Quote of the day by Percy Shelley: ‘Man’s yesterday may ne’er be like his morrow; Nought may endure but Mutability’
Today’s quote of the day is taken from the poem “Mutability,” written by renowned Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. It is a poem that reflects the poet’s deep preoccupation with change, impermanence and the fragile nature of human life.
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Shelley wrote at a time of political upheaval and personal loss, and his work often returns to the idea that nothing – emotions, power, joy or suffering – remains fixed for long. The poem was also featured in the second chapter of Volume II of his wife, Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein.
What does the quote mean?
At its core, the quote reminds us that change is the only constant. Yesterday does not guarantee tomorrow, and stability is often an illusion we cling to for comfort. Shelley suggests that human lives, circumstances and even identities are always in flux – shaped by time, chance and forces beyond our control. The paradox lies in the final line: the only thing that truly lasts is change itself.
Rather than presenting this as a bleak truth, Shelley frames mutability as a universal law that governs all things equally. Human emotions rise and fall, fortunes reverse, and time reshapes everything it touches. The quote challenges the belief that permanence is achievable, suggesting instead that clinging to fixed expectations often leads to disappointment.
Why is it relevant today?
In a modern world defined by constant flux – careers evolving rapidly, technology reshaping daily life, and global events altering personal plans overnight – Shelley’s words feel uncannily current. The quote speaks to the anxiety many people feel when confronted with uncertainty, while also offering quiet reassurance: just as joy is not permanent, neither is suffering.
There is a liberating wisdom in accepting mutability. It encourages adaptability over rigidity, resilience over resistance, and perspective over panic. When we understand that change is inevitable, failure feels less final and success less fragile. Shelley’s insight reminds us that growth often emerges from instability – and that learning to move with change, rather than against it, may be one of life’s most enduring skills.
