This quote describes possession as a passionate struggle for the positive qualities within each person, emphasizing how individuals contend for the valuable aspects of each other's personalities. It suggests that love involves a deep engagement where both parties seek to preserve and cherish one another's best traits.

However, it raises the idea that such a conflict might inherently be destructive and without hope, implying that the intense desire to possess or hold on to these qualities can lead to harm rather than harmony. The quote explores the tension between love’s passionate longing and its potential for causing damage.