The Last Bargain

The Last Bargain

                                          By Rabindra Nath Tagore

Analysis : 

·        The poet, R. N. Tagore is in spiritual search which leads him to freedom and heavenly bliss.

·        Rabindranath Tagore's ‘The Last Bargain’ metaphorically refers to the job hunting which  can provide satisfaction, real happiness and spiritual bliss to the poet.

·        The poet eventually strikes the deal with a child who has nothing to offer him and this made him free highlighting the message that not money, nor power, not even beauty can provide us happiness but innocence, simplicity, passion for work and freedom from materialistic attitude and monetary gains can provide us eternal peace, real happiness, satisfaction and heavenly bliss.

·        The tone of the poem is philosophical as it proclaims the philosophy of life.

·        The theme of the poem reveals the secret that the employment that involves emancipation gives us real joy.

·        It is composed in free verse which is Tagore’s mastery as the lines are unequal and irregular in length, they don’t rhyme as well.

About the poet

Rabindra Nath Tagore is not only first Indian but also the first Asian to win Nobel Prize for literature in 1913 for 'Gitanjali', the collection of hymns in praise of God. He authored Indian national anthem. He also composed ‘Amar sonar Bangla’, national anthem of Bangladesh.

He was prolific dramatist, talented poet, painter, teacher and musician who founded Vishwa Bharti Vidyapeeth. He was honoured with knighthood, title of sir by the British Government, which he returned in protest of Jalianwala Bagh massacre expressing his love for his country. 

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Difficult words / expressions

Bargain – exchange

hire – give work

 I – poet

 Stone paved road – road made with stone   

chariot – king’s cart driven by horses

power - authority

nought - nothing

midday - noon

crooked – bent, not straight

lane - narrow street

bag of gold - monetary rewards

pondered - thought deeply

weighed - calculated-compared

 turned away - declined the offer and went away

all a flower - full of flowers

fair maid – beautiful maiden, unmarried girl

smile – symbol of love and beauty

paled – disappeared, fainted, not permanent

melted into tears – changed, felt sad

glistened – shone brightly

broke - lashed striking the shore

waywardly - here and there, without any direction

seemed to know me – poet’s inner self

hire with nothing – work/service is invaluable

thenceforward - from then

bargain struck in – bargain was successful

a free man – without any obligations, boundation

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Poetic Devices

I will hire you with my money – Refrain  

Sword in hand, the King came in his chariot – Repetition

Sword in hand, the King came in his chariot – Assonance
Sword in hand, the King came in his chariot – Imagery

He held my hand and said – Alliteration

He held my hand and said – Consonance

I will hire you with my power  - Alliteration

In the heat of the midday the houses stood with shut doors – Alliteration  

In the heat of the midday the houses stood with shut doors – Repetition 
In the heat of the midday the houses stood with shut doors – Imagery 

An old man came out with his bag of gold – Symbolism  

He pondered and said – Consonance

He weighed his coins one by one – Repetition  

He weighed his coins one by one – Alliteration 

I will hire you with a smile – Symbolism

sun glistened on the sand, and the sea waves lashed waywardly – Alliteration 
The fair maid came out - Imagery 

Her smile paled and melted into tears - Imagery 

The sun glistened on the sand, and the sea waves lashed waywardly - Imagery

A child sat playing with shells - Imagery

He raised his head and seemed to know me and said – Consonance

Thenceforward that bargain struck in child's play made me a free man - Alliteration

He pondered and said, "I will hire you with my money." - Anaphora

He weighed his coins one by one, but I turned away.       - Anaphora

Important Question Answers

Q1. How did the speaker feel after talking to the child on the beach?

Ans. After talking to the child the speaker introspected about his pursuit of happiness and realised that money, power and beauty can’t give him real happiness and contentment. A child is happy in his play because he is free from any obligations and bondations. He realised that there is a small child in him who is innocent, simple and happy. He decided not to seek any gains or rewards for his work of service because these returns would make him a servant or slave to the his employer. The poet also realised that he can be happy when he is free and able to work for his own satisfaction.

Q2. What does the poet want to convey to the readers?

Ans. The poet wants to convey to his readers that money, authority and other monetary gains can't provide us inner peace and real happiness. if you seek true happiness and inner satisfaction, you need to be free from worldly desires and materialistic bonds. These attractions are not permanent and would give temporary happiness for real happiness you must free yourselves from such bondages and be simple, innocent and pure like a small child. 

Q3. What is a bargain? What attempts does the man make to strike a bargain?Ans. A bargain is a mutual agreement or consensus after a good discussion. Here, in the poem it refers to an agreement or contract for work that the narrator undergoes in exchange of some gain or reward. The narrator makes many attempts to strike the best bargain with many people he met and urged them to hire him. He met a king, a rich old man, a beautiful girl and finally he struck a good deal with a little child who rendered him freedom.  

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Q4. What is the speaker’s last bargain? What attracted him to go with the last bargain?

Ans.  The speaker made his last bargain with a happy child. After talking to the child the speaker realised what his pursuit was. He understood that money, power and beauty can’t give him real happiness and contentment. He decided not to seek any further bargains and struck the best deal with the child because other bargains would make him a servant or slave to the employer for the gains he would be receiving. He realised that he can be happy when he is free and able to work for his own satisfaction that’s why he decided to go with the last bargain. He had realised that monetary returns cannot make him happy and real happiness and contentment was his ultimate pursuit.

R T C 1

  “Come and hire me” 

 Q1. Who is the speaker of the above line?

Ans. The poet or the narrator is the speaker in the above line. 

 Q2. Why does he want to be hired?

Ans. He wants to be hired to get happiness and fulfil the purpose of his life. 

Q3. Who all want to hire him?  

Ans. The king, a rich old man and a beautiful girl want to hire him.

 

R T C 2

 “I hire you with nothing.”  

Q1. Who is the speaker of the above line?

Ans. A little child is the speaker of the above line.  

Q2. Who is the speaker speaking to?

Ans. The speaker is speaking to the poet/narrator.  

Q3. Explain “I hire you with nothing”.

Ans. The little child means to say that he doesn’t have anything to give in return and he doesn’t want to bind the poet with any offer or gain.