The World Is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth

The World Is Too Much With Us

by William Wordsworth

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.

Summary of the Poem "The World Is Too Much With Us"

The poem "The World Is Too Much With Us" by William Wordsworth laments the disconnection between humanity and nature due to materialistic pursuits. We have become too worldly and are involved in worldly affairs too much. The speaker criticizes the relentless pursuit of material wealth earning and spending, which drains our energy and alienates us from the natural world. The poem expresses the idea that people have lost their connection to the beauty and significance of nature. They are not after the beauty of nature. Instead they have given their hearts to trivial, self-serving and worldly pursuits. The worldly progress based on science and technology is boon but it is immoral and corrupt. We are so busy in our worldly pursuit that we are not concerned with the beauty of the world around us, the beautiful sea in the moonlight appears as if it had bared its chest to the moon and the wind on the seas blows all the time. People are like sleeping flowers collected together in a bunch. There are crowds of people but they are lifeless, without happiness and vigor. People are out of tune with nature. The speaker longs for a simpler time when people were more in tune with nature and spirituality, even suggesting that he would prefer to be a Pagan of old, connected to a forgotten belief system. We are not able to see the Sea God in the sea blowing its horn. We believe this cult to be pagan but it makes people less lonely because we can talk  to nature. The closing lines evoke a desire for a deeper connection with nature, symbolized by the sea and mythical figures like Proteus and Triton, as a means to find solace and restore a sense of wonder and harmony with nature and the world.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why does the poet feel that the world has overwhelmed us with material progress?

Ans. The world has overwhelmed us because ……………

1. We are always busy earning and spending.
2. We take so many leaves.
3. We have no time for the beauties of nature.
4. both 1 and 3

Correct answer is 4.- both 1 and 3.

2. What is the problem of the materialistic world according to the poem?

Ans. The problem of the materialistic world is that ……………

1. it is disconnected from nature and humanity.
2. people are not happy.
3. people are selfish.
4. people earn money dishonestly.

Correct answer is 1. - It is disconnected from nature and humanity.

3. Where do people drain their energy?

Ans. People drain their energy ……………..

1. in their materialistic pursuits.
2. in drinking wine.
3. in watching films.
4. in playing cricket.

Correct answer is 1. - in their materialistic pursuit.

4. How can people compensate for their loss of energy and vigor according to poem? 

Ans. People can compensate for their energy and vigor by………………

1. drinking milk.
2. taking vitamins.
3. connecting themselves with nature and enjoying it.
4. taking rest.

Correct answer is 3. - connecting themselves with nature and enjoying it.

5 To whom have people given their heart?

Ans. People have given their hearts to ……………..

1. watching movies.
2. playing cricket.
3. heroes and heroines.
4. materialistic pursuits.

Correct answer is 5. - materialistic pursuits.

6. Why is material pursuit a sordid boon?

Ans. Material pursuit is a sordid boon because……….

1. it makes people corrupt
2. it makes people unhappy
3. it gives us progress but it is corrupt and immoral
4. it makes people very busy.

Correct answer is 3. - it gives us progress but it is corrupt and immoral.

7. What does poet mean by upgathered sleeping flowers?

Ans: Poet means that ……………

1. People sleep too much.
2. unhappy people have formed a crowd.
3. people can be seen in crowds but without happiness and vigor.
4. People are sleepy and tired. 

Correct answer is 3. - people can be seen in crowds but without happiness and vigor.

8. Why does the poet want to be a pagan?

Ans. The poet wants to be a pagan because …………….

1. a pagan lives in the lap of nature.
2. a pagan's life is better than the materialistic life of cities.
3. a pagan worships gods of nature. 
4. both 2 and 3.

Correct answer is 4. - both 2 and 3.

9. Who is Proteus?

Ans: Proteus is ……….

1. a sea god.
2. an old man of the sea.
3. merman.
4. a sea god known as old man of the sea.

Correct answer is 4. - a sea god known as old man of the sea.

10. Who is Triton?

Ans: Triton is …………

1. trumpet blower.
2. a conch blower.
3. a merman
4. both 2 and 3

Correct answer is both 2 and 3.