Juxtaposition In Richard Cory

The idea that everything is not as it seems is a common message found in poems. Edwin Arlington Robinson coveys this theme in his work, “Richard Cory,” by describing the life of a well- respected and envied Richard Cory and his unexpected suicide. Robinson uses various literary devices, such as juxtaposition, pun, and literality, in the narrative to reveal that money does not necessarily create happiness. In the first stanza, Robinson introduces the main character, Richard Cory, and uses juxtaposition to set him apart from the narrator who is understood to be a common person. Cory is an extremely wealthy man who everybody in the town is jealous of. Similarly, he is described as a king and is “schooled in every grace.” By saying, “Whenever Richard Cory went down town / we people

Likewise, all the reader knows is what is described by the town resident from what they see in Cory. No one really understands what his personal life is like or how he feels, they only know his monetary status and the personality he shows the public. By crafting the poem without heavy figurative language, Robinson creates a very flat story which makes the ending much more dramatic. The literality in the poem emphasizes the concept that we know only what is given or shown to us; the townspeople only see Cory as a very wealthy gentleman and not as the depressed human he truly was. In the same manner, the townspeople formed their beliefs on what they saw in Cory and truly thought that he was happy and content with life. However, this is proved false in the last stanza when he fatally shoots himself. Overall, Robinson looks to convey the message that not all is as it seems by sharing positive descriptions of Richard Cory as a wealthy and respected man and then abruptly ending the poem with his