--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In marriage, as in war, it is permitted…" description: "\"In marriage, as in war, it is permitted to take every advantage of the enemy.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/oscar-wilde-16_marriage_in-marriage-as-in-war-it-is-permitted-to_2993577.jpg" --- # In marriage, as in war, it is permitted to take every… ![“In marriage, as in war, it is permitted to take every advantage of the enemy.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/oscar-wilde-16_marriage_in-marriage-as-in-war-it-is-permitted-to_2993577.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/oscar-wilde-16_marriage_in-marriage-as-in-war-it-is-permitted-to_2993577.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/oscar-wilde-16_marriage_in-marriage-as-in-war-it-is-permitted-to_2993577.jpg) > “In marriage, as in war, it is permitted to take every advantage of the enemy.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In marriage, like war, one may exploit the opponent. **In simple terms:** Marriage can be strategic. Key Takeaway Treat relationships with honesty. Themes marriage conflict strategy Mood witty provocative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - law - negotiation Key Concepts social satire power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Is strategic advantage ethical in love? - How do power plays affect marriage? A Different Perspective Exploiting partners harms trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [By the etiquette of war, it is permitted to none below the rank of newspaper correspondent to dictate to the general in the field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/by-the-etiquette-of-war-it-is-permitted-to-none-below-the-rank-of/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/rapidity-is-the-essence-of-war-take-advantage-of-the-enemy-s/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“There is no avoiding war, it can only be postponed to the advantage of your enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-no-avoiding-war-it-can-only-be-postponed-to-the-advantage-of/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“If we wish to wrest an advantage from the enemy, we must not fix our minds on that alone, but allow for the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/if-we-wish-to-wrest-an-advantage-from-the-enemy-we-must-not-fix-our/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [A cowboy never takes unfair advantage - even of an enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-autry/a-cowboy-never-takes-unfair-advantage-even-of-an-enemy/) [Gene Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-autry/) > [If I wish to wrest an advantage from the enemy, I must not fix my mind on that alone, but allow for the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/du-mu/if-i-wish-to-wrest-an-advantage-from-the-enemy-i-must-not-fix-my-mind/) [Du Mu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/du-mu/) > [In both marriage and war you must cut up the things people say like a cake and eat only what you can stomach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/in-both-marriage-and-war-you-must-cut-up-the-things-people-say-like-a/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“We lose more women to marriage than war, famine, and disease.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-dodie/we-lose-more-women-to-marriage-than-war-famine-and-disease/) Smith Dodie > [Marriage is the only war in which you sleep with the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-is-the-only-war-in-which-you-sleep-with-the-enemy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And then all this talk of love and marriage out of nowhere? It's the war talking. I know; I've seen it. They head off,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-brockmole/and-then-all-this-talk-of-love-and-marriage-out-of-nowhere-it-s-the/) [Jessica Brockmole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-brockmole/) > [Conventional wisdom tells us we'll only be happier after a divorce if the marriage itself was a war zone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/conventional-wisdom-tells-us-we-ll-only-be-happier-after-a-divorce-if/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [Marriage is the only war where one sleeps with the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/marriage-is-the-only-war-where-one-sleeps-with-the-enemy/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [“We may not always know what we're wanted for, nor is it for us to enquire, but nobody is useless as long as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-gatty/we-may-not-always-know-what-we-re-wanted-for-nor-is-it-for-us-to/) [Margaret Gatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-gatty/) > [I'd always wanted to live in San Francisco, and my circumstances never permitted it. I'm so happy I made the move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/i-d-always-wanted-to-live-in-san-francisco-and-my-circumstances-never/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [It was the one dream he'd never permitted himself to consider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/it-was-the-one-dream-he-d-never-permitted-himself-to-consider/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Marriage quotes > [Unmarried couples should get married - that's an excellent tax avoidance measure, if a bit drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whiting/unmarried-couples-should-get-married-that-s-an-excellent-tax/) John Whiting > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. 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Keeping his clothes in order is your job; encouraging him to look his best, and admiring him when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-baker/take-an-interest-in-his-appearance-keeping-his-clothes-in-order-is/) [Ellen Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-baker/) > [Females always say, you can't turn a hoe into a house wife, but steady be trying to turn a dog into a faithful man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/females-always-say-you-can-t-turn-a-hoe-into-a-house-wife-but-steady/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [Most marriages don't add two people together. 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