Loisir public et société à Montréal au XIXe siècle

The author outlines an inventory of the main forms of public leisure in nineteenth century Montreal, and describes the socio-cultural context which shaped these leisure activities. The author argues that during the first half of the nineteenth century, concerts, recitals, plays, panoramas, etc, were part of the cultural life of the Anglophone elite who, through these events, sought to recreate on this side of the Atlantic the cultural activities that flourished in the mother country. Thus, he further argues, the city's Anglophone elite sought to strengthen its sense of belonging to the British Empire. Moreover, he implies, these activities were part of a conspiracy by the Anglophones to attract the local Francophone elite in a drive for ideological collaboration/assimilation. During the second half of the nineteenth century, the author points out, Montreal became increasingly integrated within the North American economic network and thus with the American amusement industry complex which sent its various itinerant emissaries (theater managers, actors and plays, as well as circuses, expositions, etc) on tour. These, he maintains, molded the minds that little by little defined the twin notions of public leisure and entertainment in Montreal.

Loisir et Société / Society and Leisure

Vol. 2

no. 1

101-126

Avril 1979

fr