The World Is Too Much With Us

The world is too much with us – by William Wordsworth

1

The world is too much with us; late and soon,

Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:

Explanation

The poem opens with the speaker expressing a deep sense of frustration, declaring, “The world is too much with us; late and soon, / Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:”. Here, “the world” refers to the everyday concerns of life, especially the constant focus on money and possessions. “Late and soon” means that this preoccupation is ongoing, happening all the time, day and night. The poet feels that by constantly “getting and spending”—earning money and then buying things—we are exhausting our true abilities and potential. We’re wasting our inner strength and capacity for deeper experiences on materialistic pursuits.

Little we see in Nature that is ours;

We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!

Explanation

Following from the first point, the poem continues by showing the consequence of this materialism: “Little we see in Nature that is ours; / We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!” Because we’re so caught up in worldly affairs, we barely notice the beauty and wonder of the natural world, and we certainly don’t feel a personal connection to it anymore. Wordsworth suggests that we’ve made a terrible exchange, sacrificing our emotions, our capacity for awe, and our spiritual connection for the sake of material gain. It’s a “sordid boon” because while it might seem like a benefit or a gift (a “boon”), it’s actually dirty, ignoble, and ultimately harmful to our spirit.

3

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.

Explanation

The poet then provides vivid examples of nature’s beauty that go unnoticed: “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.” He pictures the vast sea openly reflecting the moonlight, and the powerful winds that are always present, whether actively “howling” or resting quietly like “sleeping flowers.” Despite these grand and ever-present natural phenomena, we are “out of tune” with them; we don’t resonate with their beauty or power. Ultimately, “It moves us not,” meaning these natural wonders no longer stir our emotions, inspire us, or have any profound impact on us.

4

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;

Explanation

In his frustration with this disconnection, the poet cries out, “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;”. He makes a dramatic statement: he would prefer to be a “Pagan,” someone who believes in ancient gods associated with nature, even if that belief system is old and no longer widely practiced (“a creed outworn”). The word “suckled” implies a deep, ingrained belief from childhood. He imagines that if he were a Pagan, standing in a beautiful meadow (“pleasant lea”), he might catch fleeting visions (“glimpses”) of these nature spirits. These visions, he hopes, would make him feel less sad, less isolated, and less spiritually lost (“less forlorn”).

5

Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;

Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

Explanation

To further emphasize the kind of spiritual connection he longs for, the poem concludes with specific mythical images: “Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; / Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.” As a Pagan, he might actually see Proteus, a Greek sea god who could change his shape, appearing directly from the ocean. Or, he might hear Triton, another sea god (often depicted with a fishtail), blowing his conch shell (“wreathed horn”) to control the waves. These final lines powerfully convey the deep, tangible, and magical connection to nature that the poet desires, a stark contrast to the spiritual void he perceives in modern society.Read More