--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I sit with Shakespeare, and he winces…" description: "\"“I sit with Shakespeare, and he winces not. Across the color line I move arm and arm with Balzac and Dumas, where smiling men and welcoming women glide..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/w-e-b-du-bois-2-12864_promised-land_i-sit-with-shakespeare-and-he-winces-not_290570.jpg" --- # I sit with Shakespeare, and he winces not. Across the… ![“I sit with Shakespeare, and he winces not. Across the color line I move arm and arm with Balzac and Dumas, where smiling men and welcoming women glide in gilded halls. From out of the caves of evening that swing between the strong-limbed Earth and the tracery of stars, I summon Aristotle and…” quote by W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/w-e-b-du-bois-2-12864_promised-land_i-sit-with-shakespeare-and-he-winces-not_290570.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/w-e-b-du-bois-2-12864_promised-land_i-sit-with-shakespeare-and-he-winces-not_290570.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/w-e-b-du-bois-2-12864_promised-land_i-sit-with-shakespeare-and-he-winces-not_290570.jpg) > ““I sit with Shakespeare, and he winces not. Across the color line I move arm and arm with Balzac and Dumas, where smiling men and welcoming women glide in gilded halls. From out of the caves of evening that swing between the strong-limbed Earth and the tracery of stars, I summon Aristotle and Aurelius and what soul I will, and they come all graciously with no scorn nor condescension. So, wed with Truth, I dwell above the veil. Is this the life you grudge us, O knightly America? Is this the life you long to change into the dull red hideousness of Georgia? Are you so afraid lest peering from this high Pisgah, between Philistine and Amalekite, we sight the Promised Land?”” [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author seeks truth and wisdom across cultures, confronting oppression and yearning for a promised future. **In simple terms:** Pursuing truth across cultures against oppression. Key Takeaway Seek truth, unite diverse wisdom, and envision a hopeful future. Themes justice identity hope culture spirituality Mood determined inspired Type philosophical political literary When to use this quote - academic discourse - public speaking - creative writing Key Concepts intersectionality philosophy literary political social activism personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How can diverse philosophies guide social change? - What does “wed with Truth” mean for personal responsibility? A Different Perspective The vision may seem idealistic amid systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Promised land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promised-land/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) ## Related quotes > [I sit with Shakespeare and he winces not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/i-sit-with-shakespeare-and-he-winces-not/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [“I sit with Shakespeare and he winces not. Across the color-line I move arm in arm with Balzac and Dumas , where smiling men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/i-sit-with-shakespeare-and-he-winces-not-across-the-color-line-i-move-2/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [I wasn't a model schoolboy. Of course, I was forced to sit through Shakespeare and I really got into some of it, though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/i-wasn-t-a-model-schoolboy-of-course-i-was-forced-to-sit-through/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [Now we sit through Shakespeare in order to recognize the quotations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/now-we-sit-through-shakespeare-in-order-to-recognize-the-quotations/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [“Lalla Ruk Dearest dream, my soul's enchantment Lovely guest from heav'n above, Most benevolent attender To the earthly realm below, You gave me blissful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-zhukovsky/lalla-ruk-dearest-dream-my-soul-s-enchantment-lovely-guest-from-heav/) Vasily Zhukovsky > [“God gave the Israelites the Promised Land but told them they’d have to take what was theirs in fierce battle. Why? Probably one reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/god-gave-the-israelites-the-promised-land-but-told-them-they-d-have/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“We will never take our places as “more than overcomers” with nothing to overcome. We will never be victors without opponents. As we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/we-will-never-take-our-places-as-more-than-overcomers-with-nothing-to/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [All arguments are meaningless until we gain personal experience. One must win one's own place in the spiritual world painfully and alone. