Monday, July 8, 2019

why was Richard Cory the envy of the town

Richard Cory is the envy of the town for a number of reasons. First, he is very good looking ("a gentleman from sole to crown"), handsome, and "imperially slim"—he's even compared to an emperor in this description. He also dresses well but does not go over the top; the speaker says he is "quietly arrayed." Next, Cory also talks to others in a "human" way; he is able to converse with anyone and everyone, yet he only has to say "'Good-morning'" to make girls' hearts race. He must be quite charming as well as good-looking and well-dressed. The speaker even says that Cory "glittered when he walked," figuratively referring to the way Cory's handsomeness and charm seem to set him apart from everyone else.
Further, Cory is "richer than a king" as well as unfailingly well-mannered; he is "admirably schooled in every grace." In short, the people of the town whole-heartedly believe that "he was everything / To make us wish that we were in his place." Cory seems to be the whole package, to have it all, as one might say: good looks and polished manners, he's charming and a good conversationalist, and he has lots of money. It seems that he leads the perfect life. Of course, the townspeople have no idea that he must be lonely or miserable, enough to take his own life.


Richard Cory appears to have everything going for him. He's an incredibly rich man, richer than a king, no less. When he goes on his regular walks through the town, he's always so impeccably well-dressed, cutting quite a dash as he goes about his daily business. Despite his wealth and elite social background, he has no hesitation in stopping to chat with the ordinary folk of the town. He's unfailingly polite in conversation, and he has exceptionally polished manners. He's clearly a big deal in the town in which he lives, but there's much more to him than just his money and his background; he also possesses extraordinary natural charm and charisma, so much so that he only has to say "Good morning" to make pulses flutter.
 
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44982/richard-cory

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