A Little bit of Background
"The Highwayman" is a narrative poem (Narrative poetry is a form of poetry which
tells a story, often making use of the voices of a narrator and characters as well; the
entire story is usually written in metred verse. The poems that make up this genre
may be short or long, and the story it relates to may be complex. It is usually
dramatic, with objectives, diverse characters, and metre. Narrative poems include
epics, ballads, idylls and lays.) written by Alfred Noyes, first published in the August
1906 issue of Blackwood's Magazine, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The following
year it was included in Noyes' collection, Forty Singing Seamen and Other Poems,
becoming an immediate success. In 1995 it was voted 15th in the BBC's poll for "The
Nation's Favourite Poems".
Background
The poem was written on the edge of a desolate stretch of land in West Surrey
known as Bagshot Heath, where Noyes, then aged 24, had taken rooms in a
cottage. In his autobiography, he recalled: "Bagshot Heath in those days was a wild
bit of country, all heather and pinewoods. "The Highwayman" suggested itself to me
one blustery night when the sound of the wind in the pines gave me the first line."
The poem was completed in about two days.
Literary Qualities
The poem makes effective use of vivid imagery for the background and of repetitious
phrases to create the sense of a horseman riding at ease through the rural darkness
to a lovers' tryst or of soldiers marching down the same road to ambush him.
"The Highwayman" is reputed to be "the best narrative poem in existence for oral
delivery."
Almost half a century later, Noyes wrote, "I think the success of the poem... was
because it was not an artificial composition, but was written at an age when I was
genuinely excited by that kind of romantic story."
The Highwayman Challenge
Introduction
:
Poetry is the chiseled marble of language; it's a paint-spattered canvas - but the poet
uses words instead of paint, and the canvas is you.
Poetry is everywhere including the Internet and school library. You are going to be a
detective on the trail of Alfred Noyes and his poem ‘The Highwayman’. As you
progress through this task, you will search out the information to get to know Alfred
Noyes and ‘The Highwayman’, and what poetic elements are used in the poem.
Process
Learning Intention: We will be able to analyse ‘The Highwayman’ identifying and
applying the unique characteristics of poetry.
Knowing Poetry Terms
1. Using the web site http://www.poetry-online.org/poetry-terms.htm or Figurative
Language record or share this information with your Feedback buddy to ensure you
know the definition for each of the following poetry terms (use your worksheet that
you have already completed for some of the information):
Simile
Metaphor
Rhyme
Personification
Hyperbole
Alliteration
Ballad
Rhythm
Onomatopoeia
Free verse
Imagery
‘The Highwayman’ by Alfred Noyes
Now it is time to familiarise yourself with the poem ‘The Highwayman’. There are
options for you to choose from. You will need to read, re-read and skim before
continuing with the challenge. In other words GET TO KNOW THE POEM!!!!!
Option 1: Go to any of these websites. Choose one to work with.
http://www.potw.org/archive/potw85.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afzmoHOz5AE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCtJDbQwsZ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYUmP-Nk0-U
Option 2: Read the poem in verse/paper form
Option 3: Watch the Keynote Presentation
In My Own Words
In no more than 200 words summarise the story being told by Alfred Noyes in ‘The
Highwayman’. You can choose any form of presentation for your summary. Be
creative!!!!!!
FORGOTTEN HOW TO SUMMARISE WELL ??????????????????
Check these help options out.
http://www.slideshare.net/debstewart/how-to-summarise Summarising Slide Show
FYI - Summarising/Paraphrasing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3bek3F2E1E Youtube how to summarise
Applying Poetry Terms
Re read the poem.
Reflect on the poetry terms activity. From the poetry terms list identify all the above
poetry terms that apply to ‘The Highwayman’ along with an explanation of why that
term fits with the poem. Include the quote from the poem.
Imagery
This poem is filled with wonderful images.
FORGOTTEN WHAT IMAGERY IS????????????????????????
Check these help options out
Option 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgz4l4f3Bb4 Imagery: Can you see it
now? Part 1 of 2
Option 2 FYI Imagery
Read through your copy of the poem, highlighting when you see simile and metaphor
being used.
Use a different colour!
Once you have identified the images, pick 1 simile and 2 metaphors.
On your Google Slides, explain what is being compared and what it makes you
imagine. You can draw a picture to accompany your explanation…
Another important feature of this poem is the use of sound techniques, including
onomatopoeia and alliteration.
Picking another two colours, look through the poem and highlight when you see
these techniques being used.
Copy the following definitions into your Google Doc/Slides.
Mood: a distinctive emotional quality or character: “The mood of the music was
almost funereal”; “the mood was tense.”
Atmosphere: a particular environment or surrounding influence: "there was an
atmosphere of excitement”; “the atmosphere was electric.”
Think carefully about the emotions the poem ‘The Highwayman’ stirs in you as it is
read.
From the words below, pick three which you think could be used to describe the
mood/atmosphere in the poem.
Tense
Scary
Joyful
Mysterious Angry
Dramatic
Romantic
Exciting
Dreamy
Sinister
Gloomy
Now that you have decided which words match the poem, you need to back yourself
up.
Read through the poem, selecting a quotation for each mood word (which means
you need 3 quotes).
Challenge: explain why it makes you feel this way
Example: The mood is very sinister when it describes how Bess is captured: ‘There
was Death at every window, And Hell at one dark window.’ The personification of
Hell and Death makes it seem as though no-one can escape evil, and hints that
Bess will die.

What is your first impression of the Highwayman? Does he seem evil? What
about brave? Or mysterious? Pick a quotation to support your answer.

When you read about his relationship with Bess, what does this make you
think of the highwayman? Why?

How do you feel when you discover that the pair are being spied on? Explain
your reasons for feeling this way.

How do you feel when you read about what happens to Bess? Again, explain
your reasons!

What do you think of the highwayman when you read about his reaction to the
news of Bess’ death? Explain.

How are you left feeling towards the highwayman at the end? Reasons
please!

What makes ‘The Highwayman’ such a dramatic narrative poem?

How does the poet Alfred Noyes create sympathy for the Highwayman?
YOU HAVE NOW COMPLETED ANALYSING A REAL CLASSIC!!!! WELL
DONE!!!!!!