The world is too much with us

"The world is too much with us" is a sonnet by the English Romantic poet William Wordsworth. In it, Wordsworth criticizes the modern world for being absorbed in materialism and distancing itself from nature. Composed circa 1802, the poem was first published in "Poems, In Two Volumes" (1807). Like most English sonnets, its 14 lines are written in iambic pentameter.

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.--Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

Theme

In the early 1800s, Wordsworth wrote several sonnets blasting what he perceived as "the decadent material cynicism of the time." [Phillips, Brian. "SparkNotes on Wordsworth's Poetry". "The world is too much with us." 17 Aug. 2007. http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/wordsworth/section4.rhtml] "The world is too much with us" is one of those works. It reflects his philosophy that humanity must get in touch with nature in order to progress spiritually. [Ibid] the rhyme scheme of this poem is abbaabbacdcdcd

Analysis

The title and first line, "The world is too much with us", expresses Wordsworth's belief that his contemporaries were too absorbed in material things. The material world, he suggests, is always foremost in our minds. In the sonnet, Wordsworth states that human nature is preoccupied with "getting and spending," to which pursuits we have "given our hearts." Further, "we are out of tune" with nature; we do not appreciate the beautiful sea, which "bares her bosom to the moon," or the howling winds that "are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers." In short, natural aesthetics "moves us not."

In the six subsequent lines, the sestet, Wordsworth affirms that he would prefer to be "A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn" than to be "out of tune" with nature. Wordsworth alludes to nature's splendor with his wish to see "Proteus rising from the sea; / Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn." These visions, Wordsworth explains to the reader, "would make me less forlorn."

ummary

William Wordsworth's poem is a statement about conflict between nature and humanity. The symbolism in his poem gives the reader a sense of the conviction and deep feelings Wordsworth had. Wordsworth longs for a much simpler time when the progress of humanity was tempered by the restrictions nature imposed.

Wordsworth gives a fatalistic view of the world, past and future. The words "late and soon" in the opening verse describe how the past and future are included in his characterization of mankind. The author knows the potential for humanity, but the mentality of "getting and spending" clouds the perspective of humanity. Wordsworth does not see us as incapable, in fact he describes our abilities as "powers". "We lay waste our powers" is blamed on the earlier mentioned attitude of "getting and spending". The appetite mankind has for devouring all that is around clouds our perspective as to what is being sacrificed for the progress. The "sordid boon" we have "given our hearts" is the materialistic progress of mankind. Humanity has become self-absorbed and can no longer think clearly. The destructiveness society has on the environment will proceed unchecked and relentless like the "winds that will be howling at all hours".

Unlike society, Wordsworth does not see nature as a commodity. The verse "Little we see in Nature that is ours", shows that coexisting is the relationship envisioned. This relationship appears to be at the mercy of mankind because of the vulnerable way nature is described. The verse "This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon", gives the vision of a woman exposed to the heavens. The phrase "sleeping flowers" might also describe how nature is being overrun unknowingly and is helpless.

Wordsworth seems to be the only enlightened one who is able to foresee the inevitable. He sees himself as one with the environment. The verse "I, standing on this pleasant lea, have glimpses that would make me less forlorn", show Wordsworth as a visionary who is not responsible for the destruction of nature. This destruction is not seen stopping as a result of any act by mankind. The change Wordsworth is hoping for will come in the form of a mighty revolt by nature. Wordsworth reaches back into ancient Greece for their gods who symbolize nature and strength to make the change. Proteus is seen rising from the sea, facing the injustices inflicted upon nature, placing the cycle of life back in balance. Proteus was a sea god who could change his appearance to elude capture. The ability to change one's appearance is critical in facing the variety of threats mankind might impose. The god Triton was mentioned as a savior to nature as well. Triton was the most imposing of the gods (excluding Zeus) because he was master of the seas. Wordsworth selected a sea god as the savior to the world to represent a re-birth. Water has always been a symbol of new beginnings (birth itself with the amniotic fluid and baptisms which take place in water) and when the sea gods rise from their watery depths to correct the excesses of humanity, a re-birth will have taken place for the world.

Wordsworth sees himself as having insight to the problems which exist between humanity and nature. The materialistic progress being made by mankind is not without consequence. The destruction of the environment by mankind's shortsightedness will continue as Wordsworth has foreseen. The change hoped for by the author will not come as a result of a initiative by humanity, but as an uproar by Mother Nature in the form of a battle. This battle will bring forth a victory for the environment and stimulate a re-birth for the world.

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