11. Analysis

The poem "The Last Bargain" talks about the speaker trying to get hired. But when one delves deep, it is revealed that the poem is all about how human beings, in the pursuit of materialistic things, give up the most important things in life. What values more than money or power is one's freedom and happiness. When one sells himself to a bargain that offers huge wealth and power, he becomes a slave. No matter what he owns after that, if he cannot be happy and have a free mind, it does not matter. The speaker is confronted with money, power and beauty. When one subjects himself to power, he is allowing himself to be treated as a submissive by the other person. This does not strike a good bargain as it favours only one person. When he submits himself to money, he is giving a chance for the other person to disrespect him. When he goes behind beauty, it may soon fade away as it is temporary. When one is not tied to anything and has a free mind, he has achieved the ultimate success.