Summary and composition

Here we will present you the summary and composition of the poem “The World Is Too Much with Us” by William Wordsworth.

Summary

In “The World Is Too Much with Us” by William Wordsworth, the speaker presents a society which has given in to the temptations of modernity brought about by the Industrial Revolution. In that day and age, humanity was more concerned with materialistic things than with spirituality and nature. People were unable to see the wonders of nature; how the movement of the seas is connected to the moon and how the wind blows “at all hours” (l. 6). The speaker refuses to integrate into such a disconnected world and prefers being considered a Pagan than falling into the trap of materialism. This way, he can enjoy spending time in nature, gazing at the sea and imagining mythical creatures such as Proteus or Triton coming out of the waters.

Composition

When dealing with a poem, it is always a good idea to start by looking at the overall outer composition (stanzas, verses, graphical expression) and inner composition (beginning, subdivision, course).

Outer composition

The poem is structured according to ...