Irony in Edwin Arlington Robinson’s Poem, Richard Cory :: Richard Cory Analysis

In Edwin Arlington Robinsons poem Richard Cory, things are not what they seem. People saw that Richard Cory had wealth, power, education, fame and good looks. They survey that all this brought Richard happiness. They all wanted to be the likes of him . No one got to know who he was but only knew him for what he had. It seemed that he had everything yet it was not enough to make him happy. His wealth did not put him happiness nor did it bring him friends. Richardss loneliness is what makes him kill himself. What seems to be true is not actually true underneath it all. In the beginning of the poem, Richard Cory is described as a person who seems to have everything And he was rich/ And admirably schooled in every grace(9-10) so he was wealthy, powerful and good-looking. These are things that everyone wants to be. It is thought that coin can buy happiness but it can not. It seems as if Richard would be happy with the things that he has but it was not as it appeared.The people and Rich ard Cory have their differences. spot Richard was richer than a king-(9) the people went without meat, and cursed the bread(14). The people were too poor to afford meat and despised their lives. They wanted to be like him and wished that they were in his place.(12) They thought they would be happy if they were rich like Richard. The people on the pavement looked at him(2) as if he was above them. The pavement showed that they were below him and it emphasized the bordering line that he was like a king. The people seemed to keep their distance from Richard because of their differences. This makes him lonely, which leads him to his death.At the end of the poem, it is bluntly stated that Richard Cory kills himself because he was unhappy with his life. And Richard Cory, one cool it summer night, / Went home and put a bullet through his head.(15-16) He shot himself because he was lonely having