“How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?”
- Source
- Othello
- Date
- 1604
- Local voice
- Fictional character · Iago
Meaning of “How poor are they that have not patience!…”
The image recognizes that wounds and complicated situations change gradually rather than instantly, but the dramatic context warns against automatically treating a persuasive maxim as trustworthy advice.
Where does it come from?
Othello, commonly numbered Act II, Scene III in modern editions. In the represented 1910 First Folio facsimile the continuous Cyprus scene is routed as Act II, Scene II; Iago says 'How poore are they that haue not Patience? / What wound did euer heale but by degrees?' while manipulating Roderigo. The edition-specific scene-number difference is preserved explicitly.
Why the local voice matters
Iago says this to Roderigo in Othello, Act 2, Scene 3 while urging him to continue a deceptive scheme. The healing metaphor is rhetorically useful but spoken by a manipulative character.
