Regency Reader Question
I was reading Emma (Jane Austen), and I stumbled upon the word rubber… but it doesn’t seem to mean the material rubber or an eraser? It says: “… the husbands, and fathers, and whist-players, who were pretending to feel an interest in the dance till their *rubbers* were made up…” p.334 Do you know what it means?
| Source of Question | Reg Rom Book |
Thanks for the question, Elli!
Rubbers in this context refers to whist, and was generally understood to mean the best two out of three for a total of three games.
As you can see from the cartoons below from the Regency era, rubber was used as a term to imply a three game round of whist.
I found lots of contemporary references from the era (1800s-1820s) referring to “rubber at whist” or generally “rubber” to imply a three game round of whist. Undoubtedly, that is what its being described in Emma…the men waiting for their turn to play cards by feigning interest in the dance.
Kristen Koster has a great primer on how to play whist:How to Play Whist: A Regency Primer by Kristen Koster
Hope that helps! We love your Regency Reader Questions, so keep them coming!
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