Richard Cory Literary Devices

Erwin Arlington Robinson, born on December 22, 1869 and died on April 6, 1935, was considered one of the greatest poet’s in the United States. He had a miserable childhood; his parents wanted a girl and his brother married the woman Arlington-Robinson loved. His early trouble’s led him to write gloomy and dark stories to help him deal with his sad life. His poem, “Richard Cory” first published in 1897 as a part of Robinson’s book The Children of the Night. The poem describes a wealthy, beautiful gentleman whom everyone admired and wanted to be, but at the end of the poem commits suicide, suggesting he was unhappy with his life. Robinson’s complex attitude towards Richard Cory’s suicide is evident through his verbal irony, literary devices, and point of view. Robinson’s verbal irony is found at the end when Richard Cory decides to end his life. Richard Cory was appreciated and respected by the townspeople. Woman “fluttered” (Line 7) when he walk by, people desired to be in his place, and was even richer than a king. He had the life one hoped and dreamed to have, and him committing suicide contradicts his perfect, happy persona. The use of irony is also shown on the way Richard Cory decided to kill himself, “One calm summer night,” (Line 15). It was a peaceful night, no one would have

The use of alliteration is seen in line 13, “So on we worked, and waited for the light.” The repetition of the w sound could simulate the feeling of question or complaint. Robinson used the sound to infiltrate Richard Cory’s feelings without actually saying them out loud. The use of anaphora is seen in lines 5 and 6, “And he was always quietly arrayed/ And he was always human when he talked.” The technique adds a feeling that the speaker was close to the situation where he or she knew Richard Cory so well. It was best that the poet had an outside speaker narrate the