--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They are ordinarily men to whom forms are…" description: "\"“They are ordinarily men to whom forms are of paramount importance. Their field of action lies among the external phenomena of life. They possess the v..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_character_they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-ar_1619343.jpg" --- # They are ordinarily men to whom forms are of paramount… ![“They are ordinarily men to whom forms are of paramount importance. Their field of action lies among the external phenomena of life. They possess the vast ability in grasping, and arranging, and appropriating to themselves the big, heavy, solid unrealities, such as gold, landed estate, offices of…” quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_character_they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-ar_1619343.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_character_they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-ar_1619343.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_character_they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-ar_1619343.jpg) > ““They are ordinarily men to whom forms are of paramount importance. Their field of action lies among the external phenomena of life. They possess the vast ability in grasping, and arranging, and appropriating to themselves the big, heavy, solid unrealities, such as gold, landed estate, offices of trust and emolument, and public honors. With these materials, and with deeds of goodly aspect, done in the public eye, an individual of this class builds up, as it were, a tall and stately edifice, which, in the view of other people, and ultimately in his own view, is no other than the man's character, or the man himself.”” [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society judges a person by external achievements, yet true character lies beyond material success. **In simple terms:** Success builds a façade; character is deeper. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner values over status. Themes status materialism character Mood thoughtful critical analytical Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career advancement - wealth accumulation - public service - social networking - leadership Key Concepts sociology psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - Do you equate your worth with your possessions? - What inner qualities define you? A Different Perspective External accolades can mask inner emptiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Man Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-character/) [Man'S Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-s-character/) [Men Forms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-forms-249165/) [Ordinarily Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinarily-men-249163/) [Tall Stately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tall-stately-249167/) [Vast Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vast-ability-249166/) ## Related quotes > [“The test of every religious, political, or educational system is the men which it forms”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-fr-d-ric-amiel/the-test-of-every-religious-political-or-educational-system-is-the-3/) [Henri-Frédéric Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-fr-d-ric-amiel/) > [Ordinarily men exercise their memory much more than their judgment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/ordinarily-men-exercise-their-memory-much-more-than-their-judgment/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Man's character is the product of his premises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/man-s-character-is-the-product-of-his-premises/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Everyone has the obligation to ponder well his own specific traits of character. He must also regulate them adequately and not wonder whether someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/everyone-has-the-obligation-to-ponder-well-his-own-specific-traits-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [An honorable man or woman is one who is truthful; free from deceit; above cheating, lying, stealing, or any form of deception. An honorable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/an-honorable-man-or-woman-is-one-who-is-truthful-free-from-deceit/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power. —ABRAHAM LINCOLN As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nearly-all-men-can-stand-adversity-but-if-you-want-to-test-a-man-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A man's character is only formed after the impressions of childhood and early youth have become blended with the indefinable and hidden influences both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikl-s-b-nffy/a-man-s-character-is-only-formed-after-the-impressions-of-childhood/) [Miklós Bánffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikl-s-b-nffy/) > [Judge a man's character by what he finds ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/judge-a-man-s-character-by-what-he-finds-ridiculous/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [To have a right estimate of a man's character, we must see him in misfortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/to-have-a-right-estimate-of-a-man-s-character-we-must-see-him-in/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“There is a very great difference — is there not? — between the temporal and the eternal judgments, a very great difference between a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-collier/there-is-a-very-great-difference-is-there-not-between-the-temporal/) [Price Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-collier/) > [It is not true that drink changes a man's character. It may reveal it more clearly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-osborne/it-is-not-true-that-drink-changes-a-man-s-character-it-may-reveal-it/) [John Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-osborne/) > [A man's character is not judged after he celebrates a victory, but by what he does when his back is against the wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/a-man-s-character-is-not-judged-after-he-celebrates-a-victory-but-by/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [The voice is not only indicative of man's character, but it is the expression of his spirit. Other sounds can be louder than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/the-voice-is-not-only-indicative-of-man-s-character-but-it-is-the/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [“In matters of the heart and endings, a man's character is defined not by the act of parting ways with a woman but by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-apetsi/in-matters-of-the-heart-and-endings-a-man-s-character-is-defined-not/) [Emmanuel Apetsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-apetsi/) > [It is the property of things seen for the first time, or for the first time after long, like the flowers in spring, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-the-property-of-things-seen-for-the-first-time-or-for-the-first/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## More by Nathaniel Hawthorne > [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [The trees reflected in the river - they are unconscious of a spiritual world so near to them. So are we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-trees-reflected-in-the-river-they-are-unconscious-of-a-spiritual/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The dismaying thing about the classic totalitarian mind is that any given gear, though mutilated, will have at its circumference unbroken sequences of teeth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-dismaying-thing-about-the-classic-totalitarian-mind-is-that-any/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“My heart was a habitation large enough for many guests, but lonely and chill, and without a household fire, I longed to kindle one!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/my-heart-was-a-habitation-large-enough-for-many-guests-but-lonely-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Wherever there is a heart and an intellect, the diseases of the physical frame are tinged with the peculiarities of these.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/wherever-there-is-a-heart-and-an-intellect-the-diseases-of-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-founders-of-a-new-colony-whatever-utopia-of-human-virtue-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Generosity is the flower of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/generosity-is-the-flower-of-justice/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“he seemed to be in quest for mental food, not heart sustenance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/he-seemed-to-be-in-quest-for-mental-food-not-heart-sustenance/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Unfathomable to mere mortals is the lore of fiends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/unfathomable-to-mere-mortals-is-the-lore-of-fiends/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Possibly, he was in a state of second growth and recovery, and was constantly assimilating nutriment for his spirit and intellect from sights, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/possibly-he-was-in-a-state-of-second-growth-and-recovery-and-was/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“What wonder, then, should we be frightened by the aspect of a monster, which, after all,—though we can point to every feature of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/what-wonder-then-should-we-be-frightened-by-the-aspect-of-a-monster/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [As the architecture of a country always follows the earliest structures, American architecture should be a refinement of the log-house. The Egyptian is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/as-the-architecture-of-a-country-always-follows-the-earliest/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [What we call real estate - the solid ground to build a house on - is the broad foundation on which nearly all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/what-we-call-real-estate-the-solid-ground-to-build-a-house-on-is-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The bookworm of great libraries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-bookworm-of-great-libraries/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [There are many things in this world that a child must not ask about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-are-many-things-in-this-world-that-a-child-must-not-ask-about/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) [Explore all 526 Nathaniel Hawthorne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They are ordinarily men to whom forms are of paramount importance. Their field of action lies among the external phenomena of life. They possess the vast ability in grasping, and arranging, and appropriating to themselves the big, heavy, solid unrealities, such as gold, landed estate, offices of trust and emolument, and public honors. With these materials, and with deeds of goodly aspect, done in the public eye, an individual of this class builds up, as it were, a tall and stately edifice, which, in the view of other people, and ultimately in his own view, is no other than the man's character, or the man himself.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nathaniel Hawthorne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-are-of-paramount-importance/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-are-of-paramount-importance/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_character_they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-ar_1619343.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_character_they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-ar_1619343.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a73/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_character_they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-ar_1619343.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They are ordinarily men to whom forms are of paramount importance. Their field of action lies among the…” — Nathaniel Hawthorne", "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": "Nathaniel Hawthorne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“They are ordinarily men to whom...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-are-of-paramount-importance/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/they-are-ordinarily-men-to-whom-forms-are-of-paramount-importance/#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 } } ] } ```