He looks the whole world in the face for he owes not any man.

The line praises the moral and psychological freedom that comes from owing no debts. To “look the whole world in the face” suggests meeting others without shame, fear, or subservience—an independence grounded not in pride but in having met one’s obligations. In Longfellow’s moral register, financial indebtedness easily becomes a metaphor for compromised integrity: the debtor may feel beholden, evasive, or diminished in social standing. The sentiment elevates self-reliance and clear conscience as forms of dignity, implying that true confidence is earned through responsibility rather than bravado.