the last bargain

The Last Bargain is a poem written by the famous and renowned Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. It is a poem about a person looking for a job. The speaker in the poem is searching for a job in which he does not have to lose his freedom. He receives the first proposal from a King. The king offers him power in return for his labor. But he refuses the king’s offer.

He receives the second offer from a rich man. He offers the speaker lots of gold in return for his labor. But the speaker refuses his offer also. He receives the third offer from a beautiful girl. She says that she will give him smiles in return for his labor. The speaker refuses her offer too. In the end, he finds a child playing on the seashore. The child says that he will offer him nothing in return for his services. The speaker accepts the child’s offer as he can still be a free man.

The Last Bargain is a poem describing the story of a man who is in search of a job. He wants a job in which he can work without losing his freedom. The speaker receives the offer from powerful, rich, and beautiful but turns all of them down. He finally accepts the offer of a child which is the last bargain.

The speaker receives the first offer from a King early in the morning. The king possesses more power than wealth. Thus, the king offers him power in return for his services. But the speaker thinks that his power is not much worth it. It may fade soon. So, he refuses to accept the king’s offer.

He gets the second offer from a rich man in the mid-day. The rich old man offers him a lot of gold for his services. Gold and wealth did not attract the speaker. He feels that money will be spent soon and it cannot buy everlasting happiness. He thus refuses his offer too.

In the evening, there was natural beauty and flowers all around. A beautiful girl with a pretty smile offers him smiles in return for his services. The speaker feels that her happiness was sorrowful in disguise. Thus, he did not find it also suitable for him. So, he also turned her offer down.

Ultimately, while walking he reaches the seashore. There he finds an innocent child playing with seashells. He plays there with him. The child says that he can pay nothing in return for the labor of the speaker. The speaker accepts his offer. He feels that while playing with the child he will not lose his freedom. He will still be a free man and will receive everlasting happiness playing with the innocent child. This was the last bargain that made the speaker accept it as he was not to compromise his freedom.

BargainFor real and everlasting happiness, we do not need power, money, or beauty. Freedom and innocence can make a person’s life happy and contended.