Pride and Prejudice (Pg. 16)

7. “…both like Vingt-uh better than Commerce…” (page 16):

Vingt-uh and Commerce are both card games. People of social standing had leisure time on their hands. They passed this time reading, talking with each other, and playing cards. Some other activities that ladies may have used this time to paint, play the piano, or needlepoint. Men may have hunted or talked about politics. One activity men and women could enjoy together was to play cards. Vingt-uh is known as black jack or twenty-one in our language (vingt-uh being French for twenty-one) and Commerce was more complicated and kind of like poker. Austen is pointing out that Jane and Bingley are spending time together playing cards and having dinner and because of this some people speculate that Mr. Bingley is developing feelings for Jane. This would be very beneficial for Jane as Bingley has enough money to provide for her. These passages help the reader to understand that the Bennet women may have had some social standing but they would not have anything after their dad died. This made a relationship with someone who had money very desirable because it would provide for the girls.

Krueger, Beverly. “The Card Games of Jane Austen.” Eclectic Homeschool Online. 2007. 25February2010. http://eclectichomeschool.org/articles/article.asp?articleid=559.