The World Is Too Much With Us William Wordsworth Comparison

In the poems “The World Is Too Much with Us” written by William Wordsworth and the poem written in reply to Wordsworth’s poem titled “To Wordsworth” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, both refer to nature throughout their poems. The theme of their poems are so similar yet so different. In the poem “The World Is Too Much with Us” written by William Wordsworth, the theme of the poem is how humans have given their lives away and are so close minded. Wordsworth begins to refer to the close mindedness of humans when he says, “Little we see in Nature that is ours” (Line 3). Wordsworth uses nature to symbolize the numerous amount of opportunities that are available in this world, yet people do not see them because they are close minded at this period of time.

The quotes show the theme of the close mindedness of people, but Shelley’s poem also shows how it is not in other people’s control. When Wordsworth says “I’d rather be a pagan suckled in a creed outworn” (Line 9/10), he is telling the audience that he would rather be someone who follows a different religion rather than be a part of this system that is outgrown. At this period of time, Christianity was the main religion in England. Wordsworth’s reference to this adds to the theme of humans being so close minded and stuck on one system to the point where Wordsworth would rather convert to a different religion. Wordsworth even alludes to Greek gods such as Proteus and Triton to expand his desire to convert. He is so over having to be accustomed to one system that he may not want to be apart of. In reply, Shelley says, “One loss is mine Which thou too feel’st, yet I alone deplore” (Lines 5/6). While Shelley too may disagree with the current system, he strongly disapproves with Wordsworth’s desire to convert. He is very straightforward with his feeling of disapproval when he says “yet I alone deplore” (Line 6). Each poet uses personification throughout their poems to clarify their