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/all-arguments-are-meaningless-until-we-gain-personal-experience-one/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [“I am thinking now of old Moses sitting on a mountain—sitting with God—looking across the Jordan into the Promised Land. I am thinking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-am-thinking-now-of-old-moses-sitting-on-a-mountain-sitting-with-god/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [“In its place had arisen a Promised Land of Duane Reades and Chase ATMs on every corner, luxury doorman buildings, Pilates studios and spin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doree-shafrir/in-its-place-had-arisen-a-promised-land-of-duane-reades-and-chase/) [Doree Shafrir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doree-shafrir/) > [“For you to be successful in your promised land, you must study the land”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/for-you-to-be-successful-in-your-promised-land-you-must-study-the-land/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“9. Abraham’s death (25:1 – 11) After Sarah’s death, Abraham took another wife, Keturah. Abraham was a rejuvenated old man and continued to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sailhamer/9-abraham-s-death-25-1-11-after-sarah-s-death-abraham-took-another/) [John H. Sailhamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sailhamer/) > [“Mungu hutumia watu 'wajinga' na 'wapumbavu' kufanya mambo makubwa katika maisha yao na ya watu wengine. Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [J. Budziszewski is perhaps the clearest and most eloquent natural lawyer writing today. When reading his works I often find myself amazed by his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-j-beckwith/j-budziszewski-is-perhaps-the-clearest-and-most-eloquent-natural/) [Francis J. Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-j-beckwith/) > [“BELIEF - It’s the shining, lighthouse beacon that relentlessly lights the path to your personal utopia, your promised land your infinite wishes and fantasies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-khatkar/belief-it-s-the-shining-lighthouse-beacon-that-relentlessly-lights/) [Michael Khatkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-khatkar/) ## More by W.E.B. Du Bois > [“The South believed an educated Negro to be a dangerous Negro. And the South was not wholly wrong; for education among all kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/the-south-believed-an-educated-negro-to-be-a-dangerous-negro-and-the/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“So flagrant became the political scandals that reputable men began to leave politics alone, and politics consequently became disreputable. Men began to pride themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/so-flagrant-became-the-political-scandals-that-reputable-men-began-to/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“A university is a human invention for the transmission of knowledge and culture from generation to generation, through the training of quick minds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/a-university-is-a-human-invention-for-the-transmission-of-knowledge/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“A resistless feeling of depression falls slowly upon us, despite the gaudy sunshine and the green cotton-fields. This, then, is the Cotton Kingdom--the shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/a-resistless-feeling-of-depression-falls-slowly-upon-us-despite-the/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“All life long crying without avail, As the water all night long is crying to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/all-life-long-crying-without-avail-as-the-water-all-night-long-is/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“Again, we may decry the color-prejudice of the South, yet it remains a heavy fact. Such curious kinks of the human mind exist and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/again-we-may-decry-the-color-prejudice-of-the-south-yet-it-remains-a/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“Lo! we are diseased and dying, cried the dark hosts; we cannot write, our voting is vain; what need of education, since we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/lo-we-are-diseased-and-dying-cried-the-dark-hosts-we-cannot-write-our/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“Not a single Southern legislature stood ready to admit a Negro, under any conditions, to the polls; not a single Southern legislature believed free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/not-a-single-southern-legislature-stood-ready-to-admit-a-negro-under/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“He began to have a dim feeling that, to attain his place in the world, he must be himself, and not another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/he-began-to-have-a-dim-feeling-that-to-attain-his-place-in-the-world/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“Thus it is doubly difficult to write of this period calmly, so intense was the feeling, so mighty the human passions that swayed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/thus-it-is-doubly-difficult-to-write-of-this-period-calmly-so-intense/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“perhaps, having already reached conclusions in our own minds, we are loth to have them disturbed by facts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/perhaps-having-already-reached-conclusions-in-our-own-minds-we-are/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“was at first bitter, and showed itself in ashes, insult, and blood; for the South believed an educated Negro to be a dangerous Negro.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/was-at-first-bitter-and-showed-itself-in-ashes-insult-and-blood-for/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“ Joseph Stalin was a great man; few other men of the 20th century approach his stature. He was simple, calm and courageous. