--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow…" description: "\"“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about To find ourselves dishonourable..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/william-shakespeare-4_caesar_why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-worl_57074.jpg" --- # Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a… ![“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about To find ourselves dishonourable graves.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/william-shakespeare-4_caesar_why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-worl_57074.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/william-shakespeare-4_caesar_why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-worl_57074.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/william-shakespeare-4_caesar_why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-worl_57074.jpg) > ““Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about To find ourselves dishonourable graves.”” [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. The poem portrays a powerful figure whose dominance reduces ordinary people to insignificance, highlighting humanity's vulnerability beneath overwhelming authority. **In simple terms:** A towering force dwarfs the common man. Key Takeaway Power can render individuals powerless. Themes Power Humanity Mortality Insignificance Authority Mood awe humility melancholy Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - Feeling oppressed by a leader - Witnessing a cultural icon - Contemplating personal insignificance Key Concepts Scale Perspective Existentialism Practical Applications - Literary analysis - Philosophical discussion Questions to Reflect On - How does power affect self‑worth? - What does it mean to be 'small' in a vast world? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caesar/) [Colossus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colossus/) [Colossus Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colossus-petty-790129/) [Dishonor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishonor/) [Dishonourable Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishonourable-graves-790131/) [Giant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giant/) [Grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grave/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Julius-caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/julius-caesar-2/) [Like Colossus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-colossus-790130/) [Peep Dishonourable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peep-dishonourable-790132/) [Persona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persona/) [Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/petty/) [Petty Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/petty-men-790128/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [My head is in India, yet my body remains in Britain. I straddle the world like a colossus. Like a 5ft. 7in. colossus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-bhaskar/my-head-is-in-india-yet-my-body-remains-in-britain-i-straddle-the/) [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) > [“I wanted them to be terrible, hideous monsters. But they aren’t. They are petty men who ruin lives and don’t even notice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/i-wanted-them-to-be-terrible-hideous-monsters-but-they-aren-t-they/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [“Here will I stand till Caesar pass along, And as a suitor will I give him this. My heart laments the virtue cannot live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/here-will-i-stand-till-caesar-pass-along-and-as-a-suitor-will-i-give/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Hot from hell. Caesar's spirit raging in revenge. Cry,havoc! And let slip the dogs of war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/hot-from-hell-caesar-s-spirit-raging-in-revenge-cry-havoc-and-let/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Think you I am no stronger than my own sex being so father'd and husbanded?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/think-you-i-am-no-stronger-than-my-own-sex-being-so-father-d-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-abuse-of-greatness-is-when-it-disjoins-remorse-from-power/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Strike as thou didst at Caesar; for I know / When though didst hate him worst, thou loved’st him better / Than ever thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/strike-as-thou-didst-at-caesar-for-i-know-when-though-didst-hate-him/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Must I observe you? Must I stand & crouch Under your testy humour? By the gods, You shall digest the venom of your spleen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/must-i-observe-you-must-i-stand-crouch-under-your-testy-humour-by-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Caesar, Now be still, I killed not thee with half so good a will"?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/caesar-now-be-still-i-killed-not-thee-with-half-so-good-a-will/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Et tu, Brute?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/et-tu-brute/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Villicus Vadum: Soldier Of Fortune by Stewart Stafford I am the ghost of lupine Romulus, Founder of Rome, hear my tale, Of Villicus Vadum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/villicus-vadum-soldier-of-fortune-by-stewart-stafford-i-am-the-ghost/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [“Julius Caesar is an ambivalent study of civil conflict. As in Richard II, the play is structured around two protagonists rather than one. Cesar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bevington/julius-caesar-is-an-ambivalent-study-of-civil-conflict-as-in-richard/) [David Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bevington/) > [“Everyone in this tale has a rock-solid hamartia: hers, that she is so sick; yours, that you are so well. Were she better or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/everyone-in-this-tale-has-a-rock-solid-hamartia-hers-that-she-is-so/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Was it not said and written that give unto God what belongs to God and to Ceaser what belongs to him? Also, give yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-santo/was-it-not-said-and-written-that-give-unto-god-what-belongs-to-god/) [Don Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-santo/) > [“How DARE you and the rest of your barbarians set fire to my library? Play conqueror all you want, Mighty Caesar ! Rape, murder,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-buchman/how-dare-you-and-the-rest-of-your-barbarians-set-fire-to-my-library/) [sidney buchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-buchman/) ## 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 Caesar quotes > [Homer, Hesiod, Pythagoras, Plato, and Cicero, just to name a few, all lived in pagan societies. Some of the greatest political and military leaders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-myers/homer-hesiod-pythagoras-plato-and-cicero-just-to-name-a-few-all-lived/) [Brendan Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-myers/) > [Emperor Sid Caesar is gone to eternity himself now. He takes with him the gratitude of every one of us who first learned the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/emperor-sid-caesar-is-gone-to-eternity-himself-now-he-takes-with-him/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [I remember being totally enamored with Sid Caesar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lawrence/i-remember-being-totally-enamored-with-sid-caesar/) [Vicki Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lawrence/) > [“I sometimes think that never blows so red The Rose as where some buried Caesar bled; That every Hyacinth the Garden wears Dropt in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-sometimes-think-that-never-blows-so-red-the-rose-as-where-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [What millions died that Caesar might be great!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-campbell/what-millions-died-that-caesar-might-be-great/) [Thomas Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-campbell/) > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) [S.F. Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-f-chandler/) > [When Caesar says, 'do this,' it is perform'd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-antony/when-caesar-says-do-this-it-is-perform-d/) [Mark Antony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-antony/) > [And Caesar shall go forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/and-caesar-shall-go-forth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“One does no wrong to Caesar by being faithful to God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-brousson/one-does-no-wrong-to-caesar-by-being-faithful-to-god/) [Claude Brousson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-brousson/) > [“Who had the biggest army in the ancient world? Caesar Augustus in Rome, and that is precisely how he was able to dominate that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/who-had-the-biggest-army-in-the-ancient-world-caesar-augustus-in-rome/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) > [“A Caesar shift is about the simplest code in the world – perfect for the Roman emperor who’s long on secrets but short on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-pollock/a-caesar-shift-is-about-the-simplest-code-in-the-world-perfect-for/) [Tom Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-pollock/) > [Cassivelaunus had prepared the river for Caesar, by planting it full of stakes (and had, no doubt, put up a notice-board).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/cassivelaunus-had-prepared-the-river-for-caesar-by-planting-it-full/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“Julius Caesar is an ambivalent study of civil conflict. As in Richard II, the play is structured around two protagonists rather than one. Cesar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bevington/julius-caesar-is-an-ambivalent-study-of-civil-conflict-as-in-richard/) [David Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bevington/) > [“I will say here and now that I have never discovered, nor can I see, any reasonable use or excuse for the ” waynee,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/i-will-say-here-and-now-that-i-have-never-discovered-nor-can-i-see/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) [Browse all 154 Caesar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caesar/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about To find ourselves dishonourable graves.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-world-like-a-colossus-and-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Caesar" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-world-like-a-colossus-and-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/william-shakespeare-4_caesar_why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-worl_57074.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/william-shakespeare-4_caesar_why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-worl_57074.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/william-shakespeare-4_caesar_why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-worl_57074.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and…” — 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": "“Why, man, he doth bestride the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-world-like-a-colossus-and-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-world-like-a-colossus-and-we/#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 } } ] } ```