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The World Is Too Much With Us

Decent Essays

Nature—the segment of the world untouched by man—was a common subject matter for the Romantics. To these eighteenth and nineteenth century writers, the natural world was a source of inspiration, spiritual truth, and enlightenment. As such, Romantic works often centered around the importance of nature, and this theme clearly resonates throughout William Wordsworth’s sonnet “The World Is Too Much with Us.” Despite its antiquity, being initially published in 1807, the message is eternal. This past summer, I truly felt the awe and wonder of nature as Wordsworth and his colleagues have centuries before me. From the first line, “The World Is Too Much with Us” clearly depicts the values of the Romantics’ love of nature. The persona states how, …show more content…

In August, I spent a week at Philmont Scout Ranch, a Boy Scout operated high-adventure base in the backcountry of New Mexico. Upon the start of my forty-two-mile trek, my crew and I left our cell phones and wallets at the base camp, as none of these would have any use in the middle of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The relative solitude of hiking with just nine other members of my troop allowed me to truly take in the lovely sights surrounding me. One specific instance was on the last day of backpacking—when we were returning to the base camp. Before the monumental march back towards the hodgepodge of tents resembling civilization, we had to climb the stony monolith known as the Tooth of Time. This picturesque clump of rocks looks as it sounds: a big, rocky chomper jutting out from the surrounding sylvan mountains. From the base camp and a multitude of points throughout the hike, the Tooth seemed minuscule, but this perspective radically changed when I was scaling its side at a forty-five-degree angle. With a tinge of fear, I continued upward until I completely ascended the nine thousand and three foot peak. Atop this summit, a majestic panorama of land and sky pleasantly intruded my eyes. I realized how small I am compared to Mother Nature, making the incoming storm clouds and gusts of wind oddly humbling at the moment. To my surprise, the mountains moved

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