Final answer:
The poem 'The Highwayman' uses both present and past tenses to make the narrative more dynamic and engaging. The present tense creates immediacy and suspense, while the past tense provides reflection and finality. This is a common narrative technique in poetry and prose.
Step-by-step explanation:
The use of different tenses in the poem 'The Highwayman' is a narrative technique used by the poet to make the story more dynamic and compelling. The present tense is often used when action is happening, which makes the scenes feel immediate and engaging. On the other hand, past tense is used to provide background information or depict events that have already happened.
For instance, the opening lines are in the present tense ('The highwayman came riding— riding— riding— ...'), creating a sense of immediacy and suspense. Later, the poem shifts to the past tense when it describes the fate of the characters, offering a sense of reflection and finality.
This technique of shifting tenses is common in narrative poetry and prose, as it allows the writer to manipulate time and focus on particular moments for emotional effect.
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