Poetry · Chapter
Three Highwaymen explained
A street contractor is robbed of his purse by two highwaymen, leaving him semi-dead on the pavement.
What happens
A street contractor is robbed of his purse by two highwaymen, leaving him semi-dead on the pavement. He reports the crime to the Chief, who scolds him for complaining about losing only six bits.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the speaker’s obsessive pursuit of the divine rose fragrance…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Hypocrisy and Corruption
The Chief's dismissive attitude toward the victim highlights corruption and lack of justice.
- Political Satire
The absurdity of the police response mocks institutional authority.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“Two robbers robbed him of his purse, Left him uncomfortably spread On his own pavement, semi-dead”
Two thieves stole his money and left him injured on the street.
Describes the physical and financial assault.
“Why, damn your avaricious soul! The Chief said: do you claim the whole? You did quite well to get, begad, Within six bits of all they had!”
The Chief scolds the victim for complaining about losing only a small amount of money.
Highlights the Chief's cynical and corrupt attitude.
