4.2. The Last Bargain - Class 8 - Honeydew

BhashaLab
May 30
4 min read

📘 The Last Bargain

Author: Rabindranath Tagore

Textbook: Honeydew

Genre: Poem (Philosophical / Allegorical)

📝 Summary :

The poem “The Last Bargain” by Rabindranath Tagore presents a symbolic journey of a man seeking to be hired, metaphorically searching for true happiness and meaning in life. The speaker first meets a powerful king who offers him employment through power, but the speaker finds power meaningless and moves on. At noon, an old man tries to hire him with gold, but the speaker rejects wealth too, recognizing its limitations. In the evening, a beautiful woman offers a smile and emotional attachment, but her joy fades into sorrow. Finally, on the seashore, a child offers to hire the man with nothing. This innocent and selfless offer touches the speaker deeply. He accepts the bargain, realizing that freedom and joy lie in simplicity and love, not in material gain, authority, or emotional traps. The poem thus emphasizes the spiritual value of detachment, purity, and innocence. The final bargain, though offering no material benefits, brings the speaker unmatched happiness and a sense of liberation.

👤 Character Sketch

The Speaker:The speaker is a thoughtful, reflective individual searching for purpose and fulfillment in life. He evaluates various offers — power, wealth, and beauty — but is not swayed by any. His final acceptance of a child’s selfless offer shows that he values inner peace and freedom more than material or emotional attachments. He is wise, humble, and deeply spiritual in his outlook.

📚 Themes

Theme	Description
Materialism vs. Simplicity	The poem contrasts worldly desires like power and wealth with the joy of simple living.
Innocence and Freedom	The child’s offer represents innocence, selflessness, and the true path to freedom.
The Quest for Meaning	The speaker’s journey symbolizes a human being’s search for a meaningful life.
Illusion of Power and Wealth	Power, money, and beauty are shown to be temporary and ultimately unsatisfying.

✨ Poetic Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Symbolism	The King, Old Man, Fair Maid, Child	Symbolize power, wealth, beauty, and innocence respectively.
Personification	"The fair maid came out and said..."	Gives human qualities to abstract ideas, making the message relatable.
Imagery	“The sun glistened on the sand…”	Creates a vivid visual experience for readers.
Repetition	“Come and hire me”	Emphasizes the speaker’s repeated quest.
Metaphor	“That bargain... made me a free man”	Symbolizes spiritual freedom, not a literal deal.

📖 Title Justification

The title “The Last Bargain” is apt because it signifies the speaker’s final and most fulfilling agreement — the one made with the child. Unlike earlier bargains offering power, money, or beauty, the last one demands nothing and gives everything — peace, joy, and freedom. This "bargain" is not material but spiritual, and it sets the speaker free. Hence, it is truly the last and best bargain.

✅ One-Mark Questions

Who is the speaker in the poem?
→ The speaker is a person searching for a meaningful and fulfilling role in life.
What does “The king, sword in hand” suggest?
→ It suggests power. (Correct answer: (ii) power)
Why did the speaker reject the old man’s offer?
→ Because he realized that money cannot bring true happiness.
What did the fair maid offer the speaker?
→ She offered to hire him with her smile.
What was the speaker’s reaction after meeting the child?
→ He felt truly happy and free for the first time.

✅ Three-Mark Questions

Why did the speaker reject the first three offers?
→ The speaker rejected power, wealth, and beauty because he felt they were superficial and lacked the ability to provide lasting happiness. Each offer came with conditions or sorrow, failing to fulfill his deeper needs.
What does the child symbolize in the poem?
→ The child symbolizes innocence, simplicity, and unconditional acceptance. The child’s offer, made without expectations, represents true freedom and joy.
How does the poem convey a spiritual message?
→ The poem shows that material things and emotional attachments are temporary. True joy lies in simple, selfless, and free relationships, like that between the speaker and the child.

🧠 Value-Based Question

Q: What lesson do we learn from The Last Bargain about real happiness in life?

→ The poem teaches that real happiness cannot be bought with money, power, or emotional flattery. It comes from simplicity, innocence, and selfless relationships. Like the child’s offer, the best things in life are often free and given with a pure heart.

End

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