Date

9-17-2026

Department

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree

Master of Arts in Literature (MA)

Chair

Tess Martinus

Keywords

William Wordsworth, Romantic era, Technology and machinery, Nature, Rest and comfort and peace, Poetry, Urbanization

Disciplines

English Language and Literature | Public Health

Abstract

In the busy, technologized, and mechanized life that most people live today, it can be difficult to find true rest, comfort, and peace because the very technology and machinery that is marketed as providing these 21st-century amenities often fall short in their delivery. Taking a look backward at the Romantic era ideals presented in the poetry of William Wordsworth can offer people today the chance to gradually improve their mental, physical, and emotional health by slowing down, minimalizing, and moderating their lifestyles. This thesis talks about the historical background of three of Wordsworth’s poems— “Lines Written in Early Spring,” “The World is Too Much with Us,” and “Calm is All Nature as a Resting Wheel”— and the Romantic era ideals found in each, but because knowledge alone of these ideals cannot be very impactful on a person’s day-to-day life, this thesis also includes practical and realistic application suggestions for readers.

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