Richard Corey by Edwin Arlington Robinson
Edwin Arlington Robinson’s “Richard Cory” portrays a wealthy, graceful, and admired man as seen by poorer people who watch him in town. Richard Cory appears perfectly refined: he is handsome, slender, well dressed, polite, rich beyond comparison, and skilled in every social grace. His brief greetings excite those around him, and his presence seems to glitter with distinction. The people on the pavement envy him and believe he possesses everything that could make life desirable, while they continue working, enduring hunger, and resenting their hard circumstances. Yet on a calm summer night, Richard Cory goes home and shoots himself, overturning the observers’ belief that his outward wealth and elegance guaranteed happiness.
By Edwin Arlington Robinson · First published 1897 · Genre: Narrative Poetry, Dramatic Monologue, Tragic Poetry · 166 words
First lines
WHENEVER Richard Cory went down town, / We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown, / Clean favored, and imperially slim.
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked; / But still he fluttered pulses when he said, / "Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.
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Richard Corey is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson, dated 1897 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Edwin Arlington Robinson
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Narrative Poetry, Dramatic Monologue, Tragic Poetry, Social Commentary, Psychological Poetry
- Length: 166 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for Richard Corey by Edwin Arlington Robinson
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Genres
- Narrative Poetry — The work tells a complete story in verse, presenting Richard Cory through the observations of working-class townspeople and ending with his suicide.
- Dramatic Monologue — Although voiced collectively by 'we people on the pavement,' the poem constructs a distinct public perspective whose limited understanding creates the central irony.
- Tragic Poetry — Its abrupt conclusion reveals Cory's self-inflicted death, transforming apparent wealth, beauty, and social success into a tragedy.
- Social Commentary — The poem contrasts the impoverished laborers, who go without food and resent their lives, with the idealized rich man they envy.
Tags
poetry · narrative poem · American literature · irony · social class · wealth · poverty · appearance versus reality · envy · alienation · loneliness · mental health