Comparative Essay

“Richard Cory” and “The Unknown Citizen” both takes into account what society views as successful and good. Robinson’s poem tells of a man who appears to have a blissful life due to his outward appearance of wealth. However, his outward appearance is deceiving because he actually has become a social outcast due to people distancing themselves from him. Auden’s poem shows how a complete stranger views an unknown citizen who was a “perfect” member of society. Both poems address societies cliche and meaningless perspective of outward appearance, as well as ironic outcomes and the inability of self assertion.

Both poets give examples of members of society who are perceived as good and well off people based on their outward appearance. In “Richard Cory” the “people on the pavement looked at him”  in awe and envy as they witnessed what they believe to be the epitome of a perfect man. These people are described as being on the pavement because they weren’t “clean favored, and imperially slim” like the idolized Richard Cory who was viewed to be like a demigod who walked on clouds above the “regular” and “average” people. As the story continues, it is told through the eyes of the people admiring htim therefore the reader only sees the physical appearance of Richard, how he is “clean favored, and imperially slim” as well as being “quietly arrayed”. This shallow opinion of him causes his  inner feelings to be disregarded and discarded. Due to the distance that everyone puts between themselves and Richard, he becomes unable to relate to anyone. This causes Richard to develop an emptiness. Despite this image that has been created of this “perfect man”, Richard never did anything to actually set himself apart from anyone. The same is true for the unknown citizen. The unknown citizen lacks a defining moment in his life that makes him more than a robotic drone that is honored by the government. “When there was peace, he was for peace:  when there was war, he went”, depicts how he was a “balloon” that moved where the “wind” pushed him. Both poems show how outward appearance is valued more by society than being a unique person.

Also, both poems address Richard Cory’s and the unknown citizen’s inability to assert themselves as unique members of society. In “Richard Cory” the citizens view Richard as “more worthy” and therefore decide to distance themselves from him. Even though “he was always human when he talked” everyone distanced themselves too much causing Richard to become a detached member of society. Also due to his inability to assert himself he becomes unable to connect with anyone on a personal level. This emptiness and lack of social interaction is ultimately the cause of Richard’s death. The same conflict is present in “The Unknown Citizen”, however, the outcome was different and less tragic. The unknown citizen wasn’t unable to assert himself among people. In fact, he “was popular with his mates” and “normal in every way”. While he seemed to have a good life, like Richard, the unknown citizen never asserted himself as a unique individual. In fact, the “researchers into Public Opinion are content that he held the proper opinions for the time of year”. He never did anything, or even THOUGHT anything different than the State therefore, he was a “perfect citizen”. However, while he may be a so-called “perfect citizen”, he is also an unknown citizen who has lost his identity. Now, instead of a name, he is “known” by JS/07/M/378. This code is used to signify his mediocre existence because no deed in his life was definitive or worth mentioning. He was so “perfect” that he lost his individuality and defining characteristics.  Both characters in each poem lack the inability to assert themselves, therefore causing physical death and the death of individuality.

Both poems have ironic outcomes for the main characters involved. In “Richard Cory”, the townspeople “on the pavement” look up to Richard because he seems to have reached the pinnacle of success. They see all of Richard’s worldly possessions and assume that he’s got life “in the bag”. However, they are blinded by their envy of his possessions into thinking that he has a perfect life when, in fact, the very thing that makes them think his life is great, alienates him from society. Ironically, in the end Richard Cory ends his life because he was alone in the world due to the townspeople’s unintentional alienation of him. The ending of “Richard Cory” is also ironic because as the townspeople “waited for the light” unaware of what they had unintentionally done to Richard, he ”went home and put a bullet through his head”.  “The Unknown Citizen” also has an ironic ending due to the citizen being “respected” for being the “perfect” citizen. This is ironic because the unknown citizen did nothing in his life that was out of the ordinary or particularly great. He especially did not do anything to be put on a pedestal as the “perfect” citizen.

Both “Richard Cory” and “The Unknown Citizen” address how society has warped views on outward appearance, as well as including ironic endings for both men involved and the characters inability to assert themselves.

May 7, 2015