--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not every great man is a grand human being." description: "\"Not every great man is a grand human being.\" — Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_grand_not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-bei_2824645.png" --- # Not every great man is a grand human being. ![“Not every great man is a grand human being.” quote by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_grand_not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-bei_2824645.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_grand_not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-bei_2824645.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_grand_not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-bei_2824645.png) > “Not every great man is a grand human being.” [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness does not guarantee moral virtue; stature and character are distinct. **In simple terms:** Being great ≠ being good. Key Takeaway Judge character, not status. Themes ethics character leadership Mood reflective critical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - political leadership - celebrity culture - historical biographies Key Concepts moral philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate true virtue from reputation? - What responsibilities accompany public admiration? A Different Perspective Fame can mask flaws and mislead judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) ## Related quotes > [Eric Turner; man, that was my man a hundred grand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-woodson/eric-turner-man-that-was-my-man-a-hundred-grand/) [Charles Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-woodson/) > [“I am, I believe, a young man on whom a grand joke is being played, fated to live one century, perhaps a second, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kraus/i-am-i-believe-a-young-man-on-whom-a-grand-joke-is-being-played-fated/) [Daniel Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kraus/) > [When a man gets it into his head to do something, and when he exclusively occupies himself in that design, he must succeed, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/when-a-man-gets-it-into-his-head-to-do-something-and-when-he/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [That this awareness of my own fallibility will prevent me from making many mistakes doesn't alter the fact that I'm bound to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/that-this-awareness-of-my-own-fallibility-will-prevent-me-from-making/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [If Kitchener was not a great man, he was, at least, a great poster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-asquith/if-kitchener-was-not-a-great-man-he-was-at-least-a-great-poster/) [Margot Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-asquith/) > [The great man is not so great as folks think, and the dull man is not quite so stupid as he seems. 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Nature never sends a great man into the planet, without confiding the secret to another soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/nature-never-sends-a-great-man-into-the-planet-without-confiding-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [We expect a great man to be a good reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-expect-a-great-man-to-be-a-good-reader/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Greatness by nature includes a power, but not a will to power. ... The great man, whether we comprehend him in the most intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/greatness-by-nature-includes-a-power-but-not-a-will-to-power-the/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [My father was a really great man. I'll never forget the last thing he ever said to me. Nor will I ever repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/my-father-was-a-really-great-man-i-ll-never-forget-the-last-thing-he/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) ## More by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach > [An opinion may be controverted; a prejudice, never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/an-opinion-may-be-controverted-a-prejudice-never/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Imaginary evils are incurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/imaginary-evils-are-incurable/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Even virtue is an art; and even its devotees are divided into those who practise it and those who are merely amateurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-virtue-is-an-art-and-even-its-devotees-are-divided-into-those/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Parents forgive their children least readily for the faults they themselves instilled in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/parents-forgive-their-children-least-readily-for-the-faults-they/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Genius points the way, talent takes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/genius-points-the-way-talent-takes-it/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Whoever prefers the material comforts of life over intellectual wealth is like the owner of a palace who moves into the servants’ quarters and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/whoever-prefers-the-material-comforts-of-life-over-intellectual/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [The incurable ills are the imaginary ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/the-incurable-ills-are-the-imaginary-ills/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Pain is the great teacher of mankind. Beneath its breath souls develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pain-is-the-great-teacher-of-mankind-beneath-its-breath-souls-develop/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Where would the power of women be, were it not for the vanity of men?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/where-would-the-power-of-women-be-were-it-not-for-the-vanity-of-men/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [“Much less evil would be done on earth if evil could not be done in the name of good. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/much-less-evil-would-be-done-on-earth-if-evil-could-not-be-done-in/) [Marie Von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Those whom we support hold us up in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/those-whom-we-support-hold-us-up-in-life/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Pity is love in undress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pity-is-love-in-undress/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-a-stopped-clock-is-right-twice-a-day/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Morals refine manners, as manners refine morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/morals-refine-manners-as-manners-refine-morals/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Nothing makes us more cowardly and unconscionable than the desire to be loved by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/nothing-makes-us-more-cowardly-and-unconscionable-than-the-desire-to/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) [Explore all 158 Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) ## More Grand quotes > [If you put together all the ingredients that naturally attract children - sex, violence, revenge, spectacle and vigorous noise - what you have is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/if-you-put-together-all-the-ingredients-that-naturally-attract/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Watergate got us to think of leaders as mere mortals. America began to think of itself in a very different way - I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/watergate-got-us-to-think-of-leaders-as-mere-mortals-america-began-to/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [The duty of the grand jury is to separate fact from fiction, after a full and impartial examination of all the evidence involved, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-p-mcculloch/the-duty-of-the-grand-jury-is-to-separate-fact-from-fiction-after-a/) [Robert P. 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I like to think there's enough pie for everyone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-merchant/i-know-that-this-sounds-grand-but-i-don-t-try-to-compete-with-other/) [Stephen Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-merchant/) > [“One of the bravest, grandest champions of human liberty the world has ever seen. {Darrow on the great Robert Ingersoll }”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/one-of-the-bravest-grandest-champions-of-human-liberty-the-world-has/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [You know, the Monaco Grand Prix is the grandfather of all street races.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/you-know-the-monaco-grand-prix-is-the-grandfather-of-all-street-races/) [Albert II, Prince of Monaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/) > [I'm not the grand poobah. I'm not the emperor. That's not what I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/i-m-not-the-grand-poobah-i-m-not-the-emperor-that-s-not-what-i-want/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [Sun's role in the grand scheme of development is to work on the runtime environment and the APIs. The tools we produce are much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowler/sun-s-role-in-the-grand-scheme-of-development-is-to-work-on-the/) John Fowler > [The senseless killing of 20 children and their teachers and principal at Sandy Hook Elementary School was not part of God's grand plan. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/the-senseless-killing-of-20-children-and-their-teachers-and-principal/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [When you're at a certain point in your time - age, that is, when you're older - you start to realize that, actually, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/when-you-re-at-a-certain-point-in-your-time-age-that-is-when-you-re/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [My first year on 'SNL', I made $90,000 dollars. And I bought a red Corvette for $45,000 dollars. I'm thinking, 'I've got 45 grand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/my-first-year-on-snl-i-made-90-000-dollars-and-i-bought-a-red/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [As a country singer, there is only one place you dream of playing in your lifetime, and that is the Grand Ole Opry House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-shelton/as-a-country-singer-there-is-only-one-place-you-dream-of-playing-in/) [Blake Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-shelton/) Browse all 293 Grand quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not every great man is a grand human being.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Grand" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_grand_not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-bei_2824645.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_grand_not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-bei_2824645.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_grand_not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-bei_2824645.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Not every great man is a grand human being.” — Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Not every great man is a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/not-every-great-man-is-a-grand-human-being/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```