Monday, February 7, 2011

Wordsworth responses

35 comments:

  1. "the world is To much with us" Response
    This piece is romantic because of the obvious subject of nature. As well as it's style and tone, both of which are sorrowful. Some of it's most obvious literary devices are rhyme which is also typical of romantic poets. There is also the illusions to the Greeks, which not only defines it as a romantic poem but also criticizes current society and religion as compared to the Greeks. I find it a not terribly endearing poem. I understand and agree with what its saying but it doesn't affect me emotionally.

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  2. The World is Too much with us: Response by Sam Shook

    The connections to Romanticism in this piece are fairly obvious. There are frequent references to the wonderousness of nature, and to pagan religions, which could be contrued as somewhat natural. This sense of pessimism about the natural world can also be detected in his word choice, like the use of "less forlorn" as opposed to "happier", displaying a sort of resignation to the sadness of the world. Ordinarily, when I read a poem or other work that elevates the glories of nature as somehow inherently better and apart from man's existence, I approach the poem with more than a bit of scepticism. However, in this case, I think its more of a general pessimistic outlook on existence as opposed to merely scorn on humanity, and so I'm somewhat inclined to think of it charitably, if for no other reason than its consistent emo attitude.

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  3. The poet mourns the disconnect between Nature and the 'modern' man. Too willingly, and in ignorance, has man dispensed with his heart in his pursuit of perhaps industry. The poet himself wishes to stand in an earlier time when the harmony of nature and man were evident in the simple pleasures of life.

    Makala Kuhr's Mother

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  4. "Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey" Response
    This poem is romantic because it's subject, nature and the enjoyment of beauty thereof. But also because its a very personal poem. He talks about his sister and his experience as a boy and that along with the title is something that really appeared in romantic poetry. Wordsworth uses repetition of phrases as well as anthropomorphizing natural features of the land. He does not rhyme as much in this as in "The World Is To Much With Us" but it is also present. As to my response to the poem, it was again not enticing. The described images were pretty and I understand the emotion of longing for a place and revisiting a place where one has grown up. However it still didn't really affect me emotionally. It was wordy, the point and the imagery were covered by the wording.

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  5. On "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Titern Abbey"
    The distinct elements of nature are evident in this poem, in it's romantic preference for the wild and untamed rather than systematic creation of man, such as orderly hedge-rows. Yet in this poem Wordsworth chooses to laud the unruliness of nature rather than emphasize critical feeling towards the manufacture of man. He describes the positive attributes of the scene stretched out before him prior to his mention of its usefulness in 'hours of weariness'. Additionally Wordsworth's emphasis on solidarity and loneliness allows him to separate himself from his fellow man, and instead place more of a vested interest in the essence of nature and private emotion. His poem can be classified as romanticism because of these reasons and for his explicit statement of the principles that define romantic writing. Woodsworth praises mother nature in his knowledge that "nature never did betray/The heart that loved her", and clearly strives to achieve a similar feat. Though this poem is not so dark and gloomy as many of it's contemporaries, it is not immediately uplifting either. Instead Woodsworth take on a contemplative and peaceful tone, isolating his thoughts from the chaos of the city and the people who surround him. His imagery reflects this and his description of the "misty mountains" is neither overly cheerful nor overly dreary. In the end he clarifies that the complacent beauty of the scene is important in itself, as well as in it's contrast to the business of man, establishing the scene's actual significance and concluding the poem with a meaningful thought which summarizes the romantic's perspective.

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  6. The World is Too Much With Us...
    I really responded to the imagery in this poem, especially the contrast of the howling sea and the pleasant lea. Wild or calm, nature has a soothing impact on the overstressed human soul, and in that way becomes a sort of religion. "We have given our hearts away" displays a romantic betrayal of our true selves in favor of the material world and all its demands. This image brings to my mind a longing for a quieter, simpler life.

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  7. On "The World Is Too Much With Us"
    To me, it appears that this poem is not only written in a Romantic style but also entirely epitomizes the concept of romanticism, focusing on the increasingly forgotten yet joyful qualities that nature and the arts provide. Wordsworth outrightly objects to the idea of the Industrial Revolution (as it is just beginning to occur) through his words "Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers". Later, through his metaphor, he admits he would "rather be/a Pagan suckled in a creed outworn" than succumb to the negatively evolving society. Upon reading the poem aloud, I find that the rhythm and the general structure and where emphasis lies is what most intrigues me as the audience. At the beginning, I sense melancholy along with the slower, consistent lines, however, as the words grow shorter and choppier and begin to speed up as he protests, it becomes excitement and his passion for what he believes in, before returning to a calmer, content state at the end of the poem.
    (Katie Pastor, per. 8)

