The World is Too Much With Us: Comprehensive Guide

This post is a complete guide to The World is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth, part of the NCERT Class XI Elective English textbook Woven Words. It includes a simplified summary, line-by-line explanation, and insights into the theme and central idea of the poem. Difficult words are explained in a table for easy understanding. You will also find answers to textbook questions, MCQs, extract-based questions, and extra practice questions. For better comprehension, summaries are also provided in Hindi and Urdu. This post aims to help students grasp the poem clearly and prepare well for exams.

Summary of The World is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth

In the sonnet The World is Too Much With Us, William Wordsworth conveys his deep concern. He worries about the growing materialism in modern society. He is also worried about the disconnection from nature. He observes that people have become too focused on money, possessions, and industrial progress. They have lost their appreciation for the beauty and power of the natural world. Wordsworth believes that nature once had a spiritual connection with humankind, but now people are out of tune with it. He mourns this loss. He wishes he could be part of a simpler, pagan world. In this world, people worshipped nature and found meaning in its forces. Through vivid imagery and passionate tone, the poet highlights the need to return to a more harmonious relationship with nature. The poem reflects Wordsworth’s Romantic ideals and his belief that nature is a source of truth, beauty, and spiritual renewal.

Theme of The World is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth

The main idea of The World is Too Much With Us is that human beings feel alienated from nature. This is due to the rise of materialism and industrialisation. William Wordsworth criticises the modern world. It values wealth, trade, and possessions. These are valued over the spiritual and emotional connection with the natural world. He laments that people have become so absorbed in worldly affairs. They no longer appreciate the beauty of the sea, the moon, and the winds. Other elements of nature are also neglected. The poem reflects the Romantic belief in the healing power of nature. It suggests that reconnecting with the natural world can restore balance to the human spirit. Wordsworth also contrasts the modern world with ancient pagan cultures. Although these cultures lacked scientific knowledge, they lived in harmony with nature. They found meaning in its divine presence. The poem is a plea to rediscover that lost connection.

Word Meaning – The World is Too Much With Us

Difficult words and expressions from the poem with simple meanings

Words / Phrases	Meaning
The world is too much with us	We are overly concerned with worldly affairs
Getting and spending	Earning money and spending it; materialistic lifestyle
Late and soon	At all times; in the past and present
Lay waste our powers	We are wasting our natural abilities
Little we see in Nature that is ours	We no longer feel a connection with nature
We have given our hearts away	We have lost our emotional and spiritual connection
A sordid boon	A shameful or morally low blessing
Sea that bares her bosom	The sea showing its open surface; personification of nature
Winds that will be howling at all hours	The wild and untamed force of nature
Sleeping flowers	Flowers that are still or motionless, possibly at night or in quietness
Pagan	A person who believes in many gods, often associated with nature worship
Creed outworn	An old or outdated belief system
Proteus	A sea god in Greek mythology who could change shape
Triton	Another sea god, often shown blowing a shell to calm or stir the sea

Line-by-line Explanation – The World is Too Much With Us

1. The world is too much with us; late and soon,
We are too involved in worldly affairs.
This has been true in the past and is still true today.

2. Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
We spend all our energy earning and spending money.
We waste our natural gifts and abilities.

3. Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We do not feel connected to nature anymore.
We see it, but it does not feel like part of us.

4. We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
We have lost our love for nature.
This is a shameful and sad exchange.

5. This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The sea shows its open surface under the moonlight.
It is full of beauty and life.

6. The winds that will be howling at all hours,
The wild winds blow at all times.
They are strong and always moving.

7. And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
Now, everything is calm.
The winds have settled, like flowers resting.

8. For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
We are not in harmony with nature.
We have lost our connection with it.

9. It moves us not.—Great God! I’d rather be
Nature does not affect us anymore.
The poet says he would rather be—

10. A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
—someone from the old times,
who believed in nature gods.

11. So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Then, while standing in this open field,
he could see and feel—

12. Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
—moments that would give him hope and joy.

13. Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
He imagines seeing Proteus, a sea god,
rising from the ocean.

14. Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.
Or hearing Triton, another sea god,
blowing his shell-like horn.

Questions and Answers – The World is Too Much With Us

1. Why does the poet prefer to be a primitive Pagan rather than a member of civilised society?

The poet, William Wordsworth, expresses his disappointment with the modern world. He sees it as overly focused on material wealth and industrial progress. He feels that people have become disconnected from nature and its spiritual beauty. He says he would rather be a primitive Pagan. This means he would prefer living in a time when people believed in nature gods. They also found divine meaning in the natural world. Such beliefs, though outdated, at least allowed people to stay emotionally and spiritually connected to nature, unlike the modern world.

2. What, according to the poet, are human beings out of tune with?

According to Wordsworth, human beings are out of tune with nature. He observes that people are so busy with material concerns—earning, spending, and chasing possessions. As a result, they no longer feel a bond with the natural world. The beauty and power of elements like the sea, moon, and wind no longer move them emotionally. He feels this disconnection is a great loss. Nature has the ability to lift the human spirit. It can give deeper meaning to life. The poet sees this loss as a serious consequence of modern living.

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Extract Based MCQs – The World is Too Much With Us

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Extract 1

“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!”

