Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em


What's the meaning of the phrase 'Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em'?

Literal meaning

What's the origin of the phrase 'Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em'?

From Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, 1602:

Malvalio:
In my stars I am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em.

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.