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Difficulty: MediumThematic Argumentation in Poetry

Read the poem below by William Wordsworth (1770–1850), published in 1807:

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!
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;
It moves us not. Great God! I’d rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.

Which of the following best describes how the transition in line 9 ("Great God! I’d rather be...") develops the poem’s central thematic argument?

  1. A
    It documents the poet's personal decision to formally renounce Christianity and convert to ancient Greek paganism during the height of the Industrial Revolution.
  2. B
    It reinforces the speaker's initial sense of bitter resignation by demonstrating that modern humanity is permanently excluded from experiencing nature's beauty.
  3. It shifts the argument from a critical condemnation of humanity's modern, materialistic detachment from nature to a passionate assertion of the speaker's willingness to embrace outdated beliefs to regain a spiritual connection to the natural world.Answer
  4. D
    It introduces a narrative sequence in which the speaker stands on a grassy meadow and waits to catch sight of mythological sea deities rising from the water.
  5. E
    It employs classical allusions to Proteus and Triton to catalog various literary figures of speech rather than contributing to the poem's message about industrialization.

Answer

The transition in line 9 shifts the argument from a critical condemnation of humanity's modern, materialistic detachment from nature to a passionate assertion of the speaker's willingness to embrace outdated beliefs to regain a spiritual connection to the natural world.
The shift in line 9 introduces a dramatic turn (volta) where the speaker transitions from critiquing society's industrial and materialistic alienation from the natural world to expressing a passionate, desperate desire to reconnect with nature. By stating a preference for paganism—a 'creed outworn'—the speaker argues that even an outdated or false spiritual framework is preferable to the modern, soul-crushing indifference to nature.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the thematic argument established in the first eight lines (the octave) of the sonnet.
The speaker argues that modern humanity is consumed by materialism ("Getting and spending") and has lost its connection to the natural world ("we are out of tune; / It moves us not").
To identify the baseline argument before the transition occurs.
2
Identify the transition in line 9 ("Great God! I’d rather be / A Pagan...") and analyze the speaker's attitude.
The speaker declares a preference to be a pagan rather than remain disconnected from nature, expressing a willingness to hold obsolete beliefs ("creed outworn") for spiritual comfort.
To determine how the turn (volta) shifts the speaker's focus from despairing critique to an imaginative remedy.
3
Connect the final mythological references to Proteus and Triton to the overall theme.
The references represent a vitalized, animate nature that the speaker yearns to perceive, concluding the thematic argument by prioritizing spiritual connection over modern progress.
To synthesize the shift with the resolution of the poem's thematic argument.

Key Concept

Thematic Progression/Stanzaic Shift
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Topics

Thematic Argumentation in Poetry

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