Wordsworth is disgusted with modern humanity (modern being early 1800s). The Earth is angry at us for ignoring her gifts and beauty. The winds howl in anger, the sea bares its bosom for the moon to kill. Wordsworth wants a return to the basics, where man reveled in nature's beauty and revered it, worshiped it as a god. Man is losing his soul while ignoring nature, and so man is losing humanity.
This piece exhibits characteristics of romanticism because it shows an interest with nature that has been lost. The narrator also appears enamored with the past and older nature figures such as Proteus. The use of parallelism in "for this, for everything" creates a pause, putting importance and emphasis on the following phrase "we are out of tune." This phrase points out a mistake and draws an awakening in the audience. The cadence of the poem puts an emphasis--almost as a realization--on when the narrator says that he "would rather be / A Pagan" than lose the care and attention for nature that he has. Wordsworth's poem leaves the reader saddened that the beauty and care of nature has been lost and that something needs to be done to correct the mistake.
The World Is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth
This piece is a renowned example of a Romantic poem. Wordsworth yearns for an uncivilized way of life, criticizing the current state that the world is in. He shows humans’ subjective view of nature and how it isn’t important to anybody in this day and age. The emphasis on the individual and the need for a more personal expression is present when Wordsworth writes, “I'd rather be/ A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;” (Wordsworth). The emphasis on nature is also present in the description of his own relationship with nature and his need to return to a simpler time. The use of imagery and the allegory of nature being an important force, help to emphasize the disconnectedness and withdraw from nature that humans have today. The poem made me feel guilty. It seemed that Wordsworth was chastising the people of today, especially the youth. I agree with the fact that even if you’re seeing nature and experiencing it, you aren’t really getting anything out of it unless you want to.
This piece emphasizes the fact that men and society have lost their appreciation and connection with the Earth and nature. Wordsworth criticizes men whom are "Getting and spending" and "lay waste their powers". He is disgusted that men have "given their hearts away" and lost their ability to be in tune with nature. The author specifies that he would "rather be/ A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn". This meaning that he would rather be someone whom appreciates and praises the gifts of nature, rather than someone who ignores them.
In this poem, Wordsworth displays men’s and nature’s desynchronized state of being, especially in comparison to nature’s unity among itself. The natural aspects of the sea and the moon take on a mother/child relationship, whereas the people are simply unmoved. So too Wordsworth play with this concept more, when mentioning Proteus, who is a Greek god of the sea, and also one of Neptunes moons. All of this points more towards taking a step back to naturism, which is exemplified by the Greeks who give natural phenomena human aspects: even rivers are humanized in many Greek works. The same word-game is repeated with the mention of Triton, who is yet another Greek sea god as well as another of Neptune’s moon. The fact that Wordsworth continues his association with the sea mothering the moon, along with the dual play on words, and the fact that both moons were from Neptune (aka Poseidon) only further demonstrates Nature’s internal connection, which only further amplifies our own detatchment.
"The World is Too Much With Us" emphasizes loss—the loss of man's connection with nature. The poem's tone is wistful, leaving the reader pensive. The author sounds less as if he is longing for something never experienced, and more as if he is mourning for an experience lost.
Wordsworth continually alludes to the hellhole ratrace of Capitalism, saying that it is our "getting and spending" by which we lay waste our powers. He suggests that we collectively recalibrate our sense of what matters in this world, laying weight on the fact that it is merely our perspective that separates us—"little we see in Nature that is ours"—and that this leads to our emotional sterility: "for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not." Wordsworth says that he would rather be a Pagan raised in an outdated faith, if only he could experience (once again?) the raw connections with nature the ancients enjoyed—seeing the gods in their prime. These are all classically Romantic concepts.
"The World Is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon" This is a romantic poem because it discusses an interest in Nature – or, rather, the wish for interest in Nature. The subject of the poem lacks appreciation for “the Sea” and “the winds,” and the “pleasant lea” on which he (assuming that the subject is Wordsworth himself) stands, but wishes for the ability to appreciate it. Literary devices such as simile are used to emphasize the focus on Nature, as when Wordsworth compares the Sea and winds, which are nature themselves, to sleeping flowers, which is a different aspect of nature, thereby emphasizing nature with more nature. Wordsworth also uses pronouns “us” and “we” to create a sense of togetherness between the reader and the subject of the poem. The reader feels as if he or she is also in the same position as the speaker of the poem, which is unappreciative of nature. This poem makes me feel a little disconnected from the speaker, however, and I feel like he has lost his way though I have not. I suppose what Wordsworth intended did not occur when I read this poem, and I feel that this is because of the era in which the poem was written – it being written so long ago I can’t help but feel detached when reading this. (This may also be because I refuse to believe that I lack appreciation for nature.)
"The World is too much with us" Wordsworth's main point in this poem is our separation from the world we live in and how we don't appreciate anything in it. Wordsworth does this through a sonnet which connects lines that relate together through the rhyme scheme. By reading the lines that rhyme with each other together, the idea of the poem is very different. It is romantic because it shows the beauty of nature and describes all that humanity is missing. This makes it very melancholy since it hints at all we cannot see and ignore, and how many beautiful things we are missing.
