--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doth make a man better,' quoth Robin…" description: "\"It doth make a man better,' quoth Robin Hood, 'to bear of those noble men so long ago. When one doth list to such tales, his soul doth say, 'put by thy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/howard-pyle-15114_bears_it-doth-make-a-man-better-quoth-robin-ho_576099.png" --- # It doth make a man better,' quoth Robin Hood, 'to bear of… ![“It doth make a man better,' quoth Robin Hood, 'to bear of those noble men so long ago. When one doth list to such tales, his soul doth say, 'put by thy poor little likings and seek to do likewise.' Truly, one may not do as nobly one's self, but in the striving one is better...” quote by Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/howard-pyle-15114_bears_it-doth-make-a-man-better-quoth-robin-ho_576099.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/howard-pyle-15114_bears_it-doth-make-a-man-better-quoth-robin-ho_576099.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/howard-pyle-15114_bears_it-doth-make-a-man-better-quoth-robin-ho_576099.png) > “It doth make a man better,' quoth Robin Hood, 'to bear of those noble men so long ago. When one doth list to such tales, his soul doth say, 'put by thy poor little likings and seek to do likewise.' Truly, one may not do as nobly one's self, but in the striving one is better...” [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Striving to emulate noble deeds improves character, even if we cannot fully match them. **In simple terms:** Trying to be noble makes us better. Key Takeaway Emulate noble actions. Themes character growth heroism Mood inspirational reflective Type literary motivational When to use this quote - Reading heroic tales - personal development - leadership training Key Concepts Moral aspiration self-improvement Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply noble ideals realistically? - What small noble act can you take today? A Different Perspective Idealizing heroes may set unrealistic standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Robin hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robin-hood/) [Robins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robins/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) ## Related quotes > [I always wanted to be Robin Hood or John the Baptist when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/i-always-wanted-to-be-robin-hood-or-john-the-baptist-when-i-was/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [There is no more compassionate and effective way to help poor people in New York City than to give to Robin Hood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tudor-jones/there-is-no-more-compassionate-and-effective-way-to-help-poor-people/) [Paul Tudor Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tudor-jones/) > [I did quite a lot of fencing when I was a kid, I was a swimmer, and I played a lot of basketball. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieran-bew/i-did-quite-a-lot-of-fencing-when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-a-swimmer-and-i/) [Kieran Bew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieran-bew/) > ['Bonnie and Clyde,' while one of the best movies ever made, was far more interested in portraying Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker as romantic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-burrough/bonnie-and-clyde-while-one-of-the-best-movies-ever-made-was-far-more/) [Bryan Burrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-burrough/) > [This Hollywood ain't no good, I would rather be like Robin Hood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/this-hollywood-ain-t-no-good-i-would-rather-be-like-robin-hood/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I used to write my own versions of famous tales, such as William Tell or Robin Hood, and illustrate them myself, too. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-robinson/i-used-to-write-my-own-versions-of-famous-tales-such-as-william-tell/) [Peter Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-robinson/) > [I loved Laurel and Hardy and TV shows like 'Robin Hood' and 'Rama of the Jungle'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-lang/i-loved-laurel-and-hardy-and-tv-shows-like-robin-hood-and-rama-of-the/) [Stephen Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-lang/) > [Trying to please everyone can be very hard, but, like 'Shrek' or 'The Simpsons,' 'Robin Hood' manages to entertain adults and children at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/trying-to-please-everyone-can-be-very-hard-but-like-shrek-or-the/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [People look up to Jacques Mesrine as if he were a Robin Hood, stealing from the rich, but he never gave anything back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-cassel/people-look-up-to-jacques-mesrine-as-if-he-were-a-robin-hood-stealing/) [Vincent Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-cassel/) > [This is Robin Hood in reverse. These tax cap proposals favor those with the most expensive properties. We are spreading the taxes to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementa-c-pinckney/this-is-robin-hood-in-reverse-these-tax-cap-proposals-favor-those/) Clementa C. Pinckney > [If you open the door and realize things like the fact that Batman is occupying the same narrative space that Robin Hood used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/if-you-open-the-door-and-realize-things-like-the-fact-that-batman-is/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [My agent asked if I fancied Robin Hood and I thought: 'Yeah, why not?' I hadn't watched it, to be honest, but I'd seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-froggatt/my-agent-asked-if-i-fancied-robin-hood-and-i-thought-yeah-why-not-i/) [Joanne Froggatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-froggatt/) > [A famous man is Robin Hood, The English ballad-singer's joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/a-famous-man-is-robin-hood-the-english-ballad-singer-s-joy/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Like Robin Hood…Not real, but true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janette-rallison/like-robin-hood-not-real-but-true/) [Janette Rallison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janette-rallison/) > [I'm not a financial expert. The Robin Hood tax seems to me a very simple and beautiful idea. I don't see the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-m-not-a-financial-expert-the-robin-hood-tax-seems-to-me-a-very/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) ## More by Howard Pyle > [All the students have shown more advance in two months of summer study than they have in a year of ordinary instruction, largely due…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/all-the-students-have-shown-more-advance-in-two-months-of-summer/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [A good deal of large and rather interesting work is drifting my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/a-good-deal-of-large-and-rather-interesting-work-is-drifting-my-way/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [I put on my dream-cap one day and stepped into