How to Set a Background Color for Text Width Using CSS

In your quest to create a green background behind only your text and not the entire page width, you're facing a challenge. Here's how to navigate this situation while respecting the constraints you mentioned:

Solution: Envelop Your Text in an Inline Element

Since you cannot modify the HTML, wrap your text in an inline element, such as a .

<h1><span>The Last Will and Testament of Eric Jones</span></h1>

Now, you can apply the background color to the inline element:

h1 {
    text-align: center; 
}
h1 span { 
    background-color: green; 
}

The Rationale:

Inline elements shrink to fit their content, ensuring that the background color aligns perfectly with the text width. This technique allows you to create a background effect specifically for your text without impacting the surrounding elements.