Arlington Robinsons poem Richard Cory - Essay Example

Arlington Robinson’s poem “Richard Cory” Thesis: In Edwin Arlington Robinson’s poem, “Richard Cory,” he conveys the theme of human irony through the use of imagery, figurative language, and the archetypes of calm summer night and light. The poem “Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson written in the year 1897 holds the mirror for the prevailing societal conditions impacted by industrial and internet revolutions and materialistic civilization. This is twenty-first century. Violent incidents happen and are reported daily in newspaper headlines, and through electronic media. “Richard Cory” belongs to the nineteenth century. A super-rich man, aristocrat by all standards, commits suicide as Robinson puts it, “Went home and put a bullet through his head,”(33) comes as a sad note and leaves a question mark as to why does he do that. The author elucidates how connectivity of the hearts and mutual regards for the feelings is missing in societal dealings. In the hustle and bustle of life, an individual feels isolated and becomes stranger to his surroundings. This is the human irony. By the yardstick of the common people, Richard Cory is a wealthy man, and the townsfolk, admire and envy him. His suicide comes like a bolt from the blue and the reader least expects it. The intriguing part of Robinson’s poem is, the circumstances leading to Richard Cory’s self-persecution. From the secular point of view of standard of living he is blessed with all the comforts but he lacks as for the standard of life within. The problems of his inner world are not revealed in the poem. The author provides the situation of fate-accompli. A peculiar state of social disposition develops and continues. People create an artificial barrier with prejudices not clearly defined and arrive at conclusions to put Cory on a higher pedestal. A communication barrier originates which neither of them tries to break. Cory feels isolated and finally chooses the option to terminate his life. Their adoration becomes the cause of suffering for Cory and no efforts are seen by either of the parties to break the prevailing situation of isolation. In this situational ironic plot of the story, the poet indicates that appearances are deceptive and they do not invariably reflect the true picture of an individual’s inner world. Richard Cory wants to be a human being; but townspeople make him their King. That coronation cost the life of a good human being. Cory “Went home and put a bullet through his head.”(33) With no self-introduction from Cory anywhere, we learn about him in the first fourteen lines of the poem through the attitudes of the people towards him. The readers create a sketch about the goings on in his inner world through the images of the ordinary folks. Cory is a simple human being but is held in awe by “We people on the pavement.”(33) They visualize his aristocracy and have their own reasons to conclude that he is a big man. One can surmise that “people on the pavement,”(33) means beggars or homeless people. The two descriptions, “always quietly arrayed” (33) and “always human when he talked” (33) are pointers to describe the dignified demeanor of Richard Cory. The townspeople are convinced that Cory is not arrogant about his riches and respected the essential dignity of the poorest of the poor. They are willing to give him the status of a King “sole to crown.” The word “always” used in these two sentences has emphatic connotation that the townspeople have fixed and rigid opinions about his wealthy status. Their hero does his best, unconsciously though, to add to the confusion of the poor townspeople when he says “Good-morning.” An envious scenario develops when the people make additions to Cory’s credentials and perceive that he is “admirably schooled in every grace.”(33) Their inner craving to reach the level of luxury enjoyed by Cory is latent in their disposition. They soon realize that it is impossibility, a dream that is not going to be fulfilled and they need to remain resigned to their poor status of living on the pavement. The poem is also pregnant with spiritual import. Those who are spiritually inclined are ever calm and the worst situation can do them no harm. The spirit of living together as a community held them in a bond of love and they say it in a matter of fact tone, “So on we worked, and waited for the light.”(33) Light in this context has two types of interpretations. One is they waited for another sunrise, another day and of work and toil. They lived on a day to day basis, with nothing special to look forward to in their lives. The other aspect is enlightenment from within. Experience of light is not the privilege of the rich; it is as much the right of the poor. The expression “And went without the meat, and cursed the bread,”(33) indicates the frustration they experience, not getting a clue as to how they can improve their present position in life. As for Richard Cory, no possibility exists for him to walk back in life and reach the economic and mental levels of the townspeople. At the same time, the feeling of aloofness continues to bother him extensively from within. He is unable to cope up with the internal noise and din and reaches the level of frustration that is difficult to challenge. He chooses the option of the ultimate commitment, by sacrificing his life-force to the cruel bullet. One of the concluding sentences in the poem is, “And Richard Cory, one calm summer night.” (33)The poet mentions “calm summer night” as the nature is ever calm. Agitations are created in the minds of humankind. Cory must have reached home with a pre-mediated decision to end his life as he found his level of existence useless by all ends. The option of suicide is an irreversible final option for that unfortunate individual. Conclusion: Material comforts alone cannot make a man happy. Social interactions provide the kick and make living a pleasure with the sense of togetherness. Loneliness is a killer internal disease. Agitations are created in the minds of humankind. Cory fails to come to terms with the conditions of life in which he is placed and that is the irony of the story. Work Cited Robinson, Edwin Arlington (Author) Scott Donaldson (Ed.) Robinson: Poems (Everyman's Library Pocket Poets). Everyman's Library, 2007. English. Print. Read More