‘All’s Fair in Love And War’

‘All’s fair in love and war.’ – Frank Farleigh, Francis Edward Smedley, 1850

This quote has become quite common to one, in the last few days. It’s everywhere—in the songs, on the screen and, with the greatest emphases, in the mind. And so, it has brought a sense of wonder, about how anyone could possibly believe that everything done in war, and love, is always fair. Marriage and Geneva Convention come tomind—apparently there are rules and vows, to give protection from such ‘cheating’ in both.

But to the credit of the quoted, it was apart of a book written in the 1800s—way back in the day; before consecutive world wars. So, obviously the Geneva Convention had yet to be orchestrated, but what about Marriage? Oooh, Marriage! This was the time when Marriage was sanctity. None of this, eloping to Vegas after two hours (though, on a side note, they are geniuses—wedding chapels, in the ‘Sin City’? Oh, you clever bastards!). It was a beautiful thing, back then. So, this quote brings to mind a mistaken identity of it’s actual reasoning, in one’s view.

It is the belief of some that this quote does mean, what is mentioned above—that everything done within the bounds of war, and love, is, unquestionably, without fault. In the belief of another (i.e. this author-in-question) there is the view that the quote is truthfully referring to people. Meaning that not all done in love and war is fair, but everyone is fair game for both.

None are to choose whom they love, but everyone’s always capable for it. At any time, it is possible for someone to be in love with a complete unknowing stranger. No one chooses who they love, people simply love. You can never want to love someone—and succeed—one can only fall in love with another. Such is the same in the case of war, for the most part. War is an act, which is rarely initiated out of one’s own will. Although possible to become a victim to such a thing, one is most commonly not the aggressor.

So in the opinion of this one, it would appear that this quote has two duplicate meanings. On the one hand, there is the belief that everything generated through war and love is acceptable in the eyes of society, and the other is not that actions are acceptable, but that everyone is an acceptable victim.