E. A. Robinson Poems
Realism – The theory or practice in art and literature of fidelity to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization of the most typical views, details, and surroundings of the subject.
Read the following poems and write a detailed description for each of the title characters and explain how each is an example of the “real” instead of the “ideal.”
“Richard Cory“ (497)
This poems is the towns view of Richard Cory. They talk about everything he had going for him and how they thought he was everything. Most wish they could be them. It is ironic because up until the last line it is about this guy who has everything but in the end he kills himself. He was not the perfect man everyone thought him to be because obviously behind the scenes something was wrong. This is a case of appearance versus reality because in reality his life was not perfect. You cannot judge whats on the inside based on the outside.
“Miniver Cheevy” (497)
Miniver Cheevy never wanted the life he was given. He always wished he had been born in a simpler time or medieval times. He loved the days of old with swords and Camelot. Many historical figures in this story are people and places in history that he associated himself with. He escaped into this fantasy world in old times. He was so obsessed with the past and upset about the present he escaped into medieval times with Thebes and Medici. Because he hated his present life so much he drank to get away from it. He believed is he was born in the past he would actually amount to something. So, he confuses what is real with fantasy or what is ideal.
“Mr. Flood’s Party” (498)
Mr. Flood’s Party is a party with himself while looking down at the people of the town. He secluded himself from the town and the people. He is very old and all his friends either died or left because of his drinking problem. So, he creates a friend with himself. He talks to himself, sings by himself, and drinks by himself. He is living in the past, but not another past like Miniver Cheevy, his past. He is looking back to how things used to be with his friends and how much fun they used to have. He idealizes his old life with the other people. In reality they have all left and he is alone at his own party. It is ironic because this party is the opposite of what it should be.
