“To mourn a mischief that is past and gone is the next way to draw new mischief on.”
- Source
- Othello
- Date
- c. 1603
- Attribution
- Source identified
- Voice / speaker
- Fictional character · Duke of Venice
What does this quote mean?
Grief over what cannot be changed can become a second injury when it prevents attention to what can still be done.
Where does it come from?
Othello, Act 1, Scene 3; the Duke urges Brabantio not to compound an irreversible loss by continuing to feed it with fresh grief.
Who voices the line?
Fictional character · Duke of Venice. The Duke addresses Brabantio in Othello, Act 1, Scene 3.
The source author and the local speaker can be different, especially in fiction, drama, dialogue and poetry.
How should this attribution be read?
This wording is connected with the named source shown above. Translations and editions can vary, so consult the source note when exact wording matters.