The sonnet, The World Is Too Much with Us by William Wordsworth (a 19th century English poet), portraits an idea that people have become so involved in earning money that they have not only lost touch with all things beautiful in the world but also within themselves. Born, raised and educated in the time of the Industrial Revolution, where the transition from old to new manufacturing processes occurs; William Wordsworth witnessed much of the changes in his beloved Great Britain. He conveys his frustration about the state, which he sees daily throughout the poem.
Stating his dissatisfaction, Wordsworth writes “Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers” to clearly portray that people have given up their “powers”, whether that meant their livelihoods, passions, or even freedoms, (since the industrial revolution introduce the time clock), for this form of efficiency. Would that be true today? William also goes on to say “we have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!” The word “boon” means to be helpful; however, he uses the word after writing “sordid” which means dishonorable, or ignoble motives. Elevating his tone from dissatisfaction to anger, William here, showcases the significance of the problem; all while depicting cynicism and the decadence of society.
In this poem, it seems that human society beginning in the speaker’s time as made a bargain with the devil. Literally or figuratively, society have lost our powers in the bargain, our lives revolve around a clock of work, earn and spend to then work again. A dark and empty pit, we, society are blind and find ourselves alone. But is it preventable? William writes near the end of his poem “Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea”; having the sight of Proteus, is define as one to have the ability to foresee the future or what the speaker notes as potential “glimpses”. The hopes that this ability can help him become less forlorn or sad about the world we see around us.
William Wordsworth criticizes materialism and distancing of humans from the nature of our world and most importantly ourselves. As I read this piece: I wonder. Are there forms like this that exist today? Would we as a collective agree with Sir William Wordsworth? Are there those out there, with the ability of Proteus to notice these changes? Have we, as a society, fell victim to our own problems too greatly to witness the changes to our world?
Similar to your last post, I enjoy the writing style of this one. You outlined what is portrayed in “The World Is Too Much with Us”, provide details you captured from the article and interpreted them. It seems like you have more close reading analysis here than the last post on Whitman’s “No Labor-Saving Machine”.
I noticed that you are picking and defining specific words from a sentence as a means to gain a better grasp of the meaning of the sentence therefore the entire poem. It is an inspiring point of view of yours which says the emotions attached to the words the poet used. You said “elevating his tone from dissatisfaction to anger,” and I indeed feel the irony embedded in this sentence which makes the tone of “dissatisfaction” understandable. The irony can be found from the words you picked and defined: “sordid” and “boon” because it is the expression of one’s meaning(not helpful) by using language that normally signifies the opposite(“boon” which means helpful). However, I did not quite understand where the “anger” comes from. Yes, I can imagine how the anger can possibly arrive after the dissatisfaction because I have been in position like that in some crazy occasions. But I need a bit more information on how you transit from here (dissatisfaction) to there (anger).
I hope you would find this comment helpful.