“The Highwayman”
published in 1906
(It’s a narrative poem—it tells a story!)
by Alfred Noyes
1880 - 1958
He loved history,
especially
the history of
highwaymen.
This is his only
well-known poem!
Highwaymen
Who were they?
You may think of them as land pirates:
horses were their ships!
They became very famous in England!
Highwaymen
• They rode horseback to commit their crimes, often raiding
travelers in carriages that were carrying valuable goods.
• They committed “highway robbery” from the 1400’s through
the 1800’s, holding up carriages: “your money or your life”
• Many were known for being very polite and well-dressed.
• The last recorded crime by a highwayman was in 1831.
Perhaps the Most Famous
Highwayman:
Robin Hood, a figure from a French medieval legend. He
stole from the rich to give to the poor. His last name still
lives in our language: “hood” or “hoodlum”!
Popular Culture…
Still Appreciates the Legend of the
Highwaymen!
Vocabulary
from “The Highwayman”
galleon (noun) - a type
of Spanish sailing ship
ostler (noun) - one
who cares for horses
moor (noun) - open, field-like areas
with swamps located in England
and Scotland.
rapier (noun) - type of
sword; the hilt is the
cup-shaped area that
protects the hand.
not so bonny
bonny
brand (noun) - a piece
of burning wood.
bonny (adjective) - Scottish
word meaning “pretty.”
musket
pistols
priming (noun) - the gunpowder used to set off
a gun.
sniggering jest (noun) – a sly, mean-spiritied
joke told in a sarcastic manner.
torrent (noun) – a violent stream or rush,
usually of water or air.
strive (verb) – to struggle in
order to meet a goal.
writhing (verb) – twisting, turning,
or struggling, usually in pain
and/or to get one’s self free from
restraints .
casement window (noun) – a type of window that opens
outward on hinges, like a cupboard.
harry (verb) – to harass, bother, torment.
King George’s men (noun)
They kept order in England before
there was a police force. Sometimes
they acted like lawless thugs! They
were also known as redcoats.
STOP THE PRESENTATION HERE!
SHOW REMAINING SLIDES AFTER
THE STUDENTS COMPLETE
A FIRST-READING OF
THE POEM!
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 inn door
“One kiss my bonny sweetheart, I’m after a prize tonight,…
watch for me by moonlight,
I’ll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way.”
“ …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,…”
“He did not come in the dawning;
he did not come at noon…”
“King George’s men came marching, up to the old inn door…
They said no word to the landlord, they drank his ale instead…”