Browning Quote Help?

Question

“World's use is cold, world's love is vain, world's cruelty is bitter bane; but is not the fruit of pain.”

What does this mean?

Answer 1

The correct quote:

World's use is cold, world's love is vain,
World's cruelty is bitter bane;
But pain is not the fruit of pain

is from Stanza 142, "Vision of Poets", by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Hmmm. Think of a famous person. The world has use for them only for the world's purpose (you can substitute the word "public", or the word "life" for the word "world" here, you know; to make the poem meaningful to you).

but think, also, the fruit of pain is a lesson learned, not more pain.

Just think on this thought a while, it'll come to you.