The 1987 Exam: Essay Question #1

            Leisure allows people to relax and release themselves from daily duties. George Eliot compares the true meaning of leisure with leisure in the society of her own time. She uses stylistic devices like personification and imagery.

            “Old Leisure” was free from politics and “undiseased by hypothesis.” “Old Leisure” is described by Eliot through the use of imagery, for example, “He lived chiefly in the country, among pleasant seats and homesteads, and was fond of sauntering by the fruit tree wall, and scenting the apricots when they were warmed by the morning sunshine.” “Old Leisure” was a “man” of peace and relaxation on weekends, he “carried a great deal of beer or port-wine.”
“Old Leisure” is also described through the use of personification, for example, “He was a contemplative, rather stout gentleman, of excellent digestion.” “Old Leisure” is described by Eliot to dictate the connotation of leisure which differs with leisure in the society of her own time.

            Leisure in the society of her own time is “gone,” there was never any relaxation in the Industrial Age; everyone was working 24/7. Leisure in her won time is described through imagery, for example, “Leisure is gone- gone where the spinning wheels are gone, and the pack horses, and the slow wagons, and the pedlars, who brought bargains to the door on sunny afternoons.” “The ingenious philosophers tell you that the steam engine is to create leisure for mankind” yet, leisure is nonexistent in society during most of the 1800s due to the demand of mass production of products. Leisure in the society of her own time has been relinquished from daily life to the huge demand for work in the 1800s.

            George Eliot compares the true meaning of leisure of “Old Leisure” to leisure in the society of her own time. Eliot uses stylistic devices like personification and imagery to convey her views. “Old Leisure” was a man of Zen without the constant meditation but, the main message was “Old Leisure” knew how to relax unlike the people of the 1800s. Leisure in the society of her own time was nonexistent and was replaced by labor which dominated people’s free time.