the Highwayman[1]

The Highwayman

By

Alfred Noyes (1880-1958)

Learning Intentions: To understand the narrative poem The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes.

To identify the imagery contained within the poem and to implement them into my writing.

To use the ideas raised in this poem and create a piece of creative writing for my folio.

How will you achieve this?

You will need this unit.

By working as an individual and with your peers.

You may use a dictionary (if required).

You may use a computer (pending availability).

By the end of the unit you should be able to:

Explain what the poem is about.

Identify three different areas of imagery.

Show your understanding of the imagery contained in the narrative poem by implementing similes, metaphors and onomatopoeia into your writing.

Create a piece of creative writing for your folio based on the themes contained in the poem. You will be responsible for giving your work an appropriate title.

The Poem

The Highwayman The wind was a torrent of darkness upon the gusty trees, The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, The road was a ribbon of moonlight looping the purple moor, And the highwayman came riding-- Riding--riding-- The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn door.

He'd a French cocked hat on his forehead, and a bunch of lace at his chin; He'd a coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of fine doe-skin. They fitted with never a wrinkle; his boots were up to his thigh! And he rode with a jewelled twinkle-- His rapier hilt a-twinkle-- His pistol butts a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard, He tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred, He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there But the landlord's black-eyed daughter-- Bess, the landlord's daughter-- Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

Dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked Where Tim, the ostler listened--his face was white and peaked-- His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay, But he loved the landlord's daughter-- The landlord's black-eyed daughter; Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say:

"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart; I'm after a prize tonight, But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light. Yet if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day, Then look for me by moonlight, Watch for me by moonlight, I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."

He stood upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand, But she loosened her hair in the casement! His face burnt like a brand As the sweet black waves of perfume came tumbling o'er his breast, Then he kissed its waves in the moonlight (O sweet black waves in the moonlight!), And he tugged at his reins in the moonlight, and galloped away to the west.

He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon. And out of the tawny sunset, before the rise of the moon,

When the road was a gypsy's ribbon over the purple moor, The redcoat troops came marching--

Marching--marching-- King George's men came marching, up to the old inn-door.

They said no word to the landlord; they drank his ale instead, But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed.

Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets by their side; There was Death at every window,

And Hell at one dark window, For Bess could see, through her casement, the road that he would ride.

They had bound her up at attention, with many a sniggering jest! They had tied a rifle beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast!

"Now keep good watch!" and they kissed her. She heard the dead man say, "Look for me by moonlight, Watch for me by moonlight,

I'll come to thee by moonlight, though Hell should bar the way."

She twisted her hands behind her, but all the knots held good!

She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat or blood! They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years,

Till, on the stroke of midnight, Cold on the stroke of midnight,

The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!

The tip of one finger touched it, she strove no more for the rest; Up, she stood up at attention, with the barrel beneath her breast.

She would not risk their hearing, she would not strive again, For the road lay bare in the moonlight,

Blank and bare in the moonlight, And the blood in her veins, in the moonlight, throbbed to her love's refrain.

Tlot tlot, tlot tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hooves, ringing clear; Tlot tlot, tlot tlot, in the distance! Were they deaf that they did not hear?

Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill, The highwayman came riding--

Riding--riding-- The redcoats looked to their priming! She stood up straight and still.

Tlot tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot tlot, in the echoing night! Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!

Her eyes grew wide for a moment, she drew one last deep breath, Then her finger moved in the moonlight--

Her musket shattered the moonlight-- Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him--with her death.

He turned, he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood Bowed, with her head o'er the casement, drenched in her own red blood!

Not till the dawn did he hear it, and his face grew grey to hear How Bess, the landlord's daughter, The landlord's black-eyed daughter,

Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.

Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky, With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!

Blood-red were his spurs in the golden noon, wine-red was his velvet coat When they shot him down in the highway,

Down like a dog in the highway, And he lay in his blood in the highway, with the bunch of lace at his throat.

And still on a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees, When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,

When the road is a gypsy's ribbon looping the purple moor, The highwayman comes riding--

Riding--riding-- The highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.

Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard,

He taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred, He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there

But the landlord's black-eyed daughter-- Bess, the landlord's daughter--

Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

Alfred Noyes

Notes on the Text

A French cocked-hat An old-fashioned three corner hat.claret Dark red, like wine.

pistol butts The handles of the pistol.rapier A long thin sword.

stable-wicket Stable door.ostler A person who looks after horses at an inn.

peaked Having a sickly look.harry me Hound me- chase me.casement Window.

tawny Yellow, golden.musket An old-fashioned rifle.

jest Joke, something to laugh at.priming Charging muskets with gunpowder.blanched Went pale.