William Wordsworth's "The World Is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon" places it's loyalties completely in nature and displays strong personal opinions regarding the people's evolution into carelessness for nature (nature being a theme gaining popularity), a poem strongly placed in the Romantic period. The writer here claims that our growing obsession with "getting and spending" is leading us away from the artful interconnectedness which is natural, bringing us "out of tune." Diction describing the scenic quality of the outside shows the writer's wondrous feelings towards that which is being lost, "mov[ing] us not." The exclamation of "Great God!" demonstrates urgency and shows the writer's desperation, in not knowing how to better access the importance and beauty of nature. The poem is ended with speaking of Proteus and Triton, two gods who those caught up with the material world will miss, arguing that the average citizen is losing their connection and importance placed on God. This negative statement is sorrowful and perhaps regretful, but the importance that is spoken of does not make an imprint on me, as the reader, despite the point being valid. Carmen Altes
Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey This poem reminds me being in the woods, being perplexed and yet in peace with nature. Although this poem has some years on it, it comes to a similar reality the world is facing today. Nature is being pushed back to allow new innovated technology in. Wordsworth is annoyed and perhaps sad with this because nature is more than human kind gives it credit for. Wordsworth first create a scenery painting a picture with words, “These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs With a soft inland murmur.” It goes on to connect with the reader by describing the scene with pathetic fallacy “In darkness and amid the many shapes Of joyless daylight; when the fretful stir Unprofitable, and the fever of the world Have hung upon the beatings of my heart” It’s a story well developed, for after making connection with the reader it portrays its true reason for the poem, men destroying nature, without any regard or compassion. “Wherever nature led -more like a man Flying from something that he dreads than one Who sought the thing he loved.” At the end Wordsworth considers himself “A worshipper of Nature” ready to serve and die under its name. This poem is true love, the persistence one has towards something.
In his poem, Wordsworth is essentially ranting at the modern society of his time. He says that people are constantly "getting and spending" to the point where they lose themselves in it. He also states that "Little we see in Nature that is ours." This essentially means that he believes that man has lost it's touch with nature and humanity because man has estranged itself from it. This reveals about Wordsworth that he is man with simple tastes. He doesn't like the constant evolution of society moving away from the way things once were.
Wordsworth's "Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" strikes deeply anyone who has returned to a place of calm memories. Looking out over Nature, the poet looks inward and is reminded of the interconnectedness of loyal friendship, timeless beauty and love. Despite being alone, the poet is enthralled by Nature, and he finds solace for worldly woes even as he looks down or back into the past. By revisiting the natural wonders from the Abbey, his memories of nurturance bring him hope for the future. The power of Nature surpasses even his "boyish" appetites, and he finds healing and power in the embrace of Nature. Now that's Romantic!
The world is too much with us This poem is a romantic poem because of its concern with nature. Wordsworth feels that nature is superior to the industrial world , as well as the people living in the industrial world. he uses imagery to show how strongly he believes this, he would rather be a Pagan suckled in a creed outworn" (10) so that he could feel closer to nature. That image would not have been a positive one in the eyes of most people in the 1800s, when most people did not have a particularly positive view of pagans, and would have made his point of view more obvious to them. The poem was pretty but the topic of how people should be more in touch with nature seemed to familiar to me, although it may have been original when the poem was written.
In this poem Wordsworth shows his disdain of the modern world. Though "little in nature is ours", he believes that we, as a whole, are "out of tune" with and ruining what is left of nature. In particular, Woodsworth has a problem with the "getting and spending" and the sense of entitlement humans have. Like other Romantic poets, Woodsworth wants to break away from the modern world. He shows that he clearly wants his message heard by saying he would "rather be / A Pagan", a notion that would not sit well with a 19th century audience.
I read "The World Is Too Much With Us; Late And Soon", by William Wordsworth. The author bemoans the material world man has created, and seeks to go back to earlier times when man was more "in tune" with nature. He mentions the sea, the moon, and the winds as if they were living creatures. The author scolds us for lack of imaginination, for not being "moved" by nature's power and wonder. The author also views pagan religion as more in touch with nature than today's modern religion. I htought the words, "Great God, I'd rather be a Pagan" were very powerful and demonstrative.
"The World Is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon" This poem is Romantic in the sense that it criticizes the disconnect between humans and nature. Humans use nature, but are not a part of it like they should be. Wordsworth uses personification to vividly depict nature, but follows this rich imagery with the words "we are out of tune; it moves us not". He takes on a regretful, exasperated tone, proclaiming that he'd "rather be a Pagan" from long ago so that he might view nature as it should be. The allusions he makes to ancient tales also add to the gravity of the desires he expresses. I found myself pitying his sense of despair. He professes the desire to know nature, as if that would make him happy, but there is not one positive note in his poem. Even if he gained what he longed for, he might still be dissatisfied. - Casey Chorens
The World is Too Much With Us in this poem William is unsatisfied with the world in which he lives. The poem is romantic in the sense that it speaks of love towards the world as a whole, a love of mother earth. Humanity as a whole disregards the graces that we are given on this planet. In his poem William recalls the pagan Gods of greek and Roman times. He speaks of Proteus and Triton calling humanity to action. The poem does not have a set rhyme scheme but every once in a while there is a rhyming couplet. By doing this he creates a very unpredictable poem that hold the readers attention and while being read out loud adds to the mystery of it by inserting random rhymes. This poem is very beautiful. Its reflection on the sad state of humanity is accurate.
"Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" This poem emphasizes the random and chaotic beauty of nature, which marks it as Romantic. Another Romantic aspect appears in the lines in which Wordsworth refers to himself as "a worshiper of nature". To me, most of the meaning of this poem was tied into time. Wordsworth begins with repetition of five as a measure of time, emphasizing the changes that have occurred in him. He, like many Romantic poets, also employs personification to portray nature almost as if it were a person or deity, helping make it less of an abstract concept. Emotionally, lines 134 through the end of this poem reminded me of "When You are Old" because Wordsworth seemed to transition to pondering the loss of a particular person. Then again, he may have still been referring to nature, as he is not very specific with his words. As the poem wore on, I also found myself aligning my thoughts with Wordsworth's more and more, perhaps because its length began to have an almost hypnotic effect. - Casey Chorens
"Lines Composes a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" by William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth's poem is a story of seeking refuge from a harsh material world in the permanent beauty of Nature. The speaker tells of his journey into wild, secluded nature and, in accordance Romantic style, how the scenery impresses him. For the speaker Nature is a refuge from the "din of/towns and cities", which Wordsworth describes as a "joyless daylight" where there is no true pleasure. The speaker is always able to recall on his memories of Nature and be comforted by It. The poem is an exposition of the speakers transition from a aesthetic, material, and ecstatic life to his current state of an imaginative, ideal, sober love of Nature. Throughout the poem a pattern of going from the youthful/material to the reflective/eternal by means of some sort of personal growth is repeated. For example, (from line 78 to 101) the subject begins as the aesthetic beauty of the mountains and woods, stating that they "had no need of a remoter charm,/By thought supplied", but with age (the decay of the material) the speaker loses that blissful life but is reimbursed with the sensation of the eternal. Here, the poem also embodies the Baroque ideas that "God is Nature is the entire universe" and the view of the world being divided into "extension" and "thought" (from Descartes and Spinoza). The poem's message of seeking refuge from the evils of civilization in Nature parallels the religious concept of seeking refuge from the evils of mankind in the grace of God.
Alan Morris' comments on the poem: Lines Composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey
This poem reminds me of an older man, who enjoyed a life-long affection with nature, visiting a place that rekindles his love of the natural elements as well as his love of life, his assumptions of the afterlife, and a loving relationship he had with a female friend. Having been so overwhelmed by the love of nature, his best attempts in relating his feelings towards his friend are, at best, expressed in simile. His love of life that was so well exploited through his peruses with nature leave him with perspectives on the afterlife as a place of quite suspension where supreme knowledge of the natural phenomenon abound. It is a beautiful and descriptive poem.
The World Is Too Much With Us: "Little we see in nature that is ours." This quote from "The World Is Too Much With Us" shows the author's concern for nature, and therefore making the poem a romantic one. Another piece of evidence for this is the statement "Great God! I'd rather by a pagen!" Also, the author gives an object in nature a human like characteristic. The quote that provides the audience with proof of this is " this sea that bares her bosom to the moon." I felt moved while reading the poem because it allowed me to think deeper into the meaning of life, and to think about what my purpose is for being here.
"The World is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon" by William Wordsworth
This Wordsworth poem clearly exemplifies many ideas of Romantic poetry. The poem is about the speaker's discontent with the state of the world and the expression of his desire for a life in awe of Nature's splendor. The speaker claims that men are too caught up with life and their own affairs ("Getting and Spending"). He cries that we have separated ourselves from nature and in doing so given up our hearts (souls). He says he would rather be a Pagan and love nature and be able to see God in Nature. The line "Great God! I'd rather be/A Pagan" is of particular interest because it seems contrary that the speaker would invoke God in a statement of becoming pagan. But the statement makes sense in the context of the view that the glory of God should be sought in the natural world. In this way, the speaker is really calling for a great, almost religious, awe of Nature (Romantically equated with God), which seems to be the primary focus because the last two lines of the poem are about the perceptions of pagan gods in nature. To me, the poem is a reminder to forget the futile mannerisms of humans and be impressed by the magnificence of Nature.
William Wordsworth’s poem shows a clear Romantic concern for nature and further man’s need to understand and appreciate it. Wordsworth writes how “we are out of tune” how nature “moves us not”. Through the strong use of “we” and “us” he creates a sense of unison and addresses humanity as a whole. Wordsworth paints a beautiful picture of the Sea and moon united, and the winds and flowers, but ridicules and is disgusted with the fact that the human race is ignoring it. The emphasis on natural religion was also a common concept in Romanticism. Wordsworth writes how people no longer worship nature in a way like the ancient Greeks did such as with Proteus and Triton both gods of the sea. By reading this poem I am reminded through his beautiful depiction of nature, that it really is something to be admired and grateful for. Perhaps I am more like these people that he describes than I’d like to think, and that’s something I should consider and try to change.
William Wordsworth in "The World is Too Much With Us", forcefully makes his case for the fall of mankind in the ways of the world and the redemptive quality of Nature. It starts out with devastation of our own making "we lay waste our powers" and "Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!" Nature responds with lines of emotional power such as "The winds that will be howling at all hours" but we are still unable or unwilling to recognize this. "For this, for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not." Then Wordsworth reaches the turning point "Great God! I'd rather be a Pagan..." and the poem ends on a pleasant meadow with a beautiful show by the gods of Nature which "make me less forlorn." Kay Planting Mia Pfluger's mom, extra credit for me or for her?
The first quatrain of this poem displays/explains/puts out there the idea that man is detached from nature. It's essentially like, "Nature gives man power but recently, we're too busy buying crap, and now we're heartless folk." This makes sense, considering the time period in which it was written (turn of the 19th century). This is about the time when everyone was like, "Oh man, machines! Revolution! Money! Lalala." So Wordsworth's like, "Dawg, wait up." (Second quatrain: "We're not in sync with the world!") He ends saying he'd rather be pagan (a bad thing at that time) and have some respect and reverence for nature than be the common not-pagan and live life seperate from the Earth.
The World is Too Much With Us This poem is pure, unadulterated romanticism. Keats is angry with humanity for separating itself so far from nature, and he anthropomorhizes nature by giving it that rage. He also describes nature with bold, striking imagery that shows the idolization of nature, a key point of romanticism. These descriptions also make nature out to be something wild, powerful, and untamable. At the very end of the poem, Keats speaks of how he wants to be a pagan, which touches on the romantic value of natural religion.
This is Avery Herman's mother (Lynn Blais) posting on "lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey."
This poem seems quintessentially romantic. Wordsworth incorporates intense interest in nature, subtle connections of nature and religion, the effect of nature on moods -- even long after one leaves nature and returns to civilization, and the importance of the individual (who both changes and remains the same over the years). The setting, of course, glorifies nature -- the first stanza is a powerful ode to the magnificence of the natural setting in which the abbey is located. He also links the natural world to a religious experience. There is the context -- that he is reveling in the natural setting of an abbey. And also the particular observations: "I have felt a presence that distrubs me with thejoy of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime of somthing more deeply interfuses, whose dwelling is the light of setting suns." Finally, Wordsworth captures the essence of human nature, by linking his observations about his past (his "former heart") and his future ("in after years") when he hopes the memories of this time and place will sustain him.
Dominated by the contrasting imagery of nature and machine, the poem nags the constant, exponential development of our society. The deterioration of nature within our society is upsetting to Wordsworth. The uncivilized aspect of living is praise and is emphasized with images of scenery. He explains our society as "out of tune", and out oft touch with Mother Nature. And brining it back to historiclal, myhtological references, the poem recalls teh world as it once was.
The primary romantic element in "The World Is To Much With Us; Late and Soon" is the association of human moods with the 'moods' of nature. The rhyme scheme is very simple, it gets to the point, love. The great amount of focus is on the relation of natures many different types of motion and actions to the different types of love. The sea becomes wild love, and the flowers becomes a calm reliable love. Wordsworth takes a simple route on showing us how to focus on the naturalistic elements and how they too show love.
THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH US; LATE AND SOON: Wordsworth's poem is full of contradictions like "late and soon" and "getting and spending". This creates a contrarian tone that serves to confuse the reader. Like Keats 'Ode to a Grecian Urn', Wordsworth veils the meaning of his poem to let the reader take away their own ideas. This was my personal favorite of all the poems we received, mostly because of its brevity, which I found to help the poem's continuity. Using a Petrarchan rhyme structure, Wordsworth holds together his sonnet.
This sonnet conforms to the Romantic interest and pining for simpler, more primitive way of life, and for an increased respect for the beauties of the natural world. The author sees the world that humans live in as an entirely false creation dependent upon itself for its own perpetuation and survival. Consequently, he thinks that humanity itself turns a blind eye to the more important aspect of life, and the more real ones. As such, his desire to live in a pagan society rather than the materialistic modern day one that he finds himself in is understandable to the reader. Even so, he contradicts himself in recognizing the "powers" of mankind that so much lend themselves to the innovation represented by the modern world.
The World is Too Much with Us: This sonnet follows the Petrachan structure and flows very nicely. Even though it flows nicely, the message is the opposite. Wordsworth uses a tone of rage and fury throughout the poem as he expresses his hate for modern society. The society he lives in does not take advantage of the breathtaking scenery around him that mother nature has given the people. He believes that we have become a disgrace to our world and that we do not belong if we cannot appreciate nature. He has a passion for love and wishes the rest of humanity loved nature too. The whole poem shows a pure love for nature, a major aspect of romanticism. Also, at the end, he brings up that he would rather being a pagan, bringing up the concept of natural religion.
The World Is Too Much With Us
ReplyDeleteWordsworth is disgusted with modern humanity (modern being early 1800s). The Earth is angry at us for ignoring her gifts and beauty. The winds howl in anger, the sea bares its bosom for the moon to kill. Wordsworth wants a return to the basics, where man reveled in nature's beauty and revered it, worshiped it as a god. Man is losing his soul while ignoring nature, and so man is losing humanity.
