Chapter 4 of CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew has one poem named “The Last Bargain”. This poem is written by Rabindranath Tagore. Students can find a detailed summary and explanation of the CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew The Last Bargain poem. These CBSE Class 8 English Notes are created by subject experts and are written in simple and easy-to-understand language. Studying from these notes will boost students’ exam preparation and improve their scores in the English subject.
Students who want to increase their scores in the writing section of English papers must practice the CBSE Essays on various topics which are most likely to be asked in the exam.
CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew The Last Bargain Poem Summary
The poem describes a man who is in search of work. On his way, he encountered different types of people who wanted to hire him. In the morning, he met with a king who wanted to hire him with his power. Then in the afternoon, he met with an older man who had a bag of gold and wanted to hire him with his money. In the evening, he met with a lady who took care of the flower garden. She said she would hire him with a smile. But the man refuses all their offers. In the end, he met with a child who said that he would hire him for nothing. The man agreed with him, as in his opinion, freedom is more valuable than power, money or beauty.
CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew The Last Bargain Poem Explanation Notes
Have a look at the “The Last Bargain” poem and its detailed explanation below. Go through it to understand the poem’s meaning easily.
The Last Bargain Poem Explanation
“Come and hire me,” I cried, while in the morning
I was walking on the stone-paved road.
Sword in hand the King came in his chariot.
He held my hand and said, “I will hire you with
my power,”
But his power counted for naught, and he went away in
his chariot.
In the heat of the mid-day the houses stood with
shut doors.
I wandered along the crooked lane.
An old man came out with his bag of gold.
He pondered and said, “I will hire you with my money.”
He weighed his coins one by one, but I turned away.
It was evening. The garden hedge was all a flower.
The fair maid came out and said, “I will hire you with
a smile.”
Her smile paled and melted into tears, and she went
back alone into the dark.
The sun glistened on the sand, and the sea waves broke
waywardly.
A child sat playing with shells.
He raised his head and seemed to know me and said,
“I hire you with nothing.”
From henceforward that bargain struck in child’s play
made me a free man.
BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE
In the first stanza, the poet describes a man who is looking for work. The man cried and asked to be hired while he was walking in the morning on the road filled with stone. Then a king came on a chariot who had a sword in his hand. He offered him power in return for his service. The man felt that the king was not worth much, so he refused the king’s offer.
The second offer came to him in the afternoon when the weather was scorching. He was surprised when he saw an older man with a bag of gold approaching him along the twisted road. The older man thought for a while and then offered him gold coins in return for his labour. The man did not accept his offer as he felt that gold could not buy everlasting happiness.
In the evening, the man saw a beautiful garden full of flowers and a fence of plants. A lady who looked after the garden came out and said she would give him a smile in return for his work. The man found that her smile was for a short time and would melt into tears. Subsequently, he refused her offer also.
Finally, the man reached the seashore where the sun shined on the land, and it seemed as if the sea waves were breaking the boundaries. A child was sitting there and playing with seashells. He raised his hand and said he had nothing to give him in return for his work. The man accepted his offer as he felt that he would not have to compromise his freedom.
The summary and explanatory notes of CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew The Last Bargain poem must have helped students in their exam preparation. They can also improve their writing section of the English paper by practising essays on different topics such as essays on women’s empowerment, republic day, the constitution of India etc. It will also help them in fetching more marks in the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions on CBSE Class 8 English The Last Bargain
Who was Rabindranath Tagore?
Tagore is best known as a poet and, in 1913, was the first non-European writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
What is a Seashore?
The coastline near the sea is known as the seashore.
What is the importance of freedom?
Freedom is important because it leads to enhanced expressions of creativity and original thought, increased productivity, and an overall high quality of life.
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