Maud Muller
John Greenleaf Whittier
Whittier's lament finds its roots in the Romantic era's fascination with untapped potential and lost opportunities. In the mid-19th century, societal roles often dictated life's course, leaving little room to chase dreams unaligned with duty. "It might have been" captures the universal regret of paths not taken—a theme echoed in the works of contemporaries like Thomas Gray and his reflections on obscured talent.