An Essay on Man

In “Essay on Man,” the speaker has an optimistic view of the universe: Order and purpose characterize everything that exists and happens. The speaker writes: “Order is heaven’s first law” (Epistle 4, Line 49). The speaker believes that the universe appears disorderly only because humans have a limited view. However, by trying to understand themselves, people hope to gain a greater understanding of the universe as well. The speaker uses a variety of images and metaphors to convey this.

The speaker compares the world to a garden (Epistle 1, Line 16). They allude to the Garden of Eden and, in another alliterative moment, reference the “forbidden fruit” (Epistle 1, Line 8), linking their perspective with that of God looking down upon Eden. Their descriptions emphasize the grand scope of their view and convey their large perspective on human nature and the world.

Life is a “mighty maze” (Epistle 1, Line 6). A maze captures the sense of confusion that people feel when they try to understand the universe and their place within it. The speaker says that there is a tendency to wonder, whenever one experiences pain, whether “God has plac’d him wrong” (Epistle 1, Line 50).