Short Story

The repetition of the hard “c” and “k” sounds in the first line mimics the sound of the horse’s hooves on the cobblestones; this repetition of stressed consonants is called alliteration. The third stanza also offers an excellent example of narrative compression: that is, Noyes manages to convey a lot of information in a very few lines. Not only does Noyes inform us that Bess opens the window to the highwayman, but through careful diction he suggests that Bess and the highwayman are already lovers. Bess is “waiting” for the highwayman, which implies that she had expected his arrival, and she is braiding a “love-knot,” or token of love, into her hair. Noyes makes careful use of color in these lines: with her sensual black eyes and long black hair, Bess, like the highwayman, is also identified with the night. Moreover, both the highwayman and Bess wear a dark red article of clothing (the highwayman’s jacket is “claret” velvet): this color effectively foreshadows the bloody end to which they will each come.


The Highwayman is about a girl named Bess and the Highwayman. Bess really shows how she feels about the Highwayman. She is deeply in love with him and sacrificed her life to save him. Another way this shows self expression is because they always do something for eachother no matter what the consequences are. The two show really strong feelings for eachother which is vevry important for them to know as they live the rest of their lives as ghost. Without eachother Bess and the Highwayman would probably have not ever been showing the feelings that were hidden deep inside them until they finally met.