The World Is Too Much with Us - William Wordsworth
/The World Is Too Much with Us - William Wordsworth/
A Critique of Materialism and Harmony with Nature
Original Poem (English), line by line:
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!
This 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 wreathèd horn.
In “The World Is Too Much with Us,” William Wordsworth critiques humanity’s growing preoccupation with material pursuits, suggesting that our immersion in ‘getting and spending’ severs us from the sustaining beauty and spiritual power of nature. Written during the Industrial Revolution’s early throes, this sonnet laments a modern age that views everything through a lens of utility and profit. Wordsworth positions nature as an encompassing force—epitomized by the sea, the wind, and mythological figures like Proteus and Triton—that can elevate the human spirit when observed with reverence and imagination.
He begins by asserting that ‘the world’—a metaphor for worldly affairs and economic concerns—intrudes too heavily on our lives, leaving us out of tune with the elemental rhythms of nature. Where we once found wonder in the moonlit sea or the gentle breezes, we now dismiss them. In giving our hearts away to consumerism, we lose the ability to perceive the divinity that once animated our surroundings.
Wordsworth’s invocation of classical pagan imagery signals a longing for a time when people felt awe at nature’s mysteries rather than taking them for granted. He suggests it would be better to be a ‘Pagan suckled in a creed outworn’ than to remain in spiritual alienation. This stance aligns with a Romantic emphasis on restoring a deeper, more intuitive relationship with nature—a relationship that transcends mere economic gain.
Ultimately, the poem is both critique and yearning. It exposes the spiritual emptiness of a world increasingly dominated by transactional values, while calling readers to open themselves to nature’s transformative energy. By rediscovering wonder, reverence, and mythic imagination, we can reconnect with the elemental truths that unite our hearts to the universe. (Approx. 250 words)
Key points
1. Overemphasis on material wealth diminishes our connection to the natural world.
2. Wordsworth advocates for spiritual and emotional harmony with nature.
3. The poem contrasts modern indifference with mythic, awe-inspired engagement.
4. References to pagan deities underscore a lost sense of reverence.
5. Romantic ideals champion imagination and emotional openness to regain nature’s blessings.
