Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Highwayman" is a narrative poem written by Alfred Noyes that tells the tragic story of a highwayman and his lover, Bess, who is ultimately killed by the soldiers pursuing him.

The poem begins with a description of the highwayman, who is depicted as a dashing and charismatic figure with a long black coat and a pair of pistols. The highwayman's love for Bess is also introduced early on in the poem, with the speaker describing how he "whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there but Bess?"

As the poem progresses, the highwayman's attempts to rob a wealthy merchant are described, with the merchant's daughter betraying him to the soldiers in order to save her father's life. The soldiers pursue the highwayman back to the inn where Bess is waiting, and ultimately shoot her in an attempt to capture the highwayman.

The final stanza of the poem is particularly poignant, as it describes the highwayman's reaction to Bess's death:

"He turned; he spurred to the west; he did not know who stood

Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!

Not till the dawn he heard it, his face grew gray 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."

Overall, "The Highwayman" is a tragic and haunting poem that tells the story of a doomed love affair between a highwayman and his lover. The poem is known for its vivid imagery and use of repetition, which help to create a sense of drama and tension throughout. The poem is often taught in schools as an example of narrative poetry, and has been adapted into a number of different forms, including stage plays and musicals.