Edwin Arlington Robinson is an incredible Realism author. Born into a family that certainly had many problems, Robinson grew up as a troubled child, wondering by age six why he had even been born ("Meet" 573). As he grew older, he was forced out of college because his family did not have enough money, and this caused him to have to return to a house in which his parents were troubled, one brother was a drug addict, and the other was an alcoholic. All of these factors contributed to Robinson's general overall dislike of life; he was an unhappy man. He felt that poetry was all he had ever been destined to do, and he certainly was talented at it ("Meet" 573).
Robinson's poem "Richard Cory" tells the story of a man who was always well dressed, well mannered, and well liked in general ("Richard" 575). This man seemed happy and content; he was one of those people that seemed to have everything going for him. Then the reader reaches the last line two lines of the poem, "And Richard Cory, one calm sunny night, Went home and put a bullet through his head" ("Richard" 575). This shocking ending is one that is apparently not uncommon for Robinson; often he will tell the tale of someone who seems to have their life so put together that ends up dying or revealing a nasty habit ("Meet" 573). "Richard Cory" is an exemplary form of Realism. Although it might seem a little dramatic or extremely pessimistic, the story it tells is actually is not a rare occurrence. In the newspapers in present day, one always reads about the Valedictorian that commits suicide, or the star football player that pops pills in order to just forget about his unhappiness. While Robinson definitely portrays this hidden unhappiness in an extremely and surprising way, it is realistic, and therefore, a trait of Realism (Diamond). The irony in which the story ends really does apply to situations like this in an everyday environment, classifying it as Realism (Diamond).
"Miniver Cheevy" tells a story similar to "Richard Cory" as a man who appears happy but longing solves his mental conflict by drinking it away ("Miniver" 576). Longing so much for material things and a life he could be proud of, Miniver Cheevy finds himself becoming more and more dissatisfied with his own life, even though it is not awful by any means. He feels that if he wants to forget about his own dull life, he should just drink until the pain is all gone ("Miniver" 576). Unfortunately, this poem, too, presents the Realism writings style; although many do not want to admit it, it is not uncommon for one to drink away their problems. Many middle class individuals look at their lives and see what they could have been as opposed to what they really are, just like the man in the story, and this similarity proves that the poem is definitely a form of Realism (Diamond). Although it may be hard to admit, drinking, suicide, and other forms of ridding oneself of pain and disappointment do not just happen in sad poems, books, or movies. In today's world and in Robinson's time period, people were unhappy with their lives and felt they needed some way to fix it. Robinson did a terrific job of describing the pain and real life situations that many people endure their throughout entire lives, therefore producing two wonderful examples of Realism (Diamond).
WORKS CITED
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).
"Meet Edwin Arlington Robinson." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 573. Print.
Robinson, Edwin A. “Miniver Cheevy.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 576. Print.
Robinson, Edwin A. “Richard Cory.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 575. Print.
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