The Highwayman - Lesson 15 - Got the Plot Worksheet

In "The Highwayman" Lesson 15, students are provided with a worksheet titled "Got the Plot?" which is designed to test their comprehension of the poem's narrative. The activity requires them to read the entire poem and then fill in the blanks of a summary to demonstrate their understanding of the story. The plot revolves around the character Bess who finds herself in a perilous situation, tied up and trying to communicate a critical message to her lover, the highwayman. Despite her constraints, Bess manages to make a desperate and courageous act to warn him of the danger he is about to face.

The worksheet guides students through the climax of the poem, where Bess, in a dramatic turn of events, sacrifices herself to alert the highwayman of the impending ambush by the soldiers. Her tragic action allows the highwayman to escape, although he is initially oblivious to her fate. The story reaches its haunting conclusion when the highwayman learns of Bess's death and, in a state of anguish, rides back only to meet his own demise at the hands of the soldiers. The poem concludes with a ghostly vision of the lovers' spirits reunited. This worksheet is a part of the teaching resources provided by Online Teaching Resources Ltd and is designed to deepen students' engagement with the poem's narrative and themes.