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  8. On "Composed on Westminster Bridge"

    This sonnet is a parallel to Wordsworth's "The World Is Too Much With Us". The poem describes the sun rising as the narrator watches from Westminster bridge and the uncanny peace found in that time of day. Wordsworth once again complains of the man-made world and its so-called intrusion of nature. This concept of an almost anti-progressive need for nature is romanticism in it's purest form. I find Wordsworth to be a whiner, always viewing progress as an impediment to man's natural cause. While I dislike the message of this poem I found a certain beauty in its construction. The poem begins with an ABBA rhyme scheme, but halfway switches to ABAB. Why? Wordsworth is illustrating the sun rising, the energy that is spilling over the horizon and onto the soon-busy bridge. The rhyme scheme is meant to enhance the energy as the sun rises and the dawn breaks.

    (Aaron Weintraub, per 6)

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  9. William Wordsworth’s Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey is rife with Romantic exultation in primal, natural, scenery. The title provides a simple, tranquil, transition into the flowery nature scenes that riddle the body of the poem. Wordsworth writes “on a wild secluded scene impress
    / Thoughts of more deep seclusion”, expressing a deep respect for the individual and the thoughts that arise from isolation. These lines seem to reflect the circumstances under which the poem was written. The rhythm and word choice of the poem portrays nature as a primal and seductive force.

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  10. William Wordsworth - The World Is Too Much With Us
    (Sally Furgeson, Henry Kellison's mom, per. 6)

    The line "the world is too much with us" has always made me think of the pressures brought to bear upon the individual living in a world fraught with chaos, war, fear, and frenzy. In other words, all those many enormities over which I have no control, but nevertheless remain "too much with" me. Wordsworth, on the other hand, recognizes that we, at one time, actually had "powers"--specifically, the power to be moved and absorbed by the natural world--but we gave them away in pursuit of the worldly. Progress has come at the expense of our connection to nature, "our heart." What could once be seen and felt--the wildness of the rising sea and the howling wind--now "moves us not." Wordsworth feels this loss mightily: his angry "Great God!" is followed by a wish to be a pagan, a primitive reconnected to the untamed and, therefore, to his soul.

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  11. On "The World is Too Much with Us"
    I was struck by the comparisons of the world in which we live to the sea which people say they are "drawn to" because of the calm and beauty but can turn on a dime with "…winds that will be howling at all hours…". I was also struck by the line "Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers…" This makes me think of the constant barrage of information that can overtake your life and leave little time for creating and enjoying "Nature". The poem seems to be a very good example of textbook Romanticism (as described in the assignment).
    (Alexa Etheredge's mom)

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  12. I think this poem is romantic because the entire sonnet in Wordsworth saying his feelings for nature, two things that are characteristics of the romantic period. Wordsworth is troubled by the fact that society seems to have turned against nature. He thinks nature is a vulnerable thing we should care for, not disassociate ourselves from it (little we see in nature that is ours). In the next line Wordsworth uses the metaphor of comparing the ocean to an exposed women to portray nature's vulnerability. I wouldn't say that I think Wordsworth is right in what he says about the modern world, but I can see why he would feel this way.

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  14. on "The World Is Too Much With Us" by William Wordsworth...

    This poem unusually recognizes its nature as Romantic literature by generalizing the Romantic artist's attitude towards the world. This attitude is exemplified by the poem's degradation of the world, of humans' "getting and spending," the likes of which were brought on by the Industrial Revolution. Wordsworth also contrasts the Romantic period with the Renaissance through such lines as "We have given our hearts away," which is reflective of the Romantic artist's return to feeling and emotion, as opposed to the logical reasoning of Renaissance art. Not only does Wordsworth draw attention to the flaws which the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution forced onto humanity, he also expresses his intention to attempt to revive humans' interest in nature, if only on a personal scale, a concept that most Romantic artists would have agreed with. For example, he claims he would "rather be /
    A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn"--essentially, he would like to travel back in time and religion--in order to once again see the beauty of nature undisturbed by human technological advances.

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  15. Response to "The World Is Too Much With Us"

    The imagery that this poem evoked was outstanding, such as when Wordsworth talks about "Proteus rising from the sea" and about him "standing on this pleasant lea". These two lines evoked imagery which helps connect his poem to Romanticism because it connects it to nature. This connection to nature creates a romantic feel to the poem as well as emhances the quality of Wordsworth ethos in the poem. He shows that he knows about nature or at least acts like he knows about nature which helps his arguement towards wanting to be or see something of nature rather than have the world catch up to him. I felt a negative reaction from the poem because of the gloominess he provides with phrases such as him wanting glimpses to make him less forlorn. This part of the poem really seals the deal on his negativity towards the world because it shows his sadness towards it.

