Oedipus Rex: ATragic Hero
Throughout history, playing cards and card games have reflected us as a society, much as art or music has. They have survived for hundreds of years because of the pleasure in playing the game, their use in gambling and their popularity with royalty. The game arrived in Europe from Eastern Asia, where it originated, mostly through trade routs and migrating peoples. The process of card making became an industry due to the wide spread appeal of card games in Europe. The different suits described the social structure of the time. Although the origin of playing cards is unknown, most evidence indicates they originated in China. Early playing cards were first printed during the Tang dynasty, which was AD 618- 906. Early Chinese money and playing cards were identical and used inter-changeably. Chess was thought to have been a respectable game where as cards were played by disreputable gamblers. One theory put forward states that cards were invented in AD 1120 by emperor Seun-Ho to keep his concubines occupied when he was tired. Another story claims that an Indian matron created them to keep her husband from pulling his beard out, when he was frustrated. Cards were first mentioned in detail, in Switzerland by a monk named John of Rh
The first one, but leas!t likely is they were brought back from China by the famous explorer Marco Polo. This is unlikely because trade with China had ended long before John of Rheinfelden described cards as new. Pique is the French version of leaves. The suit Trefles is similar to the German suit-mark of acorns. Gypsies did not arrive until some forty years after the known arrival of cards, which is in 1377. European suits represented the four ways of life in the medieval time; the church, military, farmers and merchants, and peasants. Card games continue to be popular in this millenium and are now played by millions. The reconstructed deck had 52 cards, with numerals one to ten, the suits of swords, cups, coins, and polo-sticks. It is believed that European cards were copied from such a pack with four suits. The suit of Carreaux has no relation to the German suit bells. It was not until the end of the fifteenth century did packs of cards become more standardized. By the end of the end of the fifteenth century cards were not just for the rich. This is improbable because the crusades were effectively over by 1300. The universal appeal of cards to young and old, rich and poor, in both east and west, is testimony to the enjoyment derived from playing these games.
Common topics in this essay:
Eastern Asia,
Pique French,
Germany European,
John Rheinfelden,
Europe Regardless,
Banks' Chinese,
Shanghai China,
Trefles Coeurs,
Swiss German,
Italy Sicily,
playing cards,
card games,
fifteenth century,
cards suits,
history playing cards,
derived french,
imported cards,
european cards,
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chinese playing cards,
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