The World is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon:
ReplyDeleteThis piece exhibits characteristics of romanticism because it shows an interest with nature that has been lost. The narrator also appears enamored with the past and older nature figures such as Proteus. The use of parallelism in "for this, for everything" creates a pause, putting importance and emphasis on the following phrase "we are out of tune." This phrase points out a mistake and draws an awakening in the audience. The cadence of the poem puts an emphasis--almost as a realization--on when the narrator says that he "would rather be / A Pagan" than lose the care and attention for nature that he has. Wordsworth's poem leaves the reader saddened that the beauty and care of nature has been lost and that something needs to be done to correct the mistake.
The World Is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth
ReplyDeleteThis piece is a renowned example of a Romantic poem. Wordsworth yearns for an uncivilized way of life, criticizing the current state that the world is in. He shows humans’ subjective view of nature and how it isn’t important to anybody in this day and age. The emphasis on the individual and the need for a more personal expression is present when Wordsworth writes, “I'd rather be/
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;” (Wordsworth). The emphasis on nature is also present in the description of his own relationship with nature and his need to return to a simpler time. The use of imagery and the allegory of nature being an important force, help to emphasize the disconnectedness and withdraw from nature that humans have today.
The poem made me feel guilty. It seemed that Wordsworth was chastising the people of today, especially the youth. I agree with the fact that even if you’re seeing nature and experiencing it, you aren’t really getting anything out of it unless you want to.
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ReplyDelete"The World is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon"
ReplyDeleteThis piece emphasizes the fact that men and society have lost their appreciation and connection with the Earth and nature. Wordsworth criticizes men whom are "Getting and spending" and "lay waste their powers". He is disgusted that men have "given their hearts away" and lost their ability to be in tune with nature. The author specifies that he would "rather be/ A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn". This meaning that he would rather be someone whom appreciates and praises the gifts of nature, rather than someone who ignores them.
Leo Zornberg
ReplyDelete"The World Is Too Much With Us"
In this poem, Wordsworth displays men’s and nature’s desynchronized state of being, especially in comparison to nature’s unity among itself. The natural aspects of the sea and the moon take on a mother/child relationship, whereas the people are simply unmoved. So too Wordsworth play with this concept more, when mentioning Proteus, who is a Greek god of the sea, and also one of Neptunes moons. All of this points more towards taking a step back to naturism, which is exemplified by the Greeks who give natural phenomena human aspects: even rivers are humanized in many Greek works. The same word-game is repeated with the mention of Triton, who is yet another Greek sea god as well as another of Neptune’s moon. The fact that Wordsworth continues his association with the sea mothering the moon, along with the dual play on words, and the fact that both moons were from Neptune (aka Poseidon) only further demonstrates Nature’s internal connection, which only further amplifies our own detatchment.
"The World is Too Much With Us" emphasizes loss—the loss of man's connection with nature. The poem's tone is wistful, leaving the reader pensive. The author sounds less as if he is longing for something never experienced, and more as if he is mourning for an experience lost.
ReplyDeleteWordsworth continually alludes to the hellhole ratrace of Capitalism, saying that it is our "getting and spending" by which we lay waste our powers. He suggests that we collectively recalibrate our sense of what matters in this world, laying weight on the fact that it is merely our perspective that separates us—"little we see in Nature that is ours"—and that this leads to our emotional sterility: "for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not." Wordsworth says that he would rather be a Pagan raised in an outdated faith, if only he could experience (once again?) the raw connections with nature the ancients enjoyed—seeing the gods in their prime. These are all classically Romantic concepts.
"The World Is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon"
ReplyDeleteThis is a romantic poem because it discusses an interest in Nature – or, rather, the wish for interest in Nature. The subject of the poem lacks appreciation for “the Sea” and “the winds,” and the “pleasant lea” on which he (assuming that the subject is Wordsworth himself) stands, but wishes for the ability to appreciate it. Literary devices such as simile are used to emphasize the focus on Nature, as when Wordsworth compares the Sea and winds, which are nature themselves, to sleeping flowers, which is a different aspect of nature, thereby emphasizing nature with more nature. Wordsworth also uses pronouns “us” and “we” to create a sense of togetherness between the reader and the subject of the poem. The reader feels as if he or she is also in the same position as the speaker of the poem, which is unappreciative of nature. This poem makes me feel a little disconnected from the speaker, however, and I feel like he has lost his way though I have not. I suppose what Wordsworth intended did not occur when I read this poem, and I feel that this is because of the era in which the poem was written – it being written so long ago I can’t help but feel detached when reading this. (This may also be because I refuse to believe that I lack appreciation for nature.)
-Gina Faldetta, Period 5
"The World is too much with us"
ReplyDeleteWordsworth's main point in this poem is our separation from the world we live in and how we don't appreciate anything in it. Wordsworth does this through a sonnet which connects lines that relate together through the rhyme scheme. By reading the lines that rhyme with each other together, the idea of the poem is very different. It is romantic because it shows the beauty of nature and describes all that humanity is missing. This makes it very melancholy since it hints at all we cannot see and ignore, and how many beautiful things we are missing.
