a good writer is able to reach any reader regardless of race, gender, or age. Hayden possessed an incredible skill with his language and the structures of his poems that could almost pull the reader right out of their chair and place them in the center of his writings.
...the mundane events of everyday life onto the scandalous nature of celebrity headlines. Through his speakers voice he is able to smuggle in the message of similarity and run of the mill nature between common folk and those that live in idealized glory. The subtext of the last few lines “but I never actually collapsed” and “Oh Lana Turner we love you get up” is almost condemning in its comparison, commenting in a way that seems to state “We know life is hard, but the rest of us still have to pick ourselves up, and you can too.” He is able to do this so powerfully by using well thought out verbal imagery, a fast-talking and well-versed speaker who is able to express his train of thought through an inventive use of structure. Next time you read a poem, take a moment to consider who is speaking to you, and what exactly they are telling (or painting) you with their words.
Sweet, Charles, Jr. "On "Richard Cory"" On "Richard Cory" Modern American Poetry. Web. 18 Apr. 2014. .
Robinson’s Richard Cory is about a man who is looked upon as perfect and rich. The people
The poem in its self takes on a rhyme scheme that allows you the reader to feel the narrator, so that you can not only imagine that you were there, but you can also almost gather the same feelings as the narrator. In the begin he talks about how he first rode through Baltimore happy, and filled with glee. Unti...
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...
I believe that the structure of this poem allows for the speaker to tell a narrative which further allows him to convey his point. The use of enjambment emphasizes this idea as well as provides a sense of flow throughout the entirety of a poem, giving it the look and feel of reading a story. Overall, I believe this piece is very simplistic when it comes to poetic devices, due to the fact that it is written as a prose poem, this piece lacks many of the common poetic devices such as rhyme, repetition, alliteration, and metaphors. However, the tone, symbolism, allusion and imagery presented in the poem, give way to an extremely deep and complicated
To understand a poem you have to know the setting, the poem’s persona, the tone, the kind of situation that is occurring throughout the poem, and you have to know the clear message of the poem, if there is one. In “Traveling Through the Dark” these five key details are presented to the readers. The poem’s persona is the narrator himself. The narrator is
To begin, the reader may gather that the poem has a very dark and saddened tone. Due to Lowell's vivid imagery, a mental image of a dark urban setting is created. It also seems very cold, with the mentioning of wind and nighttime. Readers may be able to relate to urban places they know, adding to the reality of the poem. Connections can be made. The imagery is left in such a way that the reader can fill in the gaps with their own memories or settings. Also, since the poem uses free verse, the structure is left open to interpretation. This makes the poem more inviting and easier to interpret, rather than reading it as a riddle. However, though simple in imagery, the poem still captures the reader's interest due to the creation it sparks, yet it never strays away from the theme of bei...
the poem what he would normally have written a paragraph or more on. For example,