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  16. The World is Too Much With Us

    Wordsworth makes it clear that he is not impressed with where human society is going. He exclaims that we have given away our hearts due to the little amount of nature in our everyday lives. He uses powerful imagery to show the readers how fantastic nature can be, and how we should appreciate the natural beauties the world has to offer. He says that he'd rather be "a pagan suckled in a creed outworn" and be able to worship the Earth as it is, instead of living in his present time due to unsatisfying beliefs.

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  17. The World is Too Much With Us

    Wordsworth is trying to show humanity how little we actually stop and look about to see the true beauty that is found in nature. He wishes that people would see the world for how it actually is, and not get caught up in "human affairs" that blind us to the nature that surrounds us. The world is with us, and that's what Wordsworth is trying to say - we just have to take a deep breath and reacquaint ourselves to it. We have lost the connection with nature and "For this, For everything, we are out of tune." Wordsworth is pointing out all that we have lost when we let our connection with nature die.

    Rebecca Gilson period 3

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  18. The World Is Too Much With Us
    Hamsini Sriraman Period 7

    The admonishing tone of Wordsworth’s poem is directed towards the inability of the human race to respect nature. The poet points an accusatory finger at the materialistic tendencies of society, complaining of the “getting and spending” consuming the masses. The Romanticism in Wordsworth’s poem is embodied in his captivation with nature, which he expresses in the poem through a particularly vivid description of a tempest. Wordsworth effectively contrasts a chaotic, violent mood with one of a more mellow, calm disposition by personifying the wind and flowers. To Wordsworth, the personification of the howling winds and “sleeping flowers” strengthens the poet’s argument that humankind has grown lax in its treatment towards nature, as his use of the literary device casts nature in an anthropomorphic form. Wordsworth’s conveyance of repulsion at the attitude of mankind towards nature is effective and artistic, reflecting his sentiments lucidly, while still maintaining poetic elegance.

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  19. "The World is Too Much With Us"
    "The World is Too Much With Us" is a prime example of poem in the Romanticism movement. Wordsworth feels disconnected with nature and this along with the imagery creates a sorrowful and regretful tone. Wordsworth feels that society has become to preoccupied with the material aspects of life and have thus become disconnected with nature. This idea is reinforced by the title "The World is Too Much With Us," meaning that the material aspects of the world are now to much a part our day-to-day life. This poem produces little emotion response from me because our present day society is very disconnected from nature and involved in technology. Therefore the message that would have resonated with Wordsworth's readers does not have similar meaning to me.

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  20. The World Is too Much With Us

    This one is very significant in the way our world functions today. Today, the world is obsessed with consumption and expansion. We're taking our world to limits that it never meant to hold. Using its resources, its land, its air, all we do is take. The world functioned fine without humans, and since our arrival, we're only destroying it. We're too much, too fast, and too big for the world to handle.

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  21. "The World Is Too Much With Us"

    Wordsworth's composition of the poem explicitly praises and admires the natural beauty of the world around him. He regrets the fact that "[he] lay waste [his] powers/
    Little [he] see in Nature that is [his]" and sets a sorrowful tone for the poem. He reflects on what his ignorance of nature and its elegance and what he would sacrifice to be able to "have sight of Proteus rising from the sea/
    Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn".
    Wordsworth believes that it was because he got caught up with the rest of mankind in money and goods that he forgot to appreciate nature. He now feels that instead of being sucked up into urbanization, he would rather be absorbed into nature itself.

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  22. "The World is Too Much With Us"
    Similar to a multitude of other poems during the Romantic period, Wordsworth poem gives an appreciation for nature. He writes that he values the ability to perceive the natural world so much, that he would give up his religion. Wordsworth anthropomorphized different qualities of nature such as the wind that "will be howling at all hours"(6), and the sea that "bears her bosom to the moon"(5). In such way, he gave life to all aspects of nature as if to show its complexity. It proved his point that today, nature is not understood or perceived like how it should be.

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  23. The World is Too Much with Us

    Wordsworth's poem exhibits romanticism because it discusses nature's moods as well as some of its untamed manifestations. Wordsworth is disgusted with modern man and his distance, both emotionally and physically from nature. He states, "Little we see in Nature that is ours", which shows that we have lost any influence or connection with the world around us. Wordsworth is jealous of those in ancient times who experienced a different version of this same world. He would "rather be/ A pagan suckled in a creed outworn" because at least they were in touch with the natural world. Wordsworth uses punctuation to exhibit emotional inflection which demonstrates his anguish at the situation that modern man has placed him in. The poem caused some shame in me because although he wasn't accusing us in this time, his message still rings true.

