War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.

J.r.r. Tolkien
About This Quote

In this quote, from a play by the same name, the character of Cordelia says that she doesn’t love war. In fact, she loves peace! She is rejecting what is normally held as the highest value in the society she lives in. In her mind, peace is better than war. But Cordelia doesn’t mean peace as a pacifist who refuses to defend his country against an enemy. Instead, peace for her means a society where people can live in harmony and where love can flourish without fear of violence.

Source: The Two Towers

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