GREAT SPEECHES IN HISTORYTheodore Roosevelt and “The Man in the Arena”

APRIL 23,1910; PARIS, FRANCEIn 1910, America was in a tumultuous state. Investigative journalism had revealed massive political corruption to the woe of the common people. Gilded Age Industrialism had made the rich richer and poor poorer.

In the spring of that year, Theodore Roosevelt was traveling the world, after finishing his second term as President. He spent time in Africa on safari and then traveled north to France. When he arrived in France, he was invited to speak at the Sorbonne, the famed Grand Amphitheater at the University of Paris.

Under the eyes of stone effigies depicting France’s greatest minds; Lavoisier, Descartes, Pascal, Sorbonne; Theodore Roosevelt delivers Citizenship in a Republic. The speech is a stirring address about the requirements of citizenship and the necessities of maintaining a robust democracy.

THE MAN IN THE ARENA

The most famous passage of the speech came near the beginning and become known for the “man in the arena” quote.

In this passage, TR condemns the man who sits in judgement but shies away from participation.

–Theodore Roosevelt (1910)

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done

them better. The credit belongs to the man whois actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives

valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the

end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those

cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

It is not surprising that these words have echoed through the years. Cynicism and inactivity so often go hand in hand. Roosevelt’s condemnation of those who would sooner criticize than perform is heartfelt, personal and scathing — a truly exquisite verbal barrage. As harsh as he is to the cynic, he is encouraging to the doer. To try and fail is a far better ending than a life lived with neither.

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Theodore Roosevelt has many exceptional speeches, but few are as poignant and inspiring as this selection from Citizenship in a Republic. His words are just as important today as they were over 100 years ago.