Ballads: The Highwayman

LO: I will be able to annotate the poem accordingly for understanding and elements of a ballad

Register Task:
Using the sheet provided, answer T or F
to the following statements.
T = True (if you agree)

F = False (if you disagree)

 The Highwayman

• What do you think of

when you hear the
word ‘highwayman’?

• Brainstorm ideas.
 The Highwayman
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.

What do you think is

going to happen in this
poem?
 The Highwayman
Find at least three examples of each of these poetic
devices in the poem. Write down the full quotation
that shows the device neatly in your book. You will
have to look carefully!
• METAPHOR
• SIMILE
• ALLITERATION
• ONOMATOPOEIA
• REPETITION
• EXT: RHYMING COUPLET
 The Highwayman
• Annotate the poem with the person beside
you, focusing on poetic devices AND the
elements of a ballad.

• EXT: What makes this ballad effective?

 The Highwayman
• Identify examples of ballad conventions used
and highlight them on the sheet. Read back
over your list to remind yourself of the
conventions.
 Plenary Sheet
• Fill out the fill in the blank sheet
 Plenary
• The poem begins by describing the arrival of the
Highwayman
____________________ at the old inn. We soon learn that
Bess
the landlord’s daughter, __________, and the highwayman
are in love. Unfortunately for them, the ostler,
JealousTim, also
loves Bess, and is ______________ of the highwayman. He
overhears the highwayman promising
inn to return to the
King
_______ after his night’s work. George’s
The menthe
ostler tells
_______________ who arrive and take over the inn to wait
for the highwayman. They tie Bessbedto the foot of the
_________ and gag her tomusket
stop her calling out to warn her
lover. For good measure they fasten a ________ beneath
her breast.
 Plenary
• She struggles silently until she manages to reach the
trigger
___________ of the gun. She knows then that she can give
warning
a ______________. After midnight they hear the
highwayman
shoot approaching. The soldiers prepare to
___________ him down. Bess pulls the trigger of the gun,
nightthe highwayman who gallops into
kills herself, but warns
the ________, not knowing what has happened. At dawn
he discovers the dreadful truth. Blinded by sorrow and rage
he gallops back to the inn and isKing’s
shotmen
down by the
Highwayman
_______________.
Bess The locals say that
Innthe spirits of the
___________________ and _________ still meet at the old
_________.