“Forgiveness to the injured does belong; But they ne’er pardon, who have done the wrong.”
- Date
- 1672
- Local voice
- Fictional character · Zulema
Meaning of “Forgiveness to the injured does belong; But they…”
Zulema cynically suggests that pardon belongs to the person who was harmed while the wrongdoer may remain trapped in shame or hostility; the drama immediately undercuts him by showing that he plans fresh deception.
Where does it come from?
The Conquest of Granada, Part II, Act I, Scene II (‘The Alhambra’), in The Works of John Dryden, Volume IV, Project Gutenberg #15349. Zulema says ‘Forgiveness to the injured does belong’ immediately after recalling that he has been pardoned, then declares that ‘feigned honesty’ will conceal his lust and work him back into trust. The couplet is therefore compromised fictional dramatic speech, not Dryden's neutral moral instruction or a universal rule about forgiveness.
Why the local voice matters
Zulema says this in The Conquest of Granada, Part II after being pardoned; his immediately following plan to use feigned honesty makes the line a cynical dramatic observation, not neutral advice by Dryden.
