'The Highwayman' by Alfred Noyes
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PART ONE
The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding--
Riding--riding--
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inndoor.
He'd a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of claret velvet, and breeches of brown doeskin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.
Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dard inn-yard,
And 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.
And 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 moldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and 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 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 rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight, and galloped away to the West.
PART TWO
He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon;
And out o' the tawny sunset, before the rise o' the moon,
When the road was a gypsy's ribbon, looping the purple moor,
A red coat troop 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 fo them knelt at her casement, with muskets at 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 tied her up to attention, with many a sniggering jest;
They had bound a musket 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, now, 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 rest!
Up, she stood to 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 of her veins in the moonlight throbbed to her love's refrain
Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? This horse-hoofs 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 red-coats 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 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 landlords black-eyed daughter,
Had watched her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.
Back, he spurred like a madman, shreiking a curse to the sky,
with the white road smoking behind him, and his rapier brain dished high!
Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat.
When they shot him down in the highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay his blood on the highway, with a bunch of lace at his throat.
And still of a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cluody seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding--
Riding--riding--
A 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 daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.
Submitted by Hana Kim
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes: A Haunting Tale of Love and Betrayal
As a lover of poetry, I've always been intrigued by the way in which a skilled poet can create a world with just a few words. And when it comes to the classic poem, "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes, I have to say that I'm completely blown away by the sheer power and beauty of this hauntingly beautiful work of art.
The Plot
At its core, "The Highwayman" is a love story that takes place in the midst of betrayal and tragedy. The poem tells the story of a daring highwayman who is deeply in love with a beautiful young woman named Bess. The two of them meet secretly at the inn where the highwayman stays and share their love in the shadows. However, their happiness is short-lived, as Bess is eventually captured by the evil King's soldiers and used as bait to lure the highwayman into a deadly trap.
Despite the danger, the highwayman rides to the inn one last time to see his beloved Bess. But when he arrives, he discovers that she has been killed by the soldiers, and he is shot down in cold blood. The poem ends on a haunting note, with the sound of the highwayman's horse galloping into the night, carrying his spirit away.
The Language
One of the things that makes "The Highwayman" so powerful is the way in which Noyes uses language to create a vivid and haunting atmosphere. The poem is full of rich, descriptive language that draws the reader into the world of the highwayman and his doomed love affair.
For example, consider the following lines:
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
Here, Noyes uses the metaphor of a ghostly galleon to describe the moon, creating an eerie and mysterious atmosphere that sets the stage for the tragic events to come.
And later, when the highwayman gallops towards the inn to see his beloved Bess, Noyes writes:
He spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky, With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high.
Here, the language is full of action and intensity, as the highwayman races towards his beloved with a fierce determination that is palpable and thrilling.
The Themes
At its heart, "The Highwayman" is a poem about love and betrayal, and the tragic consequences that can come from these powerful emotions. Throughout the poem, Noyes explores the deep connection between the highwayman and Bess, as well as the dangerous world in which they live.
But the poem also touches on larger themes, such as the nature of justice and the consequences of violence. The King's soldiers are painted as cold and heartless killers, while the highwayman and Bess are portrayed as passionate and daring outlaws. And yet, in the end, both sides suffer greatly, as their actions lead to death and destruction.
The Symbolism
Another aspect of "The Highwayman" that I find particularly fascinating is the use of symbolism throughout the poem. From the ghostly galleon to the sound of the highwayman's horse galloping into the night, Noyes uses symbols to create a sense of mystery and depth that adds to the overall impact of the poem.
Perhaps the most powerful symbol in the poem is the highwayman himself. He is portrayed as a romantic figure, a man who is willing to risk everything for the woman he loves. But at the same time, he is a figure of danger and violence, a reminder of the darker side of human nature. In this way, the highwayman becomes a symbol for the complex and often contradictory nature of love and passion.
The Legacy
Since it was first published in 1906, "The Highwayman" has become one of the most beloved and widely read poems in the English language. It has been adapted into plays, films, and even an opera, and its haunting beauty and powerful themes continue to resonate with readers today.
For me, "The Highwayman" is a true masterpiece of poetry, a work of art that combines beautiful language, vivid imagery, and powerful themes into a haunting and unforgettable tale of love and betrayal. And every time I read it, I am struck by the sheer power and beauty of this incredible work of art.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Highwayman: A Classic Poem of Love, Betrayal, and Tragedy
The Highwayman, written by Alfred Noyes, is a classic poem that has captured the hearts of readers for generations. It tells the story of a daring highwayman who falls in love with a beautiful innkeeper's daughter named Bess. However, their love is doomed from the start, as Bess is betrayed by a jealous ostler named Tim and the highwayman is killed in a dramatic showdown with the King's soldiers. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and literary devices used in The Highwayman, and why it continues to be a beloved poem today.
Themes
One of the main themes of The Highwayman is love. The poem portrays a passionate and intense love between the highwayman and Bess, which is evident in lines such as "He kissed her once and he kissed her twice / And he kissed her again and again." Their love is so strong that Bess is willing to risk her life to warn the highwayman of the soldiers' ambush, saying "I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way." However, their love is also tragic, as it ultimately leads to their downfall.
Another theme in the poem is betrayal. Tim, the ostler, is jealous of the highwayman's relationship with Bess and betrays her to the soldiers. This betrayal leads to the highwayman's death and Bess's suicide. The poem also touches on the theme of loyalty, as the highwayman's loyal horse, Black Bess, plays a significant role in the story.
Imagery
The Highwayman is filled with vivid and powerful imagery that brings the story to life. The poem is set in the 18th century, and Noyes uses language and descriptions that transport the reader to that time period. For example, the highwayman is described as wearing a "breeches of brown doe-skin" and a "coat of the claret velvet." The inn where Bess works is described as having "a stable's worth of steeds," and the soldiers are described as having "muscles like iron."
Noyes also uses imagery to create a sense of danger and tension throughout the poem. The highwayman's ride to the inn is described as "the wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees" and "the road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor." These descriptions create a sense of foreboding and danger, as if something terrible is about to happen.
Literary Devices
The Highwayman is a masterful example of the use of literary devices in poetry. One of the most prominent devices used in the poem is repetition. The lines "He'd a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin, / A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin" are repeated throughout the poem, creating a sense of rhythm and familiarity. The repetition of the line "Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot" also creates a sense of urgency and danger.
Another literary device used in the poem is personification. Black Bess, the highwayman's horse, is personified throughout the poem, with lines such as "But the landlord's black-eyed daughter, / Bess, the landlord's daughter, / Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair" and "She stood up, straight and still." This personification creates a sense of connection between the reader and the horse, making the horse's loyalty to the highwayman even more poignant.
The poem also uses alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia to create a sense of rhythm and musicality. Lines such as "And the highwayman came riding— / Riding—riding—" and "And he kissed her again and again" use repetition of sounds to create a sense of movement and emotion.
Conclusion
The Highwayman is a classic poem that continues to captivate readers today. Its themes of love, betrayal, and tragedy are timeless, and its vivid imagery and masterful use of literary devices make it a true work of art. Noyes's poem is a testament to the power of poetry to transport us to different times and places, and to touch our hearts with its beauty and emotion.
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