Individual Task: Write a paragraph in your jotter explaining what you think the poem is about.

What was the poem about?The poem begins by describing the arrival of the highwayman

at the old inn. We soon learn that the landlord’s daughter, Bess, and the highwayman, are in love. Unfortunately for them, the ostler, Tim, also loves Bess, and is jealous of the highwayman. He overhears the highwayman promising to return to the inn after his night’s work. The ostler tells the

soldiers who arrive and take over the inn to wait for the return of the highwayman. They tie Bess to the foot of her bed and gag her to stop her calling out to warn her lover. For good

measure they fasten a gun beneath her breast. She struggles silently until she manages to reach the trigger of the gun. She knows then that she can give a warning. After midnight they hear the highwayman approaching. The soldiers prepare to

shoot him down. Bess pulls the trigger of the gun, kills herself, but warns the highwayman who gallops off into the

night, not knowing what had happened. At dawn he discovers the dreadful truth. Blinded by sorrow and rage he gallops back to the inn and is shot down by the redcoats. The locals say that

the spirits of the highwayman and Bess still meet at the old inn.

After reading this synopsis look back to your paragraph on the poem. Were you right?

Questions on the PoemAnswer these questions to show your

understanding of what the poem was about.

You should write your answers in your jotter.

1. What time of day did the highwayman arrive at the inn?2. What weapons was he carrying?

3. How did he let the landlord’s daughter know he was there?

4. What was the landlord’s daughter called?5. Who was listening secretly?6. What was his job at the inn?

7. How did he betray the lovers?8. Who were the redcoats?

9. What did they do to Bess?10. How did she manage to warn the highwayman?

11. What did the highwayman do when he found out that Bess was dead?

12. What did the locals say happened on winter’s nights?

How did you cope?

Swap your jotter with your partner and mark your peer’s work.

Looking for Imagery in the Poem

What is imagery?

Imagery is language that appeals to your five senses – sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. You might’ve noticed some rhyme, sound patterns and comparisons throughout the poem. These elements are part of the imagery of the poem as they help to create an image in the readers mind.

Task TimeIndividual

Read through the poem again and identify as many similes, metaphors and onomatopoeic words you can find. Copy out a table like the one below and fill in your answers. Try to explain what this

imagery means/suggests. Does it help you to understand the poem better?

Remember: A simile is a comparison that contains the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ in it. For example, ‘dumb as a dog.’

A metaphor is a comparison that states one thing is another. For example, ‘The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.’

Onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like its meaning. For example, ‘clattered and crashed.’

Quote from the poem Technique being used What does this suggest/mean?

The wind was a torrent of darkness upon the

gusty trees

Metaphor This means that the wind was violent and gloomy against

the trees. This suggests that it was dark and extremely

windy. This creates a sinister atmosphere.

Now what?Once you have completed the table in your jotter compare your answers with your peers and discuss what image you consider to be the most powerful.

Once you have chosen your favourite example of imagery from the poem create an A3 poster of your quote from the poem.

For example,‘The wind was a torrent of darkness upon the gusty trees’

Themes of the PoemWhat are themes?

Themes are ideas or points raised by a text.For example, theme – love.

In your pairs/groups discuss what you believe the main themes of the poem are. This discussion should take approximately

3 minutes. Once you have decided what the main themes of the poem are write down your answers into your jotter.

How many themes did you identify?

Love Death Betrayal Loyalty

Did you identify any other relevant themes?

Your Turn to be Creative.You should now be able to identify

Similes

Metaphors

Onomatopoeia

You should also be able to recognise what themes are.

Using your knowledge of these skills you must now show how you can implement them into your writing.

You will do this by creating an imaginative tale based on the themes raised by the poem the Highwayman. Your creative

piece may be a poem or a short story. It must contain at least 2 examples of a simile and 2 examples of a metaphor. You must also use at least 1 example of onomatopoeia in your

creative piece.

You must remember to plan your creative piece.

(Who, where, when, how and why)

You must include a front cover and you may add illustrations to your creative piece if you have time.

Good Luck! (There is a planning sheet for the short story on the next page if

required.)

Imaginative Story - Setting the Scene

Where is your story? ______________________________________

Is it night or day? ________________________________________

What is the weather like? __________________________________

Who is in your story? _____________________________________

What are your characters names? ____________________________

Is there anyone else? ______________________________________

What are they feeling? _____________________________________

Where are your characters? _________________________________

What are they doing? _______________________________________

What happens at the beginning? ______________________________

What do they see? __________________________________________

What do they do? ___________________________________________

Where do they go? __________________________________________

Try to leave the beginning of your story at a point that can get exciting in the middle