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  24. On "The World is too much with Us"
    Youry Aglyamov, Per. 1

    This poem is undeniably romantic. There is a large emphasis on nature and, even more, natural religion. The noble savage is extolled in full. Of course, it uses modern tools as well, such as imagery:
    "Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn."
    I don't truly agree with this poem, though. It effectively says that progress is on average bad. This is a fine thing to say, but in all honesty I don't think even the worst Luddite would survive long trying to live out their philosophy. Perhaps we should spend more time with nature, but it would be wrong to dismiss all progress for that.

    Also, a Trillionist opinion. Thought is the All-Cause, and thus perfect. Poetry in itself signifies the glory of thought, as it springs directly from the mind but requires thought before being written. In this, metrical poetry is far superior to freestyle. As for this specific poem, Wordsworth doesn't seem to actually believe his conclusion. Although the problem is decently laid out, the majority of glory is in the beginning. Wordsworth talks first of the glory of nature. One must remember here that Romanticism is in its essence anti-Trillionist, and this is a very Romantic poem. Nature, the unthinking, is praised- and what Coleridge feels sorrow for is our inability feel instinct. Still, the very nature of a metrical poem means it cannot be entirely anti-Trillionist. For instance:
    "Great God! I’d rather be
    A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn".
    This is a complete oxymoron. What Wordsworth desires are false visions of Greek deities. He does not want to think about their clear nonexistence. Thus his desire not to think translates into a disconnect with reality- that which he was trying to connect to in the first place! The All-Cause is, after all, thought. Wordsworth's puny conclusion are possibly an intentional satire of the typical Romantic thought patterns.

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  25. "The World is Too Much With Us"

    Wordsworth perfectly embodies the idea of Romanticism in this poem with his thorough description of the nature around him. He explains that "we lay waste our powers" and don't pay as much credit to nature as we should. This poem evokes a sense of damnation for the world in me because he is essentially saying that we are taking nature for granted and it will seek revenge on us eventually. The population neglecting this nature he speaks so highly of is causing him to feel forlorn and through his allusions to Greek mythology it is clear that he feels that way. Wordsworth puts nature on a pedestal in this poem.
    -Molly Gipson

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  26. “the world is too much with us”
    Wordsworth is lamenting the modern world’s lack of connection with nature. He laments the evils of “getting and spending, [and laying] waste our powers.” He uses imagery and simile to describe the scenery of the natural world that is “up-gathered now like sleeping flowers.” I enjoyed this poem because it connects the reader to the images of the world. It does feel “forlorn,” and slightly angry, but easily convinces the reader of Wordsworth’s point of view and leaves you wishing for a better connection with nature.

    Shannon Plunkett
    period 3

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  27. In "Lines Composed a few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" Woodsworth reminisces on his return to a familiar scene in nature. The this he takes a long time to describe involving the plants state in their life cycle and impresses the youngness of the scene onto the reader. Woodsworth also recants the reason as to why he has returned to nature as "the fever of the world" implying that the industrialization is a sickness and wrong and his need to return to nature for thought. Woodsworth also notes that the basic senses only "half create" the world and the rest is left up to the heart and soul and imagination. These elements make the poem a part of the romantic movement.

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  28. Wordsworth asserts that people in the present day have given up thought to nature and the world around them. He goes so far as to say that by giving up nature, "we have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!" Wordsworth is obviously speaking from a Romantic perspective, as he places a great deal of importance on the natural world, from "the sea that bares her bosom to the moon" to "the winds that will be howling at all hours." Wordsworth states that we are "out of tune" with the world. He also explains his urge to be a Pagan so that he might glimpse "Proteus rising from the sea" or hear "old Triton blow his wreathed horn." Wordsworth appreciates the natural religion of the Greeks and believes that modern society has cast away nature as unimportant, something he perceives as a grave mistake.

