Analysis of "Richard Cory" and "Miniver Cheevy"

The poem "Richard Cory" by Edwin Arlington Robinson is a poem about a man named Richard Cory who is very pleasant, educated, and seems to be the richest man in town where the setting is according to the narrator(Robinson"Richard" 575). Well one night, when people are taking the things that they have for granted, Richard Cory kills himself by shooting himself in the head(Robinson"Richard" 575). This story states off by not sounding like it is a realism story because of hoe cheerful it sounds, but in the end it turns into a realism story because in the end, the poem ends up reflecting how "life truly exists(Werlock)." Besides just the simple story of the poem proving that this is a realist work, the actually grammar and context proves that this poem is a realism poem by the way the author keeps the writing style within the poem very simple while at the same time, he uses a lot of figurative language to describe the status and appearance Richard Cory(Robinson "Richard" 575). For example, within the poem Robinson states, "He was always quietly arrayed, And he was always human when he talked; But he still fluttered pulses when he said 'Good Morning,'and he glittered when he walked(Robinson "Richard" 575)." From this quote it is easy to see how the author uses figurative and very descriptive language in the story while at the same time, he keeps the writing style basic and easy to understand. For example, the author, Robinson, uses figurative language when the he says, "He glitters when he walks(Robinson "Richard" 575)." This statement does not mean that Cory literally glitters when he walks. When the author says this, he is describing the effect that Cory has on people and the certain appeal that he is able to have on many people. The next poem, "Miniver Cheevy," is very similar to "Richard Cory" in the fact that the catch and main purpose of the poem is actually at the end of the work. "Miniver Cheevy" is a poem about a boy who wished that he was in the middle ages when swords and horses and castles were still around(Robinson "Miniver" 576). this work is an example of realism because of the way that the poem, once again reflect life "as it truly exists(Werlock)." For example, in the story, at first, the author has the audience confused because the author goes on to talk about how this person wants to be living in the middle ages, but in the end, he finally realizes that there must be a reason why he was not born back in those times, and then he finally decides to continue on with his life(Robinson "Miniver" 576). This shows realism because even today in society, when people cannot get what they want, they will just have to accept the face and move on without the thing that they truly wish they had. Another way that this work reflects the work of realism is the way that the author uses very simple language to portray the message of the story(Werlock).

Robinson, Edwin Arlington. "Richard Cory." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. 575. Print.(Werlock)

Robinson, Edwin Arlington. "Miniver Cheevy." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. 576. Print.

Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Feb 15, 2011.