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What is the meaning of ''For of all sad words of tongue or pen The saddest are these 'it might have been' ''?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
This quote means that the most regretful and heartbreaking words to hear or write are those that express missed opportunities or unrealized potential. It emphasizes the feeling of sorrow and disappointment that comes from reflecting on what could have been but never came to be.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoOut of context: This is the core of regret. Not of regret for past deeds or wrongs done, but for opportunities lost. For most situations in human experience there is a finite window of opportunity. When that window has closed, it is often closed forever. The author is saying simply that there is no greater sense of despair or loss, sadness, than to realize that something could have happened that was not acted upon. This is a line from the poem "Maud Muller" by John Greenleaf Whittier. In the context of the poem: This is still about regret, the road not taken. Young Maud had met a man in her youth who found her attractive, and whom she found equally attractive. She desired for happiness, and to pass on her good fortune by marrying a fair man, and a man of means. By either of them not taking the opportunity when it presented, Maud lived a life of hardship and sorrow that left its mark on her. Her regret was externally visible as well as internally felt.
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoIt is actually a quote from the poem 'Maud Muller' by John Greenleaf Whitter.
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Who said the toughest to tongue or pen to know the things that might have been?
The quote is "For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.'"by John Greenleaf Whittier
Who said Of all the words 'Of Mice and Men' the saddest are it might have been?
Kurt Vonnegut is often credited with this quote: "Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, 'It might have been.'" It reflects the theme of missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential in the novella "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.
Who said The saddest ever penned?
This looks like a reference to these lines from the poem "Maud Muller," by John Greenleaf Whittier:For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: "It might have been!"
What is the meaning of 'has a cat got your tongue'?
"The cat's got your tongue" means you are at a loss for words; you can't think of anything to say.
What's the difference between language and tongue?
They have the same meaning when they are defined as the body of words and methods of combining words used and understood by a considerable community.
What is the meaning of the tongue is a sharp sword which slays though it draws no blood?
You can harm people with words, without damaging their bodies.
What are some different words for the word would?
There are some contexts in which the words "may" or "might" have the same meaning as would.
What common expression meaning tongue-tied contains 5 words One word has one letter another has two letters and so on until you have five words?
At a loss for words. (2-1-4-3-5)
What does gygygyer mean?
There is no meaning to the letters gygygyer, Perhaps if the words were used in a sentence I could piece together what a meaning for it might be used in.
What is a word meaning things that aren't a necessity?
Words meaning 'things that are not necessities', might be luxuries, niceties, wants, non-necessities,
What might you find in the back of a text to provide the meaning of the technical words in that text?
You might find a glossary or a list of terms with their definitions in the back of a text to provide the meaning of technical words. This helps readers understand the specialized language used in the text.
What is the term for words that have a different meaning when they are spoken?
You might mean homonyms. Homonyms are different words that sound the same but have different meaning. Examples are: two and too, bite and bight, ball and bawl.
