--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sweet is pleasure after pain." description: "\"Sweet is pleasure after pain.\" — John Dryden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/john-dryden-491_pain_sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain-3085212_3085212.jpg" --- # Sweet is pleasure after pain. ![“Sweet is pleasure after pain.” quote by John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/john-dryden-491_pain_sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain-3085212_3085212.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/john-dryden-491_pain_sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain-3085212_3085212.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/john-dryden-491_pain_sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain-3085212_3085212.jpg) > “Sweet is pleasure after pain.” [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pleasure is most appreciated after experiencing pain, highlighting contrast. **In simple terms:** Pain makes pleasure sweeter. Key Takeaway Value contrast. Themes pleasure pain contrast human experience Mood reflective philosophical Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - food tasting - recovery from illness - creative inspiration Key Concepts hedonism psychology Questions to Reflect On - Do you seek pain to enhance joy? - How does contrast shape satisfaction? A Different Perspective Pleasure can be fleeting without prior hardship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pain and pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-and-pleasure/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pleasure Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure-pain/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet/) [Sweet Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet-pleasure-1548672/) ## Related quotes > [Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure,- Sweet is pleasure after pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/rich-the-treasure-sweet-the-pleasure-sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [My prize, my pleasure and pain, my endless desire. I've never know anyone like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/my-prize-my-pleasure-and-pain-my-endless-desire-i-ve-never-know/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [The existence of pleasure is the first mystery. The existence of pain has prompted far more philosophical speculation. Pleasure and pain need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/the-existence-of-pleasure-is-the-first-mystery-the-existence-of-pain/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [So through identification you have pleasure and pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/so-through-identification-you-have-pleasure-and-pain/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Pleasure and pain spring not so much from the nature of things, as from our manner of considering them in particular, what we compare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/pleasure-and-pain-spring-not-so-much-from-the-nature-of-things-as/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [Pleasure and pain, though directly opposite are contrived to be constant companions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-charron/pleasure-and-pain-though-directly-opposite-are-contrived-to-be/) [Pierre Charron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-charron/) > [Life is a mosaic of pleasure and pain - grief is an interval between two moments of joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/life-is-a-mosaic-of-pleasure-and-pain-grief-is-an-interval-between/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [It is within the experience of everyone that when pleasure and pain reach a certain intensity they are indistinguishable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/it-is-within-the-experience-of-everyone-that-when-pleasure-and-pain/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [There is no fundamental difference between man and animals in their ability to feel pleasure and pain, happiness, and misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/there-is-no-fundamental-difference-between-man-and-animals-in-their/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [Between the banks of pleasure and pain flows the river of life. If you spend much time on either bank you will miss out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/between-the-banks-of-pleasure-and-pain-flows-the-river-of-life-if-you/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Pleasure and pain are the only springs of action in man, and always will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/pleasure-and-pain-are-the-only-springs-of-action-in-man-and-always/) [Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/) > [Most of life is so dull that there is nothing to be said about it, and the books and talks that would describe it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/most-of-life-is-so-dull-that-there-is-nothing-to-be-said-about-it-and/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Pleasure and pain are only aspects of the mind. Our essential nature is happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/pleasure-and-pain-are-only-aspects-of-the-mind-our-essential-nature/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [Life is both pleasure and pain, is it not? But why should we cling to pleasure and avoid pain? Why not merely live with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/life-is-both-pleasure-and-pain-is-it-not-but-why-should-we-cling-to/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [The theory which follows is entirely based on a calculus of pleasure and pain; and the object of economics is to maximize happiness by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/the-theory-which-follows-is-entirely-based-on-a-calculus-of-pleasure/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) ## More by John Dryden > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Trust on and think To-morrow will repay; To-morrow's falser than the former day; Lies worse; and while it says, we shall be blest With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/trust-on-and-think-to-morrow-will-repay-to-morrow-s-falser-than-the/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [To take up half on trust, and half to try, Name it not faith but bungling bigotry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/to-take-up-half-on-trust-and-half-to-try-name-it-not-faith-but/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Among our crimes oblivion may be set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/among-our-crimes-oblivion-may-be-set/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [And after hearing what our Church can say, If still our reason runs another way, That private reason 'tis more just to curb, Than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/and-after-hearing-what-our-church-can-say-if-still-our-reason-runs/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave deserves the fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/happy-happy-happy-pair-none-but-the-brave-deserves-the-fair/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [A coward is the kindest animal; 'Tis the most forgiving creature in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/a-coward-is-the-kindest-animal-tis-the-most-forgiving-creature-in-a/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [God never made his work for man to mend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/god-never-made-his-work-for-man-to-mend/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Reason to rule, mercy to forgive: The first is law, the last prerogative. Life is an adventure in forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/reason-to-rule-mercy-to-forgive-the-first-is-law-the-last-prerogative/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Stiff opinion, always in the wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/stiff-opinion-always-in-the-wrong/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [He with a graceful pride, While his rider every hand survey'd, Sprung loose, and flew into an escapade; Not moving forward, yet with every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/he-with-a-graceful-pride-while-his-rider-every-hand-survey-d-sprung/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Men's virtues I have commended as freely as I have taxed their crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/men-s-virtues-i-have-commended-as-freely-as-i-have-taxed-their-crimes/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Virtue without success is a fair picture shown by an ill light; but lucky men are favorites of heaven; all own the chief, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/virtue-without-success-is-a-fair-picture-shown-by-an-ill-light-but/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Zeal, the blind conductor of the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/zeal-the-blind-conductor-of-the-will/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [“Night came, but unattended with repose. Alone she came, no sleep their eyes to close. Alone and black she came; no friendly stars arose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/night-came-but-unattended-with-repose-alone-she-came-no-sleep-their/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) [Explore all 520 John Dryden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) ## More Pain quotes > [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [It hurts wanting the best for someone you love, even if they feel the best isn't you. That's real love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-hurts-wanting-the-best-for-someone-you-love-even-if-they-feel-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tryna hide this pain with these pain killers, she said the storms only will last a little while but shit it got me feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/tryna-hide-this-pain-with-these-pain-killers-she-said-the-storms-only/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myself/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“What is there, in the mention of Time To Come, that is so quick to wrench at the heart, to inflict a pain in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-llewellyn/what-is-there-in-the-mention-of-time-to-come-that-is-so-quick-to/) [Richard Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-llewellyn/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Stop trying to give me hope ... I have no room left for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-f/stop-trying-to-give-me-hope-i-have-no-room-left-for-it/) [Jenn F](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenn-f/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) [Kirsten Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gilchrist/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) [Browse all 17,919 Pain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sweet is pleasure after pain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Dryden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Pain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/john-dryden-491_pain_sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain-3085212_3085212.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/john-dryden-491_pain_sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain-3085212_3085212.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/john-dryden-491_pain_sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain-3085212_3085212.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sweet is pleasure after pain.” — John Dryden", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Dryden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sweet is pleasure after pain.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/sweet-is-pleasure-after-pain/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```