Analysis of "The World is Too Much With Us"

I enjoyed reading “The World is Too Much With Us” on page 49 of Sound and Sense because I felt as though I could relate to what Wordsworth was implying. In his poem, Wordsworth suggests that people become so caught up with daily tasks that they have no time to appreciate nature’s beauty. He states: “we have given our hearts away” which hints that people no longer pay attention to the mysteries of nature. The splendor of nature does not have any affect on us. Wordsworth believes that the most important thing is to see the beautiful world around us and humans easily lose their ability to remark at nature because they are overwhelmed with daily tasks. Essentially, we have lost our capacity to relate to nature at all. The tone of this poem is sad because people are not experiencing the beauty of nature. I like this poem because Wordsworth addresses a problem in a few lines but his word choice and the poem’s organization drives his point across.

Comments

[Colin Michael P.]

I really liked this poem. A lot of the poems that we read now since we've moved into high school don't rhyme. This one does and I have to say, it is quite refreshing. I can't remember the literary word but I also like how the poet gives nature human qualities. These include the "sea that bares her bosom to the moon" and "the winds that will be howling at all hours, and are up-gathered like sleeping flowers." By giving speaking of nature as human the poet helps to show how humans no longer care about nature .

[Camille Gebert]

I agree. I think that poems that rhyme are refreshing. Before high school, it seemed that all poems rhymed, if it didn't, it wasn't a poem. It's nice to see it again. I enjoyed reading "The World Is Too Much With Us." I liked the author's personification of nature. Wordsworth does suggest that people lose appreciation for nature's beauty and meaning as they get too preoccupied with their own, essentially unimportant, daily tasks. I recently traveled to Costa Rica over the summer, with the school on an Environmental Study, where we spent every day in the Rain Forest. I was able to learn to appreciate the beauty and naturalness of the Rain Forest while I was there. It's amazing how beautiful nature is, and it is incredible to think about how many organisms live within the outdoors. I think many of us take for granted the beauty of nature, because we see it everyday, and it almost never changes (other than the seasonal changes). But it's never a bad idea to take a walk in the woods every now and then, or observe the diversity of nature. I think it might put things in perspective, and by reading this poem, it makes me realize the true beautiful nature or the world we live in.

[Sam K.]

If I want to hear or read about things "baring bosoms," I'll read Playboy. I don't need to get that kind of vulgarity in school.

[big nose]

It's cool that a poem that's almost 200 years old still makes sense to kids today. We got talking about how caught up we are with classes and parties and jobs and family stuff and how it doesn't look like it's going to get simpler any time soon. I like the poem but I don't know how to get away from this hectic world. It feels like there's so much pressure to be successful and the only way to be successful is to be busy as hell. Who decides what's "successful" anyways?

[bossoms]

I liked reading about bosoms being bared! I don´t find bared bosoms vulgar at all. Do you?

Mr. Teets