Question

A theme of “The Village Blacksmith” is that those without debt to others can live the most honestly.

Which lines from the poem best develop this theme?

Responses

“And looks the whole world in the face, / For he owes not any man.”
“And looks the whole world in the face, / For he owes not any man.”

"Thus at the flaming forge of life / Our fortunes must be wrought;"
"Thus at the flaming forge of life / Our fortunes must be wrought;"

"Something attempted, something done, / Has earned a night's repose."
"Something attempted, something done, / Has earned a night's repose."

"Each morning sees some task begin, / Each evening sees it close;"
"Each morning sees some task begin, / Each evening sees it close;"

Answer 1

“And looks the whole world in the face, / For he owes not any man.”

These lines explicitly state the blacksmith’s freedom from debt and show how that freedom lets him meet the world honestly and confidently.