Richard Cory

The central theme of "Richard Cory" is the tragic disparity between Cory's outward appearance and his internal state. According to the speaker, Cory is a man with an enviable life: he is clean-cut, well-educated, wealthy, noble, and charismatic. His very presence makes the townspeople's pulses race; they all wish they could trade places with him. However, the poem's final twist describes how Cory, without warning or explanation, takes his life one summer evening. That the poem ends here and does not delve into the reason behind Cory's suicide further underscores the ways in which one's public image and private life can be completely at odds. Despite (or perhaps because of) Cory's perfect image, he suffers from severe psychological distress that ultimately leads to him taking his own life. The poem can therefore be read as a warning not to take things only at face value.

The name "Richard Cory" itself addresses the theme of private versus public life. The townspeople only see Cory as rich, hence his first name "Richard." Because of this idol-worshipping behavior, Cory cannot truly connect with anyone. There is nobody to see his true internal state: his core (hence the name Cory).