"The World is Too Much With Us" by William Wordsworth - 2.6.2 | Unit 2: Poetry Analysis | Grade 11 Studies in Language and Literature
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2.6.2 - "The World is Too Much With Us" by William Wordsworth

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Practice

Definitions & Key Concepts

Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.

Key Concepts

  • Industrialization has alienated people from the natural world.

  • Romantic poetry emphasizes emotional response to nature.

  • Classical myths reinforce the sacredness of nature.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.

Examples

  • Modern Analogy: City life today can make us forget the stars, oceans, or mountains.

  • Student Response: "Wordsworth sounds like he misses the magic in nature."

Memory Aids

Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • PMS – Proteus, Materialism, Sea (major symbols/themes).

🎨 Fun Analogies

  • Think of nature like an old friend we no longer visit.

🎡 Rhymes Time

  • "Too much gold, we’ve left the cold, the sea, the sky, the flowers of old."

Flash Cards

Review key concepts with flashcards.

Poem "The World is Too Much With Us" by William Wordsworth

1. Form and Structure

  • The poem is a Petrarchan sonnet with 14 lines.
  • It follows the rhyme scheme ABBAABBA CDCDCD.
  • The sonnet is divided into:
  • An octave (first 8 lines): introduces the problem (disconnection from nature).
  • A sestet (last 6 lines): offers a personal and mythological perspective.

2. Themes

  • Disconnection from Nature: The speaker criticizes society for losing touch with the natural world.
  • Materialism: Modern man is preoccupied with money and possessions.
  • Romanticism: The poem reflects Romantic ideals such as the appreciation of nature and the use of emotion.

3. Literary Devices

a. Personification

  • Nature is portrayed with human traits, such as:
  • "The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon."
  • "The winds that will be howling at all hours."
  • These devices make nature more relatable and emotionally powerful.

b. Imagery

  • Strong visual imagery enhances the poem's emotional impact:
  • "Sleeping flowers"
  • "Sea that bares her bosom to the moon"
  • These images reflect beauty and tranquility, emphasizing what is lost.

c. Allusion

  • References to classical mythology:
  • Proteus: A sea god who could change shape.
  • Triton: The son of Poseidon who blows a conch shell.
  • These allusions show the speaker's desire to return to a time when nature was revered.

d. Simile

  • Compares human disconnection from nature to dormant or lifeless things:
  • "And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers"

e. Metaphor

  • "Sordid boon": Suggests that materialism, while seemingly beneficial, is actually a corrupt gift.

4. Tone and Mood

  • Tone: Reflective, mournful, and critical.
  • Mood: Evokes sadness for what has been lost and longing for a more connected existence.