The Highwayman-Summary

For my reading group we have been focusing on a poem from the 18th century. This poem is called "The Highwayman" We read this poem individually then worked in partners to write a summary about this poem. Some words in the text was very old some words were new to us. We learnt the meaning of the words that we did not understand.

As the moon shaded the purple moor, the highwayman came riding to the inn-door. His cocked hat was placed on his forehead and the bunch of white lace wrapped around his neck with a red velvet coat, breeches made of deerskin. His boots were thigh high and he rode to the dark inn-yard. The dark inn-yard was closed and barred so their he rode to the landlord's black eyed daughter Bess. She stood plaiting her hair in a dark red love knot. She then took her hair down and the highwayman told Bess his plan for that night. Her long black hair let off a strong perfume scent. The highwayman kissed her hair as he then galloped to the west. Tim the ostler had heard their conversation and had felt jealous of this. He had warned the king and his men about the highwayman’s plan. So king george’s men marched up to the old inn-door and hid by the landlord daughter’s window. Then they had tied her up awaiting the highwayman’s arrival. She tried to wiggle her way out but King George’s men had placed a gun under her breast. They had awaited the highwayman’s arrival and until then Bess still had tried to get out. She found a way and placed her fingers on the rim of the trigger. She had a choice. Live or Die. She had hoped the highwayman would never came for his safety. But… Klip- Klop- Klip- Klop… The noise of the highwayman’s horse came riding to the landlord’s daughter. She had no choice. She loved him so much, she decided to shoot herself to warn her love…. Blood dripped from the landlord’s daughter… Their the highwayman went riding off with his horse far away from the noise. Then when the highwayman heard the news he rode all the way back for revenge. But on his way he got shot down…