Comparison between the ballads of Charlotte Dymond andThe Highwayman

The first 200 words of this essay...

Comparison between the ballads of Charlotte Dymond and

The Highwayman

There are many similarities between the ballad of Charlotte Dymond by Charles Causley and Alfred Noyes The Highwayman. Although there are many differences between the two poems, a close analysis shows that both poems are concerned with exploring the negative effects of unrequited love. A particularly strong similarity between the two poems is seen in the thematic development of jealousy and death, resulting from unrequited love. This essay will be concerned with comparing the ways the poets explore these themes.

The themes love, jealousy and death in Charlotte Dymond could be seen as rather dominant. The evidence of this is given by Matthew when he confesses he has killed Charlotte and he cries "she is as pure...the only sin upon her skin is that she loved another". Matthew evidently regrets killing Charlotte, as he realises he has killed her for something that is not her fault. Her death resulted purely from his jealousy as he decided to see her loving someone else as a 'sin'. The readers themselves know that Charlotte has committed no sin, for it is not a crime to love someone.