Richard Cory

Throughout the poem, themes of depression, hopelessness, and suicide create a bleak and frustrated tone. The working class and the very poor feel this deep sense of longing whenever they see Richard Cory, reflecting their mental health. These people are not happy in their lives, whether because they were directly affected by the economic downturn or feel hopeless about improving their conditions. Either way, the poem makes a statement about the impact of a massive wealth disparity, long working hours, and economic depression on an individual’s mental health. The opening lines of the last stanza demonstrate this attitude: “So on we worked, and waited for light, / And went without the meat, and cursed the bread” (Lines 13-14). The poem paints a very depressing picture of the psychological well-being of the town. Their collective obsession with Richard Cory also demonstrates a group of people who are not stable. The townspeople, as narrators, spend their time dreaming and wishing to be this man they know nothing about, as if their despair has led them to rash thinking. They have become so unhappy in their own lives that they lose the ability to think critically and end up making misguided assumptions about Richard Cory based on how things appear.