Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- How would the poem be different if the opening line was "Why do I love thee?"
- How many ways of loving does the speaker identify? Do these ways of loving overlap, conflict, or complement one another? Explain.
- Why do you think "How do I love thee?" is such a popular love poem? What features of the sonnet might make it more accessible or universal than other love poetry?
- How would the poem affect readers differently if the beloved was referred to as "you" instead of as "thee"? What if the beloved was given a first name – Romeo, Robert, etc.?