Narrative Poem. A narrative poem is a verse that tells a story. Narrative poems can have many of the same elements as a short story, including character, setting, mood, conflict, plot, and theme. For definitions of these elements, refer to the Handbook of Literary Terms. Before you read “The Highwayman,” create a story map like the one below. As you read, fill in the story map with details from the poem.
Repetition. Repetition is more than one use of a sound, word, or group of words. As you read, try to pay attention to examples of repetition in the poem.
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- “The Highwayman” is set in England during the reign of King George III, who ruled from 1760 to 1820. Soldiers in this period were known as “redcoats” because they wore scarlet coats as part of their uniform. Today, when most people think of redcoats, they think of the British soldiers who eventually lost to the American colonists during the American Revolution.
- The poem you are about to read is about a highwayman. A highwayman is a man who rides on horseback along the highways, robbing travelers. People have enjoyed stories about outlaws for centuries. Often the outlaws are portrayed romantically, as heroic figures. While writers sometimes create imaginary outlaw characters, at other times the writer is inspired by an actual historical outlaw. Some examples of outlaws in popular literature, movies, and television are Robin Hood, the pirates in some of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novels, the Scottish outlaw Rob Roy, and Jesse James and Calamity Jane from the American West.
When you picture a hero, what do you see? How does a hero look and act?
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