Luccien Fitzpatrick
Krista Keyes
ENG-1020-130989
24 February 2016
Poetry Analysis : Richard Cory
“We can never judge the lives of others because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation.” The quote by Paulo Coelho sharply describes Edwin Robinson’s main theme in the poem “Richard Cory.” Richard Cory is about a man who is seen as perfect being with an ideal life. The shock comes at the end of the poem in which Richard Cory commits suicide one night for presumably no reason at all. In Robinson’s poem “Richard Cory” convey his view on outward appearances through repetition, hyperbole, and imagery to show the people are not what they always seem to be.

First, Robinson characterizes Richard Cory as someone who is great and perhaps flashy. For example when the narrator show the perception the other citizen from just his walk Cory, the author writes, that “he glittered when he walked” it stand to reason that the author’s use of hyperbole in this instance is to clearly depict Cory as someone who people look towards as a person that as it together. The Narrator’s use of the word “glittered” which meant to shine with a bright suggests that the other citizen may see Cory as something like a sun or a star as people take notice of those object but are often seen as unattainable. Because of this hyperbole, some readers may believe Cory to be of stature and well put together which was the desired effect of Robinson.
Second, the author shows that Cory is not just putting on façade and that he is a bonafide male with exceptional status and etiquette. For instance, at the beginning of the second stanza, Robinson wrote, “And he was always quietly arrayed, And he was always human when he talked.” The author use of repetition for this example directly shows that Cory is always the same because the repetition phrases were the same. The narrator’s use of the phrase “And he was always human” first reinforces that Robinson is trying to show that the citizen always sees Cory in an idealized state. Second, the author hints to Cory, not as some ideal figure but a human with problems. Because of this repetition reader may be inclined to believe that Cory has no problem or fault as he is always the same which may be the author purpose for adding those details.

Third Robinson shows that Richard Cory is, in fact, hiding his true self while in front of other people. For example, at the end of the day in the poem shows what happen to Cory the author write, “one calm summer night, Went home and put a bullet through his head.” The author use of imagery to clearly highlight that the night was normal which also show that it was also normal day. The narrator’s use of the phrase “Went home and put a bullet through his head” suggest that he always goes home and decided to end his fake façade. Because of Robinson use of Imagery, many readers may be shocked to Richard Cory death, which may have been, Robinson’s desired effect.

Robinson’s use of rhetorical devices proves his view that you cannot judge a person by their appearances. First he uses hyperbole to show how great and flawless he looks in front of others. Second Robinson uses repetition to show that Richard Cory always illuminates stature and etiquette while also hinting he has problems. Last he uses imagery to shock the reader of his death and show that Cory clearly had problems. Through these devices, Robinson successfully shows that you can never know what goes through a person’s head no matter how well put together they may look.