The two main subjects of the poem Richard Cory is about economic inequality and isolation. These two themes were developed throughout the tragic ending of them poem.
Thesis Statement: Fame and fortune are not the determinants of success but a happy life will give every man peace of mind and contentment.
Richard Cory is a man of stature because of his wealth and social position, but despite his fame and fortune, he was living a miserable life that led to his suicide. Richard was envied by the poor and the working class because he seems to have everything in life.
In lines number 9 and 10 of the poem, it was shown that he was a very wealthy man and his wealth can be compared to that of a king. In fact he was even wealthier than a king. He was also admired by the people because if his grace and fine character that people thought he had everything he needed.
In the first paragraph of the poem, two words that described Richard Cory was that he was a gentleman and favored, that was found in the first and fourth lines. Whenever he went to town, everyone looked up to him because he was very regal and prestigious. He appears to be a perfect man with good looks, character and possessed all the valuable things in life. However, one fateful day, he committed suicide by pulling a trigger on his head. Despite the public perception that he had everything anyone can wish for, it was the exact opposite because he was unhappy, miserable and wanted to end his life. As the poem developed, the irony was revealed and his looks were deceiving. Cory was a man who shone in the eyes of many that they thought he had a perfect life. On the contrary, they did not know that he felt emptiness and discontented with his life that became unbearable for him.
In the second paragraph of the poem, the two words that highlighted the character of Cory were human and pulses, which can be found in the sixth and seventh lines respectively. Cory appears to be quiet and organized in every aspect. He was also well-mannered and calm when he talks. Such behavior shows that he was also human in so many ways but he demonstrated pulses or rhythm whenever he greeted everyone the usual pleasantries such as “Good-morning”. His gesture captivated many people since he was full of splendor and charisma every time he interacted with them.
In the third paragraph or the 9th and 10th lines of the poem, it will appear that he was a man who had everything that people ever wanted in life. It made the people around him so envious of him that they even wished that traded with the place of Cory. It was also prominent that there was a distinction between the speaker of the poem and Cory because the speaker considered himself part of the people who were on the pavement that looked up to him. Such distinction was shown in the second line of the poem.
Cory was not part of the common masses of the street because he belonged to the upper class of society. This was demonstrated in the third line of the poem where Cory was described to be a true gentleman and he was the only person who deserved the crown that was fit for a king. In other words, he was a well-mannered man that earned him the respect of many that he was almost revered as a king with a crown on his head. Cory worked to earn his fortune but remain unhappy in his life. In the 13th line of the fourth paragraph, it was shown that Cory wanted to end his misery as he waited for the right moment to commit suicide. In the last part of the poem, the author told the audience that in one calm summer night after he got home, he decided to end his life by pulling the trigger of his gun and a bullet went through his head. The abrupt ending of the poem shows that there was a sense of shock or an unfinished business which is usually accompanied by a sudden death (Dobie 51).
In conclusion, the last line of the poem shows that there was an existing tension between the outer description of the town people of Cory as opposed to the inner description of Cory that led him to commit suicide. Despite the fact that he was laced with regal connotations as a rich king, who was admired by many for his grace, the dark side of Cory was also shown through the reality of his inner turmoil (Dobie 52). The outward description of success and the inward turmoil that Cory felt was realized the moment he committed suicide. Therefore, it can be concluded that fame and fortune are not the determinants of success, but having a happy life will give every person a peace of mind and contentment.
Works Cited:
Dobie, Ann B. Theory into Practice: An Introduction to Literary Criticism. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.
