Richard Cory By Edwin Arlington Robinson

The narrative poem “Richard Cory”, by Edwin Arlington Robinson, was published in 1897 as part of The Children of the Night. Robinson was part of the American Nativism literary movement in the late 19th and early 20th century. He won three Pulitzer Prizes and was nominated four times for the Nobel Prize of Literature. Throughout the poem, Robinson’s attitude is visible through his diction, point of view, and verbal irony.
Edwin Arlington Robinson uses his diction in the poem “Richard Cory” to demonstrate its relevance. To begin with, the poem’s title “Richard Cory” demonstrate a slight view of the character in the poem. Richard refers to royalty or monarchy as various English kings were named Richard. The character’s last name, Cory, means “The Chosen one” in some Germanic languages. These
He ends his poem with a shift of mood, as one moment it is calm, and the other it is extremely or surprising. The ending lines “...one calm summer night, / Went home and put a bullet through his head” (lines 15 and 16) give the ironic sense of the poem. It begins with something passive, such as the night, dark and calm, usually no one expects something extravagant to appear. Continuing to the last verse is when all the poem goes haywire, as out of nowhere the poem’s calm tone changed into something astonishing to the public. One cannot comprehend why Richard Cory to the action of taking his own life while being so admirably to the rest of society.
Edwin Robinson, in his poem, “Richard Cory” he makes use of diction, point of view, and verbal irony to display his attitude throughout his literary work. This poem depicts how one my have everything in life, yet feel that they have nothing. Richard Cory was well admired, but decided to end his life surprisingly to everyone. The manner the author uses his style throughout the poem creates a miniature story and character description with a few, but powerful