--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where is it I've read that someone…" description: "\"Where is it I've read that someone condemned to death says or thinks, an hour before his death, that if he had to live on some high rock, on such a nar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f3/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_darkness_where-is-it-i-ve-read-that-someone-conde_221777.jpg" --- # Where is it I've read that someone condemned to death says… ![“Where is it I've read that someone condemned to death says or thinks, an hour before his death, that if he had to live on some high rock, on such a narrow ledge that he'd only room to stand, and the ocean, everlasting darkness, everlasting solitude, everlasting tempest around him, if he had to…” quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f3/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_darkness_where-is-it-i-ve-read-that-someone-conde_221777.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f3/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_darkness_where-is-it-i-ve-read-that-someone-conde_221777.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f3/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_darkness_where-is-it-i-ve-read-that-someone-conde_221777.jpg) > “Where is it I've read that someone condemned to death says or thinks, an hour before his death, that if he had to live on some high rock, on such a narrow ledge that he'd only room to stand, and the ocean, everlasting darkness, everlasting solitude, everlasting tempest around him, if he had to remain standing on a square yard of space all his life, a thousand years, eternity, it were better to live so than to die at once. Only to live, to live and live! Life, whatever it may be!” [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing eternity alone feels preferable to a brief, ordinary life; endless existence can be more appealing than a fleeting death. **In simple terms:** Living forever may seem better than dying quickly. Key Takeaway Consider the value of life’s brevity versus imagined eternity. Themes existence mortality philosophy Mood thoughtful philosophical Type existential literary When to use this quote - personal crisis - spiritual contemplation - ethical decision‑making - literary analysis Key Concepts eternal life meaning of suffering Questions to Reflect On - Would endless solitude be tolerable? - How does fear of death shape our choices? A Different Perspective Eternal life may not bring true fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Live life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-life/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Tempest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tempest/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) ## Related quotes > [“Where is it.. where is it I have read that someone condemned to death says or thinks, an hour before his death, that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/where-is-it-where-is-it-i-have-read-that-someone-condemned-to-death/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Where was it that I read about a man condemned to death saying or thinking, an hour before his death, that if he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/where-was-it-that-i-read-about-a-man-condemned-to-death-saying-or/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [...a condemned man who, at the hour of death, says or thinks that if the alternative were offered him of existing somewhere, on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-condemned-man-who-at-the-hour-of-death-says-or-thinks-that-if-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Do you know the most surprising thing about divorce? It doesn't actually kill you. Like a bullet to the heart or a head-on car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mayes/do-you-know-the-most-surprising-thing-about-divorce-it-doesn-t/) [Frances Mayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mayes/) > [Sendak is in search of what he calls a "yummy death". 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The ones who’ve died, who’ve given up their lives, who’ve died for us so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dara-wier/that-s-what-the-dead-do-that-s-what-the-dead-do-the-ones-who-ve-died/) [Dara Wier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dara-wier/) > [well, death says, as he walks by, I'm going to get you anyhow no matter what you've been: writer, cab-driver, pimp, butcher, sky-diver, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/well-death-says-as-he-walks-by-i-m-going-to-get-you-anyhow-no-matter/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“A famous artist is approached by a student. "You don't remember me," the student says correctly, "but years ago you said something that changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hempel/a-famous-artist-is-approached-by-a-student-you-don-t-remember-me-the/) [Amy Hempel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hempel/) > [Being scared to death when someone says "Oh! I heard something about you!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-scared-to-death-when-someone-says-oh-i-heard-something-about-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My liveliness is based on an incredible fear of death. In order to keep death at bay, I do a lot of "Yah! Yah!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/my-liveliness-is-based-on-an-incredible-fear-of-death-in-order-to/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [“You died here," I said quietly. "October -" "I wasn't here, and the girl I'm supposed to be finding was, and you died ."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/you-died-here-i-said-quietly-october-i-wasn-t-here-and-the-girl-i-m/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) > [“Robert was found guilty of her murder, condemned to death and ‘chased out of the realm of France’ as Froissart puts it; there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-seward/robert-was-found-guilty-of-her-murder-condemned-to-death-and-chased/) Desmond Seward > [Imagine yourself acclaimed, a decorated national hero, an idol to millions of desperate people, then within six months, condemned to death by hanging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joachim-peiper/imagine-yourself-acclaimed-a-decorated-national-hero-an-idol-to/) Joachim Peiper ## More by Fyodor Dostoevsky > [Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/believe-to-the-end-even-if-all-men-went-astray-and-you-were-left-the/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [... you are a man still young, so to say, in your first youth and so put intellect above everything ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/you-are-a-man-still-young-so-to-say-in-your-first-youth-and-so-put/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“There is only one salvation for you: take yourself up, and make yourself responsible for all the sins of men. 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Kiss the earth and love it with an unceasing, consuming love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/love-to-throw-yourself-on-the-earth-and-kiss-it-kiss-the-earth-and/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [They have this social justification for every nasty thing they do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/they-have-this-social-justification-for-every-nasty-thing-they-do/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Be the sun and all will see you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/be-the-sun-and-all-will-see-you/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [If you are penitent, you love. And if you love you are of God. All things are atoned for, all things are saved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/if-you-are-penitent-you-love-and-if-you-love-you-are-of-god-all/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“To kill for murder is a punishment incomparably worse than the crime itself. Murder by legal sentence is immeasurably more terrible than murder by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/to-kill-for-murder-is-a-punishment-incomparably-worse-than-the-crime/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“You magnify your failure to a crime, Vasya.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/you-magnify-your-failure-to-a-crime-vasya/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [The death of a child is the greatest reason to doubt the existence of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/the-death-of-a-child-is-the-greatest-reason-to-doubt-the-existence-of/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [In a way there's only a fine shade of difference between the healthy and the deranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/in-a-way-there-s-only-a-fine-shade-of-difference-between-the-healthy/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Now answer me, sincerely, honestly, who lives past forty? I'll tell you who does: fools and scoundrels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/now-answer-me-sincerely-honestly-who-lives-past-forty-i-ll-tell-you/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“There are crimes that are truly uncomely. With crimes, whatever they may be, the more blood, the more horror there is, the more imposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/there-are-crimes-that-are-truly-uncomely-with-crimes-whatever-they/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) [Explore all 642 Fyodor Dostoevsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Where is it I've read that someone condemned to death says or thinks, an hour before his death, that if he had to live on some high rock, on such a narrow ledge that he'd only room to stand, and the ocean, everlasting darkness, everlasting solitude, everlasting tempest around him, if he had to remain standing on a square yard of space all his life, a thousand years, eternity, it were better to live so than to die at once. Only to live, to live and live! 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