Name: _______________________ Teacher: _________ Class: ___________ Date: ______________
“The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes: Summarizing the Story
Directions: “The Highwayman” is a narrative poem written by Alfred Noyes. As you complete each stanza, fill
in the blanks on this worksheet to create a summary of the story told in the poem. Remember that a narrative
poem is just that: a poem that tells a story.
Section I: Summarizing the Poem
Part 1
1. Stanza 1: With the ___________ glowing, the highwayman arrived at ______________________________.
2. Stanza 2: He was dressed well. He wore a ___________ hat, ___________ under his chin, a purplish
__________, breeches made out of _________________, and ___________ that went up to his thigh. He
was armed with a ___________ and a ___________.
3. Stanza 3: When he knocked with his whip, ____________ answered the door. But, when he whistled, the
landlord’s ___________ answered the window. Her name was ________. She was braiding her hair.
4. Stanza 4: The strange man who takes care of the ___________ loves Bess. He eavesdrops on their talking.
5. Stanza 5: The highwayman tells Bess that he cannot stay tonight because he is going to _________________
________________________, but he will return before morning. However, if he cannot return tonight, he
will return eventually, but only at ___________.
6. Stanza 6: He tried to reach the window to give her a __________. However, he could not reach. So, she let
down her ____________. He could smell her perfume and kissed her __________. Then, he left.
Part 2
7. Stanza 7: The highwayman did not return _________________________. However, some _____________
did show up to the old inn.
8. Stanza 8: The soldiers drank all the inn keeper’s __________. The soldiers tied up the daughter, and they
watched out the window for _________________________________.
9. Stanza 9: The soldiers tied her up with a ____________ pointing at her. They told her to “______________
_______________________________” for her boyfriend / the highwayman. When he gets there, the soldiers
will likely _____________________________.
10. Stanza 10: She tried to escape until her hands were wet from either _______________________________.
She could not get the ropes loose, but she was able to ___________________________________________.
11. Stanza 11: She stopped struggling to get out since she could successfully reach the __________________.
She continues to watch __________________________________________________________________.
12. Stanza 12: She hears ____________________ coming and wonders if the soldiers __________________.
They must have heard it though because they _________________________________________________.
13. Stanza 13: Bess realizes there is no way to warn the highwayman, so she __________________________
________________________ to warn him that there is trouble.
14. Stanza 14: The highwayman turns and leaves, but he did not know ________________________________
_____________________. In the morning, he learned that ________________________________________
_____________________________________________.
15. Stanza 15: The highwayman went toward the soldiers, cursing and swearing. When the soldiers see him,
they _____________________________.
16. Stanza 16: Legend has it that even to this day, on a winter’s night with a bright moon, people still swear
they see ________________________________________________________________________________.
17. Stanza 17: Legend also has it that even to this day, the highwayman goes up to the inn and _____________
_______________________________________________________________________________________.
Section II: Word Definitions
a. Galleon: ________________________________________________________________________________
b. Claret: __________________________________________________________________________________
c. Plaiting: ________________________________________________________________________________
d. Ostler: __________________________________________________________________________________
e. Casement: _______________________________________________________________________________
Section III: Figurative Language and Lines from the Poem
1. “The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas” (Line 2).
What type of figurative speech is this? _______________________________________________________
What is being compared? _____________________________ is compared to ________________________
What do they have in common? _____________________________________________________________
2. “When the road was a gypsy’s ribbon, looping the purple moor” (Line 39).
What type of figurative speech is this? _______________________________________________________
What is being compared? _____________________________ is compared to ________________________
What do they have in common? _____________________________________________________________
3. “Nearer he came and nearer. Her face was like a light!” (Line 73).
What type of figurative speech is this? _______________________________________________________
What is being compared? _____________________________ is compared to ________________________
What do they have in common? _____________________________________________________________