Speaker

The central character in this poem, as in most poetry, is the speaker. However, in this poem, the speaker's identity is largely subsumed within the character of "love." The speaker himself is largely removed from the events of the poem.

Love

The force of romantic love is characterized in the poem as though it were a person. Love is characterized as a passionate but ultimately unsuccessful warrior. As opposed to the Petrarchan original, which depicts love as more retiring, Howard's Love is determined and brave even in the face of defeat.

The Beloved

The object of the speaker' love is mentioned in the poem. She is not given a name, referred to only as "she that taught me love" (5). From this we can infer that she is his first love. The poem also suggests that she does not return his romantic feelings.