rather be a “pagan suckled in a creed outworn” (10) than go on as he is. Pagan, although shunned by Christianity as an institution because they are polytheistic and are known for worshipping nature, are more appealing to Wordsworth than the accepted Christianity of his time because at least paganism recognizes the importance of a human’s surroundings. The image of Proteus rising out of the sea or Triton with his horn at the end of the poem are Wordsworth’s attempt to reconnect with all that is magical and mystical about the sea. Instead of looking at the sea (or nature, in general) and being able to scientifically explain what’s going on, Wordsworth looks at the sea and beholds the mystery beneath the waves. Overall, Wordsworth’s use of symbolism in his poem illustrates a sense of the conviction and deep feelings he had toward nature; however, he sees himself as having insight to the problems. The materialistic progress being made by mankind is not without consequence, and the destruction of the environment by mankind’s shortsightedness will continue as Wordsworth has foreseen. The change hoped for by the author will not come as a result of an initiative by humanity, but as an uproar by mother nature in the form of a battle. This battle will bring forth a victory for the environment and stimulate a re-birth for the world. William, Wordsworth. “The world is too much with us.” The Longman Anthology of British Literature, Volume 2A: The Romantics and Their Contemporaries, ed. Susan Wolfson and Peter Manning. Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, 1999. 360. ...