1. What does the phrase “The world is too much with us” suggest?
A. The world is full of love and joy
B. The world is forcing us to admire nature
C. People are too concerned with worldly matters
D. People live too far away from the world

2. What does the poet mean by “we lay waste our powers”?
A. We are becoming more powerful
B. We use our energy to understand nature
C. We are wasting our inner strengths
D. We are growing stronger every day

3. What is meant by “a sordid boon”?
A. A dirty curse
B. A shameful blessing
C. A natural gift
D. A divine miracle

Answer Key:

1. C
2. C
3. B

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Extract 2

“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;”

1. What literary device is used in “The sea that bares her bosom to the moon”?
A. Simile
B. Metaphor
C. Alliteration
D. Personification

2. What does “sleeping flowers” refer to in the context of the poem?
A. Flowers that bloom at night
B. Calm and still winds
C. A peaceful garden
D. A forgotten part of nature

3. What is the poet’s tone in saying “we are out of tune”?
A. Joyful
B. Angry
C. Regretful
D. Indifferent

Answer Key:

1. D
2. B
3. C

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Extra Questions and Answers – The World is Too Much With Us

1. What is the main idea of the poem?

The poem talks about how people have forgotten nature. We are too busy making and spending money. We don’t enjoy the beauty of the sea, the wind, or the moon. The poet feels sad. He thinks older, simpler people were better. They loved nature and found meaning in it.

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2. What does Wordsworth mean by “we are out of tune”?

He means we no longer feel nature’s beauty. We don’t hear its music. We live far from it—not in distance, but in feeling. We have lost that connection. It upsets the poet deeply.

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3. Why does the poet use sea gods like Proteus and Triton in the poem?

He uses them as symbols. People once believed in these gods. They were close to the sea and nature. The poet says even old beliefs are better if they help us stay close to nature. He longs for that closeness.

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4. What does the poet think about materialism?

He dislikes it. He says it takes away our peace. We work too much. We spend too much. We lose our power to feel joy. We forget nature and its wonders.

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5. How does the poem show Wordsworth’s love for nature?

He talks about the sea, the moon, and the wind with deep feeling. He wants people to notice these things again. He feels pain when people ignore nature. He says he would rather live in the past if it helped him love nature more.

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Here is the Important Questions section for The World is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth, prepared using the Malik Method. These questions are framed in ways that are commonly asked in exams—analytical, interpretative, and central-idea based. Answers are written in simple British English using varied and short sentences.

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Important Questions – The World is Too Much With Us

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1. How does Wordsworth criticise modern life in the poem?

Wordsworth says modern life is full of worries about money and possessions. People work and spend too much. They have no time to enjoy nature. They waste their energy on useless things. The poet feels sad. He wants people to look at nature again. He believes we have lost something precious.

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2. Why is the poet unhappy with people’s relationship with nature?

He is unhappy because people don’t care for nature anymore. They don’t see beauty in the sea, moon, or wind. Their hearts are lost in greed. Nature has become a stranger to them. This breaks the poet’s heart. He wants people to feel nature’s power and beauty once again.

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3. What does the poem suggest about spiritual loss?

The poet feels we have lost our spiritual connection with the world. Earlier, people saw nature as holy. Now, we just see it as a resource. We don’t feel awe or wonder. The soul feels empty. The poet sees this as a great loss.

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4. Why does Wordsworth feel that being a Pagan would be better?

Wordsworth says even being a Pagan would be better than being modern. Pagans worshipped nature. They felt close to the sea, sky, and earth. He wishes he could believe like them. That way, he could feel joy in nature again. His longing is clear and deep.

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5. How is nature personified in the poem? Give examples.

Wordsworth gives human traits to nature. He says the sea “bares her bosom” to the moon. The wind “howls” and then sleeps like a flower. These images make nature feel alive. It shows how deeply the poet connects with natural things.

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The World is Too Much With Us – Detailed Summary in Hindi

(एनसीईआरटी पाठ्यपुस्तक ‘Woven Words’ में शामिल कविता का विस्तृत सारांश)

इस कविता में कवि विलियम वर्ड्सवर्थ आधुनिक जीवन की आलोचना करते हैं। वह कहते हैं कि आज का इंसान केवल धन कमाने और खर्च करने में लगा हुआ है। उसकी सारी ऊर्जा केवल भौतिक चीजों को पाने में खर्च हो जाती है। लोग अब प्रकृति से दूर हो गए हैं। वे समुद्र, चाँदनी, हवा और फूलों की सुंदरता को महसूस नहीं कर पाते।

कवि को दुख है कि हमने अपने दिलों को इस भौतिक दुनिया को सौंप दिया है। यह एक “सॉर्डिड बून” यानी शर्मनाक वरदान है। वह चाहते हैं कि इंसान फिर से प्रकृति की ओर लौटे और उसकी सुंदरता और शक्ति को समझे।

कविता के अंत में वर्ड्सवर्थ कहते हैं कि अगर उन्हें पुराने समय का एक पगन (प्राकृतिक देवताओं को मानने वाला व्यक्ति) बनना पड़े, तो भी वे खुशी-खुशी तैयार हैं। ऐसा इसलिए क्योंकि पगन लोग प्रकृति की पूजा करते थे और उनके जीवन में प्रकृति के लिए आदर और जुड़ाव था।

कवि का मानना है कि यदि हम प्रकृति से फिर से जुड़ें, तो हमें सच्ची खुशी और आत्मिक शांति मिल सकती है।

The World is Too Much With Us – Detailed Summary in Urdu