Which line marks the opening of Sonnet 43?

• A. Opening line
• B. The volta
• C. The closing couplet
• D. A refrain

Answer: (A)

The thing being tested is simply where a poem begins. The opening line is the first line of the poem, so it marks its start. Sonnet 43 begins with “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways,” which is literally the line that opens the poem and sets up its voice and topic. The other features described—the volta (a turning point later in the poem), the closing couplet (the final two lines in a Shakespearean sonnet), and a refrain (a repeated line or phrase)—are elements that occur later or in different kinds of structures, not the act of starting the poem. So identifying the opening line as the beginning is the best fit.