"The World is Too Much With Us" by William Wordsworth (poetry reading)

It's a Petrarchan sonnet. The first eight lines (octave) describe the problem and the next six-lines (sestet) give the solution. At least, that's the general idea of this verse form. The rhyme scheme here is abba abba cd cd cd (there are other forms, such as cde cde.)

He deplores the rise of industry and preoccupation with money which leads people to disregard the true wealth and beauty of nature. He says he'd rather be a pagan than worship money because then he'd have more uplifting visions. Shelley described Wordsworth's existence as one of "honoured poverty". Some people feel that the poem is angry and sarcastic - but I see it as despairing and resigned.

Wordworth didn't refuse money when it was offered to him, he wasn't that impractical. He got a sinecure as a Distributor of Stamps to provide him with a meagre livelihood, later an honorary pension of £300 a year and eventually the Laureate. But before that like so many poets he depended on the kindness of his friends and admirers - some of whom later thought he had sold them down the river: see "The Lost Leader" by Robert Browning. Dylan Thomas comes to mind as being in a similar situation.

A cynic might say this: people do tend to tailor their beliefs to suit their circumstances. The manufacturing industry has prevailed and technology has improved people's lives. It's easy to despise what you haven't got, then change your tune when you get it.

The portrait of Wordsworth was by William Shuter in 1798 which makes him 28 at the time. This poem was written about 5 years later.

Triton blowing in his wreathed horn is a detail from "The Birth of Venus" painted by William-Adolphe Bouguereau in 1879. His groupies are a couple of Nereids or sea-nymphs and a cherub or seraph - it's hard to tell which. The painting is 10ft tall: Venus and her companions are life-size. You can see the whole picture here:
http://tinyurl.com/mz4ogn

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• With
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• William
• Wordsworth

[rameshta3]

Indeed we are wasting our time in mundane things only in the world! We lay waste our power that is within which can be awakened to life only in Nature sure! Wordsworth has inspired in his poems to look to Nature to regain paradise lost in the world!

[hashymotothiroiditis]

Your a beast! You were made to read poetry! Keep up the good work!

[crywalt]

The world is too much with us. Have you done Hamlet's soliloquy from Act 1 Scene 2? "O, that this too too solid flesh would melt..."  That's the other poem I think of when I'm depressed.