---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fewer men, the greater share of honor."
description: "\"The fewer men, the greater share of honor.\" — William Shakespeare"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/william-shakespeare-4_fame_the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor_1192424.jpg"
---

#  The fewer men, the greater share of honor.

![“The fewer men, the greater share of honor.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/william-shakespeare-4_fame_the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor_1192424.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/william-shakespeare-4_fame_the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor_1192424.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/william-shakespeare-4_fame_the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor_1192424.jpg)

> “The fewer men, the greater share of honor.”

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A small elite can claim disproportionate honor compared to many.

**In simple terms:** Few get most honor.

Key Takeaway

Recognize that honor often concentrates.

Themes

power honor elitism

Mood

critical reflective

Type

political social

When to use this quote

- politics
- military leadership
- celebrity culture

Key Concepts

social hierarchy recognition

Questions to Reflect On

- How does concentration of honor affect society?
- Can honor be more evenly shared?

A Different Perspective

Honor can be unfairly distributed, marginalizing many.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/)

## Related quotes

> [If we are marked to die, we are enough to do our country loss; and if to live, the fewer men, the greater share…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-we-are-marked-to-die-we-are-enough-to-do-our-country-loss-and-if/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [If we are mark'd to die, we are enow To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-we-are-mark-d-to-die-we-are-enow-to-do-our-country-loss-and-if-to/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [The possession of gold has ruined fewer men than the lack of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/the-possession-of-gold-has-ruined-fewer-men-than-the-lack-of-it/)

[Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/)

> [I always say that bad women are fewer than men, but when you get one, they're fascinating because they're so rotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-rule/i-always-say-that-bad-women-are-fewer-than-men-but-when-you-get-one/)

[Ann Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-rule/)

> [Few women and fewer men have enough character to be idle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-v-lucas/few-women-and-fewer-men-have-enough-character-to-be-idle/)

[E. V. Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-v-lucas/)

> [ I trust the time is coming, when the occupation of an instructer \[sic\] to children will be deemed the most honorable of human employment.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-grimke/i-trust-the-time-is-coming-when-the-occupation-of-an-instructer-sic/)

[Angelina Grimke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-grimke/)

> [A new and valid idea is worth more than a regiment and fewer men can furnish the former than command the latter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/a-new-and-valid-idea-is-worth-more-than-a-regiment-and-fewer-men-can/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [America needs fewer men obsessed with erecting fences of hate, suspicion and name calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/america-needs-fewer-men-obsessed-with-erecting-fences-of-hate/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [There aren't many women now I'd like to see as President - but there are fewer men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-boothe-luce/there-aren-t-many-women-now-i-d-like-to-see-as-president-but-there/)

[Clare Boothe Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-boothe-luce/)

> [“Those reasons are much more basic: it is flagrantly unjust to keep women out, by whatever unconscious means we do so; and we simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/those-reasons-are-much-more-basic-it-is-flagrantly-unjust-to-keep/)

[Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/)

> [“Patience is as fearsome a weapon as rage. More so, in fact, ’cause fewer men have it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/patience-is-as-fearsome-a-weapon-as-rage-more-so-in-fact-cause-fewer/)

[Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/)

> [“Pendants have for two thousand years reiterated the notion that women have a more lively spirit, men more solidity; that women have more delicacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/pendants-have-for-two-thousand-years-reiterated-the-notion-that-women/)

[Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/)

> [Though in the order of nature angels rank above men, yet, by scale of justice, good men are of greater value than bad angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/though-in-the-order-of-nature-angels-rank-above-men-yet-by-scale-of/)

[Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/)

> [Genius is the union of man and God in the acts of the soul. Great men are always greater than their deeds. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/genius-is-the-union-of-man-and-god-in-the-acts-of-the-soul-great-men/)

[Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/)

> [No business, no movement, no activity on the part of man or a group of men can become any greater than the thinking minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-spencer-lewis/no-business-no-movement-no-activity-on-the-part-of-man-or-a-group-of/)

Harvey Spencer Lewis

## More by William Shakespeare

> [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yes-madam-yet-i-cannot-choose-but-laugh-to-think-it-should-leave/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-take-thee-at-thy-word-call-me-but-love-and-i-ll-be-new-baptized/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Explore all 5,604 William Shakespeare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

## More Fame quotes

> [Most celebrated men live in a condition of prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/most-celebrated-men-live-in-a-condition-of-prostitution/)

[Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/)

> [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/)

[Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/)

> [Some people say that 'Drag Race' is about glory and immortalizing yourself in the Hall of Fame. For me, it's about shaking RuPaul down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trixie-mattel/some-people-say-that-drag-race-is-about-glory-and-immortalizing/)

[Trixie Mattel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trixie-mattel/)

> [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/)

[Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/)

> [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/)

[Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/)

> [There's nothing like getting feedback that's positive and supportive. That's what I'm all about. I'm really just genuinely doing good music. I'm not looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-villarreal/there-s-nothing-like-getting-feedback-that-s-positive-and-supportive/)

[Tiffany Villarreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-villarreal/)

> [Don't crave fame, do what you do and just apply. I don't think many of them here today are that interested in fashion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/don-t-crave-fame-do-what-you-do-and-just-apply-i-don-t-think-many-of/)

[Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/)

> [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/)

[Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/)

> [Unfortunately, celebrity is a powerful thing. It can influence people, but if it can influence people in a good way, then that's a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/unfortunately-celebrity-is-a-powerful-thing-it-can-influence-people/)

[David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/)

> [I think you either live a real life or you live a weird celebrity pseudolife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-michelle-gellar/i-think-you-either-live-a-real-life-or-you-live-a-weird-celebrity/)

[Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-michelle-gellar/)

> [I am uninterested in Jennifer Aniston's take on anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dillon/i-am-uninterested-in-jennifer-aniston-s-take-on-anything/)

[Tim Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dillon/)

> [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/)

[Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/)

> [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/)

[Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/)

> [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/)

[Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/)

[Browse all 6,971 Fame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The fewer men, the greater share of honor.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Shakespeare"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fame"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/william-shakespeare-4_fame_the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor_1192424.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/william-shakespeare-4_fame_the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor_1192424.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/william-shakespeare-4_fame_the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor_1192424.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The fewer men, the greater share of honor.” — William Shakespeare",
                "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": "William Shakespeare",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The fewer men, the greater share...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-fewer-men-the-greater-share-of-honor/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
