From “elegy written in a country churchyard” by thomas gray  the curfew tolls the knell of parting day, the lowing herd winds slowly o’er the lea, the plowman homeward plods his weary way, and leaves the world to darkness and to me.what major observation does the speaker make in the first stanza? the speaker sees a tired field worker slowly going to work. the speaker observes the end of the day as life winds down and darkness sets in.

The speaker observes the end of the day as life winds down and darkness sets in.

The main idea of the first stanza is not just the plowman going home. The speaker also talks about the bell signaling the end of day and the cows moving off. It's important here that the title contains the word elegy. An elegy is a poem about someone who has died, their eternal darkness setting in. The speaker is setting the tone of the poem as one of reflection and darkness.