This blog on NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Woven Words Poem 5: The World is Too Much With Us provides clear and concise answers to the questions of this poem. It helps students understand the themes of alienation from nature, the critique of materialism, and the longing for spiritual connection. These solutions are designed to help in exam preparation by exploring the poem’s emotional depth. You can also download the free PDF for quick revision.
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Explore Notes of Class 11 English Woven Words
NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Woven Words Poem 5: The World is Too Much With Us
Here are the NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Woven Words Poem 5: The World is Too Much With Us, designed to enhance understanding of the poem’s themes, imagery, and emotional nuances for effective revision.
UNDERSTANDING THE POEM
1. Why does the poet prefer to be a primitive Pagan rather than a member of a civilised society?
Solution: The poet, William Wordsworth, prefers to be a “Pagan suckled in a creed outworn” because he feels modern society is disconnected from nature due to its obsession with materialism (“getting and spending”). As a pagan, rooted in ancient, nature-worshipping beliefs, he could stand on a “pleasant lea” and experience a spiritual connection with nature, witnessing mystical visions like “Proteus rising from the sea” or “Triton blow his wreathèd horn.” These experiences would make him “less forlorn,” alleviating the loneliness and alienation he feels in a civilized society that has “given our hearts away” to material pursuits, neglecting nature’s beauty and power.
2. What, according to the poet, are human beings out of tune with?
Solution: According to the poet, human beings are “out of tune” with nature, as they are consumed by materialistic pursuits (“getting and spending”) that squander their spiritual and emotional capacities. Wordsworth highlights nature’s beauty through images like “The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon” and “The Winds that will be howling at all hours,” which are now calm, like sleeping flowers.” Humanity’s failure to be moved by these natural wonders signifies a disconnection from nature’s rhythms, leaving us emotionally and spiritually unharmonious with the world around us.
Also Read: NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Hornbill Poem 1 A Photograph (Free PDF)
TRY THIS OUT
Compare the organisation of this sonnet with that of the sonnet by William Shakespeare.
Solution: Both The World is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth and Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds (Sonnet 116) by William Shakespeare are sonnets, but their organisation and structure differ slightly, reflecting their distinct themes and styles.
- Structure: Both poems follow the sonnet form with 14 lines. Wordsworth’s sonnet uses the Petrarchan (Italian) structure, with an octave (eight lines, rhyming ABBAABBA) presenting the problem, humanity’s disconnection from nature, and a sestet (six lines, rhyming CDCDCD) offering a resolution through the poet’s pagan longing. Shakespeare’s sonnet uses the Shakespearean (English) structure, with three quatrains (ABABCDCDEFEF) developing the definition of true love and a final couplet (GG) delivering a conclusive assertion.
- Thematic Development: Wordsworth’s octave vividly describes society’s materialism and alienation from nature, while the sestet shifts to a personal, passionate wish to reconnect through pagan imagery. Shakespeare’s sonnet builds its argument incrementally across quatrains, defining love’s constancy through metaphors like an “ever-fixed mark” and a “star,” with the couplet boldly asserting the truth of his definition.
- Tone and Shift: Wordsworth’s sonnet has a volta (turn) after the octave, marked by “It moves us not. Great God!”, shifting from critique to a yearning tone. Shakespeare’s sonnet has a subtler shift, with the couplet intensifying the tone to a confident challenge.
- Imagery and Focus: Wordsworth uses vivid natural imagery (sea, winds, lea) to lament modern detachment, while Shakespeare employs navigational metaphors (mark, star) to affirm love’s endurance. Wordsworth’s sonnet is more emotionally charged, while Shakespeare’s is argumentative and assertive.
Students can compare these structural differences to understand how each poet organises their sonnet to convey distinct themes, Wordsworth’s critique of materialism versus Shakespeare’s celebration of love’s constancy.
Download NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Woven Words Poem 5: The World is Too Much With Us
You can download the free PDF of NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Woven Words Poem 5: The World is Too Much With Us for effective revision.
Download more NCERT Solutions of Class 11 English ‘Woven Words’ here!
| Poem 1: The Peacock Solution |
| Poem 2: Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds Solution |
| Poem 3: Coming Solution |
| Poem 5: The World is too Much With Us Solution |
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