Richard Cory

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1897

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Form and Meter

“Richard Cory” is written in four heroic quatrains, or four four-line stanzas in iambic pentameter, following the English tradition of the heroic form. In addition, each line contains precisely 10 syllables. The form and meter are extremely consistent, demonstrating Robinson’s allegiance to tradition and classical forms. This tight meter gives the poem a singsong feel. The verse compels the reader to read it like a lyric, giving it the tone of a nursery rhyme, which aligns with its many fable-like qualities. The consistency in the syllables and the parallel structure of the lines within stanzas and the stanzas within the poem demonstrates Robinson’s mastery of language and this poem’s monolithic quality. The consistent allegiance to form and meter help to tie this poem together into a neat package that enhances its powerful message.

Rhyme

Not only does this poem stay highly consistent with its form and meter, but it also follows a strict rhyme scheme. The ABAB rhyme scheme emphasizes the nursery rhyme quality. Because the rhyme is so consistent and the syntax and diction are so simple, this poem is easy to remember and, hopefully, easy to grasp. Although some of the more complex ideas take some time to work through, overall, the rhyme scheme makes this poem highly accessible to people who may not have much experience analyzing poetry. But its simplicity does not in any way correlate to a lack of depth or meaning. One of the ironies of this poem is the way it flips expectations on their head, like the expectations the town had about Cory’s life. Just because the fun and easy rhyme scheme makes the poem appear to be lighthearted, it is another deception because we know the poem grapples with grave and deadly concerns.

Polysyndeton

The use of the word “and” throughout the poem occurs 11 times in the space of just 16 lines. This is an example of a literary device known as polysyndeton, or a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctions (i.e. “and,” “or,” & “but”) are used repeatedly in close succession. The poem’s grammar, like its rhyme and meter, is consistent, and the poem contains four sentences, each beginning at the start of a stanza and ending at that stanza’s conclusion. The many “ands” and a few “buts” make it feel like the speakers keep coming up with more and more things to say, like they had not planned it out and instead become overwhelmed with the myriad of Richard Cory’s good qualities. This repetition gives us the sense that his attributes are endless, and the speakers cannot possibly address them all: “And he was always quietly arrayed, / And he was always human when he talked” (Lines 5-6). These “ands” then divulge into complaints about their own life: “and waited for the light / and went without the meat, and cursed the bread” (Lines 14-15). Each additional “and” creates momentum within the poem, building one on top of the other until the last “and” that drops like a bomb: “Went home and put a bullet through his head” (Line 16). Like the straw that breaks the camel’s back, the poem collapses expectations under its last and final “and.”