All time Quote by Boris Pasternak
“We're all time's captives, hostages to eternity.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: "Winter Night", 1921
Humans are bound by time, living as prisoners to the endless flow of moments and the inevitability of eternity.
In simple terms: We are trapped by time and eternity.
Key Takeaway
Recognize life's fleeting nature.
Themes
time
existence
mortality
philosophy
freedom
Mood
melancholic
thoughtful
philosophical
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- daily routines
- long‑term planning
- philosophical contemplation
- creative writing
Key Concepts
temporal captivity
eternal perspective
human condition
Questions to Reflect On
- What does being a "hostage to eternity" mean to you?
- How can we find freedom within time's constraints?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may feel fatalistic, ignoring agency.
![“I don't know whether we think in moving images or whether we think in still images. I have a suspicion that on our hard drive, our series within our brains, [exist] still photographs of very important moments in our lives. ... That we think in terms of still images and that what the photography is…” quote by Jon Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/598/jon-snow-40883_all-time_i-don-t-know-whether-we-think-in-moving_15093.jpg)
