How do the townspeople view Richard Cory?

• A. As a laborer who works daily
• B. As a boisterous showman
• C. As a gentleman, king, and ideal man
• D. As an outcast

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is how appearances shape the townspeople’s perception of Richard Cory and how that perception becomes ironic in light of what we learn about him.

The townspeople treat him as a model of success and refinement, seeing him as a gentleman, almost regal in his bearing. They think of him as wildly enviable—richer than a king and admirably full of grace—so their view is one of admiration and awe. They imagine his life as effortlessly perfect, a standard to which they themselves cannot aspire. This is why the correct answer is that they see him as a gentleman, king, and ideal man: their projections assign him the highest social polish and status, even though they do not truly know his inner state.

This matters because the poem uses irony: what looks like supreme outward polish masks hidden emptiness or unhappiness, revealed only by the shocking turn at the end. The other options don’t fit the tone or the evidence in the poem—the townspeople are not describing him as a laborer or a boisterous showman, nor do they view him as an outcast. They are captivated by his refined, elevated image.