CBSE Class 8 English (Honeydew) Important Questions Chapter 4 Poem - The Last Bargain

1. Who is the poet of the poem "The Last Bargain"?
Ans. The poet is Rabindranath Tagore.

2. What did the King offer to hire the speaker with?
Ans. The King offered to hire the speaker with his power.

3. Why did the speaker refuse the old man’s offer?
Ans. The speaker refused the old man’s offer because he did not want to be hired with money.

4. What was the maiden’s offer in the poem?
Ans. The maiden offered to hire the speaker with a smile.

 5. Who finally hired the speaker in the poem?
Ans. A child hired the speaker with nothing.

6. What did the King represent in "The Last Bargain"?
Ans. The King represents power, but his offer failed to satisfy the speaker because power alone could not provide freedom.

7. What is the significance of the old man’s coins in the poem?
Ans. The old man’s coins represent wealth. He thought money could hire the speaker, but the speaker knew that money could not buy true happiness or freedom.

8. How did the speaker feel when the maiden tried to hire him with a smile?
Ans.The speaker was not convinced by the maiden’s offer because her smile soon faded and turned into tears, showing that beauty and charm are temporary.

9. Why did the speaker accept the child’s offer in the poem?
Ans. The speaker accepted the child’s offer because the child asked for nothing in return, and this sense of freedom and simplicity made the speaker feel liberated.

10. What is the central theme of the poem "The Last Bargain"?
Ans. The central theme of the poem is that true freedom and happiness cannot be bought with power, wealth, or charm but come from simplicity and selflessness.

11. Why did the speaker reject the offers of the King, the old man, and the maiden?
Ans. The speaker rejected these offers because none of them provided true freedom. Power, wealth, and beauty are all temporary and do not give lasting happiness or fulfilment.

12. What lesson does the speaker learn from the child in the poem?
Ans. The speaker learns that real freedom comes from not being bound by material offers or expectations. The child, who offered nothing, gave the speaker a sense of simplicity and freedom.

13. How does the poet use the different characters to symbolise life’s temptations?
Ans. The King symbolises the temptation of power, the old man symbolises wealth, and the maiden symbolises beauty or charm. Each of these offers something, but none of them bring true happiness to the speaker.

14. What does the speaker mean when he says, "I hire you with nothing"?
Ans. The child’s offer of nothing symbolises that true happiness doesn’t come from material things or worldly temptations, but from a sense of inner peace and freedom.

15. How does the poem "The Last Bargain" relate to the concept of freedom?
Ans. The poem shows that true freedom is not tied to wealth, power, or charm. The speaker finds freedom when he is hired by the child, who asks for nothing, symbolising that freedom comes from within and is not tied to material offers.

16. Why do you think the speaker was unsatisfied with the offers of power, wealth, and charm?
Ans. The speaker was unsatisfied because these things are temporary and external. He desired something deeper and more meaningful, which he found in the child’s simple, unconditional offer.

17. What does the child symbolise in "The Last Bargain"?
Ans. The child symbolises innocence, simplicity, and freedom from material desires. The child’s offer of "nothing" is the key to the speaker’s realisation that true freedom is not tied to external rewards.

18. Why do you think the poet chose to end the poem with the child’s offer of "nothing"?
Ans. The poet ended with the child’s offer of "nothing" to show that real happiness and freedom come from letting go of material desires. The child’s innocence represents a purer form of life, free from the complexities of the adult world.

19. How does the poem "The Last Bargain" challenge the idea that power and money are important in life?
Ans. The poem shows that power and money, while often seen as important, do not bring true freedom or fulfilment. By rejecting these offers, the speaker highlights that happiness comes from simplicity and not from worldly possessions.

20. In your view, what message does the poem give about life’s true values?
Ans. The poem suggests that life’s true values lie in simplicity, freedom, and inner contentment rather than in material wealth, power, or outward beauty. It teaches that true happiness cannot be bought or bargained for, but comes from a deeper understanding of life’s simplicity.

21. What did the old man offer to the speaker in "The Last Bargain"?
Ans. The old man offered to hire the speaker with his money, weighing each coin one by one.

22. What was the speaker searching for throughout the poem?
Ans. The speaker was searching for a sense of freedom and fulfilment, which he ultimately found in the child’s offer of "nothing."

23. How did the speaker react to the maiden’s offer in the poem?
Ans. The speaker turned away from the maiden’s offer because her smile faded into tears, showing that beauty is fleeting and cannot provide lasting satisfaction.

24. Why did the speaker feel free after accepting the child’s offer?
Ans. The speaker felt free because the child asked for nothing in return, symbolising a form of freedom that is not tied to any material or emotional obligation.

25. What is the significance of the "stone-paved road" in the opening line of the poem?
Ans. The "stone-paved road" could symbolise the hard, structured life that the speaker is walking on, searching for something more meaningful and freeing than the material offers he receives along the way.

Benefits of Important Questions for Class 8 English (Honeydew) Chapter 4 The Last Bargain

• The PDF includes well-structured questions that cover key concepts, themes, and ideas, ensuring a thorough understanding of the chapter.

• Questions are designed as per CBSE guidelines, focusing on patterns likely to appear in exams, boosting confidence and readiness.

• It consolidates important questions in one place, saving students time and effort in identifying crucial topics.

• Answers provided are clear, concise, and easy to understand, making it a valuable tool for both quick revisions and in-depth study.

• By practising these questions, students can improve their ability to frame structured and well-articulated answers, a key skill for scoring high in English.

• Being available in PDF format, the resource is portable and can be accessed anytime, anywhere, on multiple devices.

Conclusion:

The Last Bargain" in Class 8 English (Honeydew) teaches us that true freedom and happiness come from simplicity and innocence, not from power, wealth, or beauty. The man in the poem finds fulfilment only when a child offers him nothing, showing that the most valuable things in life are often the simplest. Vedantu's important questions FREE PDF for this poem helps students prepare for exams by focusing on the key themes and ideas. These questions help students understand the poem’s deeper meaning and ensure they are well-prepared for their studies.

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