Sonnet 137 Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. Do you think that the speaker is still in love with the woman he’s talking about, or has love been completely taken over by hatred?
  2. Who is to blame for this mess, do you think? Even if the person addressed in this poem is guilty of having "a bay where men ride," might the speaker also share the blame in failing to notice his beloved's behavior?
  3. Do you think the speaker is done with love? Or do you think he will turn back to it again? Why do you think so? 
  4. Why are there so many metaphors in this poem? Why do you think Shakespeare doesn't just come right out and say what he means? 
  5. If Shakespeare were writing this poem today, do you think he would begin it by addressing the god of Love? If not, why do you think he chose to do so in the first place?