William Wordsworth's "The World Is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon" places it's loyalties completely in nature and displays strong personal opinions regarding the people's evolution into carelessness for nature (nature being a theme gaining popularity), a poem strongly placed in the Romantic period. The writer here claims that our growing obsession with "getting and spending" is leading us away from the artful interconnectedness which is natural, bringing us "out of tune." Diction describing the scenic quality of the outside shows the writer's wondrous feelings towards that which is being lost, "mov[ing] us not." The exclamation of "Great God!" demonstrates urgency and shows the writer's desperation, in not knowing how to better access the importance and beauty of nature. The poem is ended with speaking of Proteus and Triton, two gods who those caught up with the material world will miss, arguing that the average citizen is losing their connection and importance placed on God. This negative statement is sorrowful and perhaps regretful, but the importance that is spoken of does not make an imprint on me, as the reader, despite the point being valid.
ReplyDeleteCarmen Altes
Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey
ReplyDeleteThis poem reminds me being in the woods, being perplexed and yet in peace with nature. Although this poem has some years on it, it comes to a similar reality the world is facing today. Nature is being pushed back to allow new innovated technology in. Wordsworth is annoyed and perhaps sad with this because nature is more than human kind gives it credit for. Wordsworth first create a scenery painting a picture with words,
“These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs
With a soft inland murmur.”
It goes on to connect with the reader by describing the scene with pathetic fallacy
“In darkness and amid the many shapes
Of joyless daylight; when the fretful stir
Unprofitable, and the fever of the world
Have hung upon the beatings of my heart”
It’s a story well developed, for after making connection with the reader it portrays its true reason for the poem, men destroying nature, without any regard or compassion.
“Wherever nature led -more like a man
Flying from something that he dreads than one
Who sought the thing he loved.”
At the end Wordsworth considers himself “A worshipper of Nature” ready to serve and die under its name. This poem is true love, the persistence one has towards something.
"The World is too much with us"
ReplyDeleteIn his poem, Wordsworth is essentially ranting at the modern society of his time. He says that people are constantly "getting and spending" to the point where they lose themselves in it. He also states that "Little we see in Nature that is ours." This essentially means that he believes that man has lost it's touch with nature and humanity because man has estranged itself from it. This reveals about Wordsworth that he is man with simple tastes. He doesn't like the constant evolution of society moving away from the way things once were.
Wordsworth's "Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" strikes deeply anyone who has returned to a place of calm memories. Looking out over Nature, the poet looks inward and is reminded of the interconnectedness of loyal friendship, timeless beauty and love. Despite being alone, the poet is enthralled by Nature, and he finds solace for worldly woes even as he looks down or back into the past. By revisiting the natural wonders from the Abbey, his memories of nurturance bring him hope for the future. The power of Nature surpasses even his "boyish" appetites, and he finds healing and power in the embrace of Nature. Now that's Romantic!
ReplyDeleteThe world is too much with us
ReplyDeleteThis poem is a romantic poem because of its concern with nature. Wordsworth feels that nature is superior to the industrial world , as well as the people living in the industrial world. he uses imagery to show how strongly he believes this, he would rather be a Pagan suckled in a creed outworn" (10) so that he could feel closer to nature. That image would not have been a positive one in the eyes of most people in the 1800s, when most people did not have a particularly positive view of pagans, and would have made his point of view more obvious to them. The poem was pretty but the topic of how people should be more in touch with nature seemed to familiar to me, although it may have been original when the poem was written.
The World Is Too Much With Us
ReplyDeleteBradley Zeis
In this poem Wordsworth shows his disdain of the modern world. Though "little in nature is ours", he believes that we, as a whole, are "out of tune" with and ruining what is left of nature. In particular, Woodsworth has a problem with the "getting and spending" and the sense of entitlement humans have. Like other Romantic poets, Woodsworth wants to break away from the modern world. He shows that he clearly wants his message heard by saying he would "rather be / A Pagan", a notion that would not sit well with a 19th century audience.
I read "The World Is Too Much With Us; Late And Soon", by William Wordsworth. The author bemoans the material world man has created, and seeks to go back to earlier times when man was more "in tune" with nature. He mentions the sea, the moon, and the winds as if they were living creatures. The author scolds us for lack of imaginination, for not being "moved" by nature's power and wonder. The author also views pagan religion as more in touch with nature than today's modern religion. I htought the words, "Great God, I'd rather be a Pagan" were very powerful and demonstrative.
ReplyDeleteRobert Faldetta
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ReplyDelete"The World Is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon"
ReplyDeleteThis poem is Romantic in the sense that it criticizes the disconnect between humans and nature. Humans use nature, but are not a part of it like they should be. Wordsworth uses personification to vividly depict nature, but follows this rich imagery with the words "we are out of tune; it moves us not". He takes on a regretful, exasperated tone, proclaiming that he'd "rather be a Pagan" from long ago so that he might view nature as it should be. The allusions he makes to ancient tales also add to the gravity of the desires he expresses. I found myself pitying his sense of despair. He professes the desire to know nature, as if that would make him happy, but there is not one positive note in his poem. Even if he gained what he longed for, he might still be dissatisfied.
- Casey Chorens
The World is Too Much With Us
ReplyDeletein this poem William is unsatisfied with the world in which he lives. The poem is romantic in the sense that it speaks of love towards the world as a whole, a love of mother earth. Humanity as a whole disregards the graces that we are given on this planet. In his poem William recalls the pagan Gods of greek and Roman times. He speaks of Proteus and Triton calling humanity to action. The poem does not have a set rhyme scheme but every once in a while there is a rhyming couplet. By doing this he creates a very unpredictable poem that hold the readers attention and while being read out loud adds to the mystery of it by inserting random rhymes. This poem is very beautiful. Its reflection on the sad state of humanity is accurate.
"Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey"
ReplyDeleteThis poem emphasizes the random and chaotic beauty of nature, which marks it as Romantic. Another Romantic aspect appears in the lines in which Wordsworth refers to himself as "a worshiper of nature". To me, most of the meaning of this poem was tied into time. Wordsworth begins with repetition of five as a measure of time, emphasizing the changes that have occurred in him. He, like many Romantic poets, also employs personification to portray nature almost as if it were a person or deity, helping make it less of an abstract concept. Emotionally, lines 134 through the end of this poem reminded me of "When You are Old" because Wordsworth seemed to transition to pondering the loss of a particular person. Then again, he may have still been referring to nature, as he is not very specific with his words. As the poem wore on, I also found myself aligning my thoughts with Wordsworth's more and more, perhaps because its length began to have an almost hypnotic effect.
- Casey Chorens
"Lines Composes a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" by William Wordsworth
ReplyDeleteWilliam Wordsworth's poem is a story of seeking refuge from a harsh material world in the permanent beauty of Nature. The speaker tells of his journey into wild, secluded nature and, in accordance Romantic style, how the scenery impresses him. For the speaker Nature is a refuge from the "din of/towns and cities", which Wordsworth describes as a "joyless daylight" where there is no true pleasure. The speaker is always able to recall on his memories of Nature and be comforted by It. The poem is an exposition of the speakers transition from a aesthetic, material, and ecstatic life to his current state of an imaginative, ideal, sober love of Nature. Throughout the poem a pattern of going from the youthful/material to the reflective/eternal by means of some sort of personal growth is repeated. For example, (from line 78 to 101) the subject begins as the aesthetic beauty of the mountains and woods, stating that they "had no need of a remoter charm,/By thought supplied", but with age (the decay of the material) the speaker loses that blissful life but is reimbursed with the sensation of the eternal. Here, the poem also embodies the Baroque ideas that "God is Nature is the entire universe" and the view of the world being divided into "extension" and "thought" (from Descartes and Spinoza). The poem's message of seeking refuge from the evils of civilization in Nature parallels the religious concept of seeking refuge from the evils of mankind in the grace of God.
-Tyler Jones
Alan Morris' comments on the poem: Lines Composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey
ReplyDeleteThis poem reminds me of an older man, who enjoyed a life-long affection with nature, visiting a place that rekindles his love of the natural elements as well as his love of life, his assumptions of the afterlife, and a loving relationship he had with a female friend. Having been so overwhelmed by the love of nature, his best attempts in relating his feelings towards his friend are, at best, expressed in simile. His love of life that was so well exploited through his peruses with nature leave him with perspectives on the afterlife as a place of quite suspension where supreme knowledge of the natural phenomenon abound. It is a beautiful and descriptive poem.
The World Is Too Much With Us:
ReplyDelete"Little we see in nature that is ours." This quote from "The World Is Too Much With Us" shows the author's concern for nature, and therefore making the poem a romantic one. Another piece of evidence for this is the statement "Great God! I'd rather by a pagen!" Also, the author gives an object in nature a human like characteristic. The quote that provides the audience with proof of this is " this sea that bares her bosom to the moon." I felt moved while reading the poem because it allowed me to think deeper into the meaning of life, and to think about what my purpose is for being here.
"The World is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon" by William Wordsworth
ReplyDeleteThis Wordsworth poem clearly exemplifies many ideas of Romantic poetry. The poem is about the speaker's discontent with the state of the world and the expression of his desire for a life in awe of Nature's splendor. The speaker claims that men are too caught up with life and their own affairs ("Getting and Spending"). He cries that we have separated ourselves from nature and in doing so given up our hearts (souls). He says he would rather be a Pagan and love nature and be able to see God in Nature. The line "Great God! I'd rather be/A Pagan" is of particular interest because it seems contrary that the speaker would invoke God in a statement of becoming pagan. But the statement makes sense in the context of the view that the glory of God should be sought in the natural world. In this way, the speaker is really calling for a great, almost religious, awe of Nature (Romantically equated with God), which seems to be the primary focus because the last two lines of the poem are about the perceptions of pagan gods in nature. To me, the poem is a reminder to forget the futile mannerisms of humans and be impressed by the magnificence of Nature.
-Tyler J.
[The World Is Too Much with Us]
ReplyDeleteWilliam Wordsworth’s poem shows a clear Romantic concern for nature and further man’s need to understand and appreciate it. Wordsworth writes how “we are out of tune” how nature “moves us not”. Through the strong use of “we” and “us” he creates a sense of unison and addresses humanity as a whole. Wordsworth paints a beautiful picture of the Sea and moon united, and the winds and flowers, but ridicules and is disgusted with the fact that the human race is ignoring it. The emphasis on natural religion was also a common concept in Romanticism. Wordsworth writes how people no longer worship nature in a way like the ancient Greeks did such as with Proteus and Triton both gods of the sea. By reading this poem I am reminded through his beautiful depiction of nature, that it really is something to be admired and grateful for. Perhaps I am more like these people that he describes than I’d like to think, and that’s something I should consider and try to change.
