Reposting the article from an earlier blog - written for my students back in 2013
These days understanding literature has become so much easier what with the internet's humongous repertoire. But then, you need to analyse every detail you read for not everything up there on the net will be true although it may be someone's point of view put across rather strongly.
These days understanding literature has become so much easier what with the internet's humongous repertoire. But then, you need to analyse every detail you read for not everything up there on the net will be true although it may be someone's point of view put across rather strongly.
Recently , when I read 'The Highwayman' trying to identify the threads of poetic craft that ran through it,
the very experience of reading this poem filled me with wonder. Wonder at how
the poet could have taken a not-so-heroic highway robber and simply with the
help of well-crafted phrases and a thrilling romantic plot turn around our
perception of the highwayman. So our sympathies lie, not with the law, not with
what history tells us about highwaymen of the 18th century, but with the young,
dashing highwayman who is hopelessly in love with Bess, the landlord's
daughter, the man who promises to be back to his beloved , the courageous young
lover who comes riding back to seek revenge for his lady love's death, only to
die a dog's death himself. He has been betrayed by the jealous ostler Tim, who
had overheard him parting ways with Bess. Tim, whose description makes it
obvious that he is hardly our choice of a hero, is also in love with Bess but
knows he cannot get her as Bess's heart has already been won by the highwayman.
When the Highwayman enters the scene - the fact that he is
riding is emphasized by the repetition- that is what he chiefly does, rides
down the highway. Noyes describes the highwayman's appearance quite meticulously
right from the French cocked hat, the wine red coat to his brown breeches and
laced up chin, his boots, his pistol, his rapier.
We see him being described again later in the poem, but this
time he is in wild rage, as the news of Bess's tragic death has reached him.
The dark and windy night sky is painted vividly in striking
metaphorical language
'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...'
In the dark of the night does all the action take place. The
moonlight is ghostly, shadowy - hardly able to survive the clouds- like a ship
being tossed about by the waves in the sea.The setting foreshadows the tragic
events that are to happen soon.
One more character that stays with us is Bess. She gives up
her life for the man she loved. True love for years has been elevated to fame
with the death of lovers. But in this poem the lovers meet, although it is after their death. For even now in the
moonlight one can hear the highwayman come riding, riding, riding...
I enjoyed my experience of reading The Highwayman thoroughly
and am sure all my students who read it with me did.
Here are some links that I chanced upon while looking up the
poem.
Amazing song by Loreena McKennit - The Highwayman - although
some parts are missing-
No comments:
Post a Comment
We would love to hear what you think about our post. Please post your comment here.