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/joseph-stalin-was-a-great-man-few-other-men-of-the-20th-century/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“High in the tower, where I sit above the loud complaining of the human sea, I know many souls that toss and whirl and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/high-in-the-tower-where-i-sit-above-the-loud-complaining-of-the-human/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) > [“The opposition to Negro education in the South was at first bitter, and showed itself in ashes, insult, and blood; for the South believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/the-opposition-to-negro-education-in-the-south-was-at-first-bitter/) [W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) [Explore all 53 W.E.B. Du Bois quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/) ## More Promised land quotes > [“BELIEF - It’s the shining, lighthouse beacon that relentlessly lights the path to your personal utopia, your promised land your infinite wishes and fantasies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-khatkar/belief-it-s-the-shining-lighthouse-beacon-that-relentlessly-lights/) [Michael Khatkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-khatkar/) > [J. Budziszewski is perhaps the clearest and most eloquent natural lawyer writing today. When reading his works I often find myself amazed by his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-j-beckwith/j-budziszewski-is-perhaps-the-clearest-and-most-eloquent-natural/) [Francis J. Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-j-beckwith/) > [“Mungu hutumia watu 'wajinga' na 'wapumbavu' kufanya mambo makubwa katika maisha yao na ya watu wengine. Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [“9. Abraham’s death (25:1 – 11) After Sarah’s death, Abraham took another wife, Keturah. Abraham was a rejuvenated old man and continued to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sailhamer/9-abraham-s-death-25-1-11-after-sarah-s-death-abraham-took-another/) [John H. Sailhamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sailhamer/) > [“For you to be successful in your promised land, you must study the land”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/for-you-to-be-successful-in-your-promised-land-you-must-study-the-land/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“In its place had arisen a Promised Land of Duane Reades and Chase ATMs on every corner, luxury doorman buildings, Pilates studios and spin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doree-shafrir/in-its-place-had-arisen-a-promised-land-of-duane-reades-and-chase/) [Doree Shafrir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doree-shafrir/) > [“I am thinking now of old Moses sitting on a mountain—sitting with God—looking across the Jordan into the Promised Land. I am thinking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-am-thinking-now-of-old-moses-sitting-on-a-mountain-sitting-with-god/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [All arguments are meaningless until we gain personal experience. One must win one's own place in the spiritual world painfully and alone. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/all-arguments-are-meaningless-until-we-gain-personal-experience-one/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [“We will never take our places as “more than overcomers” with nothing to overcome. We will never be victors without opponents. As we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/we-will-never-take-our-places-as-more-than-overcomers-with-nothing-to/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“God gave the Israelites the Promised Land but told them they’d have to take what was theirs in fierce battle. Why? Probably one reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/god-gave-the-israelites-the-promised-land-but-told-them-they-d-have/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Lalla Ruk Dearest dream, my soul's enchantment Lovely guest from heav'n above, Most benevolent attender To the earthly realm below, You gave me blissful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-zhukovsky/lalla-ruk-dearest-dream-my-soul-s-enchantment-lovely-guest-from-heav/) Vasily Zhukovsky > [To a brighter light, to a promised land, you can feel the power, of the master's hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/to-a-brighter-light-to-a-promised-land-you-can-feel-the-power-of-the/) [Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/) > [“When you’re in love with two people, always choose the second. The fact that you are constantly thinking of the second person makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/when-you-re-in-love-with-two-people-always-choose-the-second-the-fact/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [We fear discovering that we are more than we think we are... That we actually have the guts, the perserverance, the capacity... because, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/we-fear-discovering-that-we-are-more-than-we-think-we-are-that-we/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [There is only as much space, only as much time, only as much desire, only as many words, only as many pages, only as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/there-is-only-as-much-space-only-as-much-time-only-as-much-desire/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) [Browse all 226 Promised land quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promised-land/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I sit with Shakespeare, and he winces not. Across the color line I move arm and arm with Balzac and Dumas, where smiling men and welcoming women glide in gilded halls. 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