-Ronja B
William Wordsworth in "The World is Too Much With Us", forcefully makes his case for the fall of mankind in the ways of the world and the redemptive quality of Nature. It starts out with devastation of our own making "we lay waste our powers" and "Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!" Nature responds with lines of emotional power such as "The winds that will be howling at all hours" but we are still unable or unwilling to recognize this. "For this, for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not." Then Wordsworth reaches the turning point "Great God! I'd rather be a Pagan..." and the poem ends on a pleasant meadow with a beautiful show by the gods of Nature which "make me less forlorn."
ReplyDeleteKay Planting
Mia Pfluger's mom, extra credit for me or for her?
The first quatrain of this poem displays/explains/puts out there the idea that man is detached from nature. It's essentially like, "Nature gives man power but recently, we're too busy buying crap, and now we're heartless folk." This makes sense, considering the time period in which it was written (turn of the 19th century). This is about the time when everyone was like, "Oh man, machines! Revolution! Money! Lalala." So Wordsworth's like, "Dawg, wait up." (Second quatrain: "We're not in sync with the world!") He ends saying he'd rather be pagan (a bad thing at that time) and have some respect and reverence for nature than be the common not-pagan and live life seperate from the Earth.
ReplyDeleteThe World is Too Much With Us
ReplyDeleteThis poem is pure, unadulterated romanticism. Keats is angry with humanity for separating itself so far from nature, and he anthropomorhizes nature by giving it that rage. He also describes nature with bold, striking imagery that shows the idolization of nature, a key point of romanticism. These descriptions also make nature out to be something wild, powerful, and untamable. At the very end of the poem, Keats speaks of how he wants to be a pagan, which touches on the romantic value of natural religion.
This is Avery Herman's mother (Lynn Blais) posting on "lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey."
ReplyDeleteThis poem seems quintessentially romantic. Wordsworth incorporates intense interest in nature, subtle connections of nature and religion, the effect of nature on moods -- even long after one leaves nature and returns to civilization, and the importance of the individual (who both changes and remains the same over the years). The setting, of course, glorifies nature -- the first stanza is a powerful ode to the magnificence of the natural setting in which the abbey is located. He also links the natural world to a religious experience. There is the context -- that he is reveling in the natural setting of an abbey. And also the particular observations: "I have felt a presence that distrubs me with thejoy of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime of somthing more deeply interfuses, whose dwelling is the light of setting suns." Finally, Wordsworth captures the essence of human nature, by linking his observations about his past (his "former heart") and his future ("in after years") when he hopes the memories of this time and place will sustain him.
Dominated by the contrasting imagery of nature and machine, the poem nags the constant, exponential development of our society. The deterioration of nature within our society is upsetting to Wordsworth. The uncivilized aspect of living is praise and is emphasized with images of scenery. He explains our society as "out of tune", and out oft touch with Mother Nature. And brining it back to historiclal, myhtological references, the poem recalls teh world as it once was.
ReplyDeleteThe World Is To Much With Us; Late and Soon
ReplyDeleteThe primary romantic element in "The World Is To Much With Us; Late and Soon" is the association of human moods with the 'moods' of nature. The rhyme scheme is very simple, it gets to the point, love. The great amount of focus is on the relation of natures many different types of motion and actions to the different types of love. The sea becomes wild love, and the flowers becomes a calm reliable love. Wordsworth takes a simple route on showing us how to focus on the naturalistic elements and how they too show love.
Suzanna Caballero
(Natalie's mom)
THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH US; LATE AND SOON:
ReplyDeleteWordsworth's poem is full of contradictions like "late and soon" and "getting and spending". This creates a contrarian tone that serves to confuse the reader. Like Keats 'Ode to a Grecian Urn', Wordsworth veils the meaning of his poem to let the reader take away their own ideas. This was my personal favorite of all the poems we received, mostly because of its brevity, which I found to help the poem's continuity. Using a Petrarchan rhyme structure, Wordsworth holds together his sonnet.
This sonnet conforms to the Romantic interest and pining for simpler, more primitive way of life, and for an increased respect for the beauties of the natural world. The author sees the world that humans live in as an entirely false creation dependent upon itself for its own perpetuation and survival. Consequently, he thinks that humanity itself turns a blind eye to the more important aspect of life, and the more real ones. As such, his desire to live in a pagan society rather than the materialistic modern day one that he finds himself in is understandable to the reader. Even so, he contradicts himself in recognizing the "powers" of mankind that so much lend themselves to the innovation represented by the modern world.
ReplyDeleteThe World is Too Much with Us:
ReplyDeleteThis sonnet follows the Petrachan structure and flows very nicely. Even though it flows nicely, the message is the opposite. Wordsworth uses a tone of rage and fury throughout the poem as he expresses his hate for modern society. The society he lives in does not take advantage of the breathtaking scenery around him that mother nature has given the people. He believes that we have become a disgrace to our world and that we do not belong if we cannot appreciate nature. He has a passion for love and wishes the rest of humanity loved nature too. The whole poem shows a pure love for nature, a major aspect of romanticism. Also, at the end, he brings up that he would rather being a pagan, bringing up the concept of natural religion.