"The World Is Too Much with Us" is a Petrarchan sonnet written by William Wordsworth. Its first eight lines (the octet) pose a question or problem, and its last six lines (the sestet) give a response or solution. The problem in this sonnet's octet is that humanity has lost its respect for and connection with nature. In the sestet, how does Wordsworth propose to address this problem?
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In the sestet of "The World Is Too Much with Us," Wordsworth proposes that people should return to a state of harmony with nature by finding a deeper appreciation for its beauty and power. He suggests that we should strive to be more like ancient pagan civilizations who recognized the divinity of nature and lived in harmony with it. The closing lines of the poem express a sense of longing for this lost connection with nature: "We are out of tune; / It moves us not. –Great God! I'd rather be / A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn."