The Last Bargain Poem Explanation and Solution- CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew 

"The Last Bargain" by Rabindranath Tagore is a reflective poem that explores the themes of wealth, happiness, and the true essence of value in life. Let's break down the poem stanza by stanza for a detailed explanation:

Stanza 1:

The king, who is extremely rich,

Wants to buy a loyal subject,

But loyalty cannot be bought,

No matter what the price is.

The poem opens with a wealthy king seeking to purchase loyalty, highlighting his belief that everything can be acquired with wealth.

It sets the stage for the central theme of the poem: the king's pursuit of acquiring something intangible (loyalty) with material wealth.

Stanza 2:

He found a poor passerby,

Who seemed very happy indeed.

The king encounters a poor passerby who appears remarkably content despite lacking material riches.

This introduces the contrast between the king's wealth and the passerby's happiness, prompting the king's curiosity.

Stanza 3:

The king said, "If you will tell me,

How you manage to stay happy,

I will give you much wealth in return,

I will make you richer than any king."

Intrigued by the passerby's happiness, the king offers immense wealth in exchange for the secret to the passerby's contentment.

The king assumes that the answer to happiness can be bought with material riches, highlighting his belief in the power of wealth to solve all problems.

Stanza 4:

The passerby replied, "In the past,

I had everything that wealth could buy.

But all my wealth brought me chains,

And took away my freedom."

The passerby responds by revealing that he was once wealthy but found that his possessions brought him into bondage and stripped away his freedom.

This reflects the idea that material wealth can become a burden and restrict one's liberty, contradicting the king's belief in its limitless value.

Stanza 5:

"I will not sell my happiness now,

For all the wealth in the world,

I have found joy in poverty,

And freedom in being without possessions."

The passerby, having experienced the pitfalls of wealth, refuses the king's offer, asserting that he has discovered happiness and freedom in poverty.

He prioritizes the inner peace and liberation he found after relinquishing his material possessions over the offer of immense wealth.

Stanza 6:

"Your highness, don't seek happiness in gold,

The treasure you desire lies within,

Not in the material world outside,

Learn to find contentment within yourself."

The passerby advises the king not to seek happiness in external wealth but within oneself.

It serves as the central message of the poem, advocating for inner contentment and emphasizing that true happiness is not found in material possessions but within one's own state of mind.

Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 4 The Last Bargain Questions From Textbook

WORKING WITH THE POEM

Question 1:

Who is the speaker in the poem?

Answer:

A man looking for his employer is the speaker.

Question 2:

“The king, sword in hand” suggests

(i) wealth                     (ii) power                      (iii) more power than wealth

Mark the appropriate item in the context of stanza 1.

Answer:

(ii) power

Question 3:

The old man offered the speaker a lot of money. Why did he turn down the offer?

Answer:

The man was not in need of cash. He would rather have remained free than be sold into slavery for riches.

Question 4:

Find in the poem, lines that match the following. Read both one after another.

(i) I have nothing to give you except goodwill & cheer.

Answer:

“I hire you with nothing”

(ii) Her happiness was no more than sorrow in disguise.

Answer:

“Her smile paled and melted into tears”.

(iii) The king’s might was not worth much.

Answer:

“But his power counted for naught”

Question 5:

How did the speaker feel after talking to the child on the beach?

Answer:

The speaker felt after meeting the child that he would get satisfaction, joy and freedom.