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Difficulty: MediumAnalysis of Prescribed Non-African Poems

Read the extract below from William Wordsworth's prescribed non-African poem "The World Is Too Much With Us":

"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!"

What central conflict between humanity and nature is highlighted in this excerpt?

  1. The spiritual detachment caused by humanity's obsession with materialism and commercialismAnswer
  2. B
    The physical destruction of agricultural landscapes by rapid industrial expansion
  3. C
    The inevitable decay of human emotional affection due to romantic idealism
  4. D
    The literal commercial trade of natural resources for economic wealth

Answer

The spiritual detachment caused by humanity's obsession with materialism and commercialism
In William Wordsworth's sonnet "The World Is Too Much With Us", the speaker criticizes the modern obsession with worldly gains ("getting and spending"), arguing that humans have compromised their spiritual lives ("given our hearts away") in exchange for material wealth.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the figurative language and thematic context of the excerpt
The phrases "getting and spending" and "lay waste our powers" establish materialism as the source of human exhaustion and distraction.
Understanding the poetic persona's critique requires identifying the main topic of concern.
2
Interpret the phrase "given our hearts away, a sordid boon"
The oxymoron highlights that material progress ("boon") comes at the shameful cost ("sordid") of losing emotional and spiritual connection with nature.
Recognizing poetic devices clarifies the central message regarding spiritual loss.

Key Concept

Thematic critique of materialism in Romantic poetry
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Topics

Analysis of Prescribed Non-African Poems

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