Student Question
What does the line "his breeches fitted with never a wrinkle" in "The Highwayman" mean?
Quick answer:
In the poem "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes, the highwayman's pants "fitted with never a wrinkle." This line indicates that the pants are neat, clean, and fit perfectly on the man. Such neatness goes against the expectation of dirty, wrinkled clothing which would naturally result from riding a horse for hours.
The poem “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes tells the story of a love between a young woman and an outlaw that everyone wants to kill. The highwayman visits Bess and promises he’ll return—even if he encounters trouble, he will be back “by moonlight.” Tom hears the promise and is jealous because he also loves Bess, so he reports the highwayman’s intentions to the authorities. Soldiers invade and lie in wait for the outlaw, intending to kill him. Bess gives up her own life in order to warn her lover of the trap that awaits him. Although he runs when he hears the warning gunshot, the highwayman angrily returns to fight when he learns that Bess has died. He is shot dead in the fight. According to the speaker, legend has it that the young woman still sits waiting for her lover as he travels along the road to...
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Noyes gives a very descriptive sketch of the highwayman, who is quite well-dressed despite his hazardous profession. He seems to take great care in dressing and keeping his weapons clean.The highwayman wears a French hat and sports a shirt with lace that gathers at his chin. He wears a velvet coat and pants made of leather from deer hide. The speaker notes that the highwayman’s pants “fitted with never a wrinkle,” meaning that they seemed perfectly fitted and neat. It would seem that given his need to ride for long hours on his horse, his clothes would become dirty and wrinkled; however, because the highwayman is such a sharp dresser, he always looks good. Not only does he take great pains to dress well, but he also takes great care of his weapons. The narrator notes that his gun and sword both “twinkle,” which indicates that the highwayman cleans and shines them regularly.
It seems fair to say that the highwayman does not represent the stereotypical outlaw in that he cares greatly for his appearance and makes sure that he presents a sharp image at all times which does not reflect the work he does. In addition, the cleanliness and neatness of the highwayman’s clothing (which would be impossible to preserve since he rides a horse for hours at a time) suggest a supernatural quality, which foreshadows the ending of the poem.