The Irony of Life: Analysis of a Suicide Character
by Lillian Bonar
Essay: The Irony of Life: Analysis of a Suicide Character
Pages: 11
Rating: 3 stars
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“Richard Cory,” a poem written by Edwin Arlington Robinson, quietly exposes the irony of a rich gentleman’s life. It
relates the story of a wealthy man who is admired by many of his workers and the people in town. He seems to
have a perfect life, he is nice to people, well educated, just, humble, and wealthy. Despite all of this, Richard Cory
shot and killed himself without an apparent reason.
The main character of the poem, Richard Cory, is an individual who represents the irony of modern American life.
The poem seems to take place during The Gilded Age where the people who had an education were wealthy and
the rest of them were just poor. The main thrust of this poem suggests the differences between the wealthy and
the poor. During this time, people’s socio-economic classes were easier to identify. Richard Cory belongs to the
high economic class, while the narrator fits in lower class. “We people on the pavement looked at him/ He was a
gentleman from sole to crown” (2-3). It is a difficult time for working class people to obtain what they need, that is
why they want to have Richard Cory’s life. Even though it can be difficult for the reader to know where exactly the
poem takes place, the reader can have an idea of the size and system that it has. Robinson’s poem seems to
happen in a small town where Richard Cory is one of the wealthiest men. He seems to be known by almost
everyone in this town.
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...
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