The curfew tolls the knell of the parting day, The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea,

Question

Explain the passages with reference to the context :

The curfew tolls the knell of the parting day, The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea, The Ploughman homeward plods his weary way,. And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

Answer 1

Reference : This stanza has been taken from An Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard composed by Thomas Gray.

Context : The poet is sitting in a country churchyard. There are men lying ** in their small graves all around the churchyard. The day is going to be ended. The poet is reminded that nothing in life is everlasting. ***** comes to all.

Explanation : In this stanza the poet says that the evening bells are ringing and telling the people that the day is to be over and soon there will be darkness everywhere. The wind is blowing very slowly. The cattle are returning home and they are very eager to see their young ones. The farmer is tired of his whole day labour and he is also returning home slowly. So all these things indicate that the day is going to be over and there will be darkness everywhere. The poet will be left alone.