    Roger Cain
    English 3

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  29. The World is Too Much with Us

    The poem is a great example of the Romanticism movement because its depiction of nature throughout it with constant comparisons to the water and land. With the sonnets use of nature and imagery helps the reader gain a better understanding of the poem. Wordsworth states that “we lay waste our powers” not fully appreciating what nature has done for us. With the beauties of the moon pulling the oceans and the movements of the air being surpassed so easily in ones mind we must pay more attention and enjoy our surroundings. The author is even willing to give up his religion for the beauties of nature in which goes unnoticed.
    Sebastian Canizares 7th

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  30. Nate Hattersley, 7

    Response to "The World Is Too Much With Us"

    Woodsworth writes about the contrast of nature and humanity in this poem. In the almost cliched diction of the lamenting Romantic style, he describes the systematic and seemingly perpetual ways of nature ("The winds that will be howling at all hours"), and then describes how humans have skewed nature beyond recognition. He describes how people have traded their hearts to society in lieu of a tie to nature. His longing to see great natural sights is a theme in Romantic literature, as a return to the primal world is a theme of the movement, started as a resistance to the upper class. Woodsworth even goes on to declare that he would like to be a pagan and witness a sight that would not depress him. (He makes his plea to God.)

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  31. William Wordsworth: "The World Is Too Much With Us"

    The World is Too Much With Us represents Romanticism's "increasing interest in nature". Wordsworth exclaims that "Little we see in Nature that is ours." Wordsworth believes that humanity is out of touch with the "Sea that bares her bosom t the moon," or the "sleeping flowers" that define Nature. His clear imagery shows a fascination with the foreignness of Nature. In Romantic fashion, he expresses his desire to understand nature declaring that "I'd rather be a Pagan suckled in a creed outworn." This statement shows that Wordsworth would even take up the primitive Pagan religion in order to grasp Nature. Wordsworth connects to his audience using words like "we" and "us" to emphasize that the desire to understand Nature is universal. In doing so, Wordsworth also criticizes himself for ignoring Nature and seeks to come to terms with his inability to appreciate Nature.

    Matt Goodman - Period 7

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  32. Hannah Rieden
    Period 1
    The World Is Too Much With Us
    In this poem Wordsworth contrasts a theme of nature with a theme of man. He suggests that "Little we see in Nature that is ours", meaning that nature is such a spectacular thing and we shouldn't interfere with it and mess it up. He wants to go back to simpler times and live like the Greeks lives, together with nature instead of against it. He says that we are "out of tune" with nature, and I am inclined to agree. We have moved from relying on nature to trying to manipulate it, and as a result separating ourselves from it and well as destroying it. Wordsworth, in this poem, embodies the idea of romantic poems in that there is an extra emphasis put on nature and the description of nature. Wordsworth certainly gets the point of the importance of nature across to his readers.

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  33. “The World is Too Much with Us”

    Wordsworth’s condemnation of the modern world in favor of the Classical societal ideals dwells primarily on humanity’s loss of ties to nature, in light of the nascent Industrial Revolution. He claims that in becoming so out of touch, “we have given our hearts away,” and are thus “out of tune” with nature. In keeping with the Romantic period’s focus on natural imagery, Wordsworth uses phrases like the personified “Sea that bares her bosom to the moon” and in simile speaks of the lack of nature’s primal forces, saying that they are “gathered now like sleeping flowers.” Additionally, he indirectly taps into the concept of power through personal expression, when he asserts that through today’s “getting and spending, we lay waste to our powers.” These “powers” are presumably those quiddities of each human being, which allow us to have immense creative and practical insight into the world, for nature is not only in the natural world, but within each person. Thus, Wordsworth laments the lost days when the id reigned supreme—the times when imagination seemed to know no bounds. Accordingly, the reader reacts similarly, and is spurred to new heights in the conservation and appreciation of true, unadulterated Mother Nature.

    Priya Veeraraghavan (3rd Period)

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  34. The World is Too Much With Us
    by William Wordsworth

    This sonnet is funny almost because Wordsworth who is unhappy with society and modern life (at the time) uses beautiful imagery of nature to express his feelings of hate towards society. Wordsworth embodies all of nature showing how beautiful it is. "The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon," is a way to show how nature functions naturally, the tides being controlled by the moon. Wordsworth gets to the point of disliking society to where he rather be, "A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn." Being a Pagan makes you more in tune with nature because you can worship the earth as is without man's interactions. Even though the sonnet is about expressing dislike towards society, he in turn shows love, like sonnets are supposed to, his love of nature and natural beauty.

    Frank Garza

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  35. The World is Too Much With Us

    The thing that immediately attracted me to this poem over others was that there were no awkward breaks between lines-each line could be taken as a separate little piece without the idea stated being strewn. The rhyme scheme was not particularly of my tastes, but what I did like about it was that, for the most part, the words Woodsworth chose to rhyme with each other actually rhymed. There are elements of nature included, a common theme in Romanticism. There were also mentions of God and how the author “would rather be a Pagan” so that the sights he sees would be less forlorn, another common element in Romanticism. What I enjoyed most about the poem though was that the title was included in the poem so there was less of a search to try and to understand what it meant.


    Danielle D
    English 7

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