However, the poem also carries an undertone of melancholy and tragedy as it explores the themes of love, loss, betrayal, and the inevitability of death. The doomed romance between the highwayman and the landlady's daughter, the impending danger that the highwayman faces as he is pursued by the law and the ultimate tragic ending create a sense of sadness and longing in the poem.
The use of vivid imagery, lyrical language and evocative similes and metaphors further enhances the mood of the poem, making it a rich and multi-layered work of art that evokes a blend of emotions in the readers.