“There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery.”
- c. 1265 – September 14, 1321
- Italian
- Poet, Writer, Philosopher, Author of The Divine Comedy
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Quote
“There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery.”
Explanation
This quote is one of the most famous lines from Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, Canto V, spoken by Francesca da Rimini, a tragic figure who recounts her fall into sin and eternal punishment. In the original Italian: “Nessun maggior dolore / che ricordarsi del tempo felice / ne la miseria.” Dante gives these words to Francesca as she reflects on her past love affair, which has now become the source of eternal suffering in Hell.
The power of the line lies in its emotional and psychological depth. It captures the bitterness of memory, how moments once filled with joy become painful when contrasted with present suffering. Francesca is not merely grieving her lost love; she is tormented by the unreachable beauty of what once was, now distorted by guilt, consequence, and damnation. Dante uses this to evoke compassion for the damned, while also showing the moral gravity of unchecked passion.
In modern times, the quote resonates with anyone who has experienced nostalgia mixed with grief—recalling a joyful past from a place of loss, failure, or despair. It reflects the complex human tendency to measure current pain against former joy, making sorrow feel even more acute. Dante’s line endures because it touches a universal truth: that memory, while a source of comfort, can also deepen our wounds when happiness feels irretrievably lost.
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