Wonderland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/i-put-on-my-dream-cap-one-day-and-stepped-into-wonderland/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [Will you come with me, sweet Reader? I thank you. Give me your hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/will-you-come-with-me-sweet-reader-i-thank-you-give-me-your-hand/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [The right to suffer is one of the joys of a free economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/the-right-to-suffer-is-one-of-the-joys-of-a-free-economy/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [You who so plod amid serious things that you feel it shame to give yourself up even for a few short moments to mirth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/you-who-so-plod-amid-serious-things-that-you-feel-it-shame-to-give/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [“Let us e'er be merry while we may, for man is but dust, and he hath but a span to live here till the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/let-us-e-er-be-merry-while-we-may-for-man-is-but-dust-and-he-hath-but/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [Young people, don't get the idea that you have an artistic temperament which must be humored. Don't believe you cannot do good work unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/young-people-don-t-get-the-idea-that-you-have-an-artistic-temperament/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [I think it likely that some of my pupils will reach unusual distinction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/i-think-it-likely-that-some-of-my-pupils-will-reach-unusual/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [I should like to make myself free to all who care to attend my lectures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/i-should-like-to-make-myself-free-to-all-who-care-to-attend-my/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [Project your mind into your subject until you actually live in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/project-your-mind-into-your-subject-until-you-actually-live-in-it/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [“Then all was quiet save only for the low voices of those that talked together, ... , and saving, also, for the mellow snoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/then-all-was-quiet-save-only-for-the-low-voices-of-those-that-talked/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [Your subjects have had a history - try to reveal it in your picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/your-subjects-have-had-a-history-try-to-reveal-it-in-your-picture/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [Paint your picture by means of the lights. Lights define texture and color - shadows define form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/paint-your-picture-by-means-of-the-lights-lights-define-texture-and/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) > [You will have to scrutinize the model sharply to find the proportions - how the weight is supported, how each joint is functioning... Look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-pyle/you-will-have-to-scrutinize-the-model-sharply-to-find-the-proportions/) [Howard Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) [Explore all 43 Howard Pyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-pyle/) ## More Bears quotes > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [She'd read once that if you ran into a bear in the woods you should avoid eye contact and you shouldn't run away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/she-d-read-once-that-if-you-ran-into-a-bear-in-the-woods-you-should/) [Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Television series are like the stock market. There's room for bears and bulls but no room for pigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/television-series-are-like-the-stock-market-there-s-room-for-bears/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [The Germans are the most philosophic people in the world, and the greatest smokers: now I trace their philosophy to their smoking. Smoking has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-borrow/the-germans-are-the-most-philosophic-people-in-the-world-and-the/) [George Henry Borrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-borrow/) > [...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. One bears what was lovely in the past not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/gratitude-transforms-the-torment-of-memory-of-good-things-now-gone/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [You've had a whole lot of experience, but everything is also radically new at each moment, and you have to bring a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-houston/you-ve-had-a-whole-lot-of-experience-but-everything-is-also-radically/) [Jean Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-houston/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [Pay no heed to the passing religious vogue. Go back to the grass roots. Open your hearts and search the Scriptures. Bear your cross,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/pay-no-heed-to-the-passing-religious-vogue-go-back-to-the-grass-roots/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I want you to take a red-hot bath as hot as you can bear it, and just relax your nerves. You can read in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-you-to-take-a-red-hot-bath-as-hot-as-you-can-bear-it-and-just/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [He sank into the rocking chair, the same one in which Rebecca had sat during the early days of the house to give embroidery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-sank-into-the-rocking-chair-the-same-one-in-which-rebecca-had-sat/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [Some things in this world just ain't meant to be, not in the times we want 'em to, and the heart has to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/some-things-in-this-world-just-ain-t-meant-to-be-not-in-the-times-we/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [And if anyone knows anything about anything," said Bear to himself, "it's Owl who knows something about something," he said, "or my name's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-if-anyone-knows-anything-about-anything-said-bear-to-himself-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm totally independent. I don't bear any responsibility to any system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-m-totally-independent-i-don-t-bear-any-responsibility-to-any-system/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I'm supportive of women, absolutely, and it's so gratifying to have girls come up and say, 'I'm really inspired by your guitar playing.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-vincent/i-m-supportive-of-women-absolutely-and-it-s-so-gratifying-to-have/) [St. Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-vincent/) [Browse all 4,111 Bears quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doth make a man better,' quoth Robin Hood, 'to bear of those noble men so long ago. When one doth list to such tales, his soul doth say, 'put by thy poor little likings and seek to do likewise.' 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