Reine d'Espées (Queen of Sword) - how may it be read?
firemaiden
What a wonderful expression on her face - sort of scornful and mad, disapproving, disparaging. Don't mess with her, indeed!
Moonbow
I wrote this in a thread comparing Justice and the Queen of Swords about a week ago, so I will repeat it here and add to it:
'The Queen looks sad, worried or reminiscing (or all three)... and I can't help thinking that the way she observes the sword and holds her pregnant stomach as well, is somehow connected... perhaps she is thinking of the future king, or worried about it's birthright but there definately seems to be something on her mind.'
In the Conver link given by jmd she certainly seems to have a bitter or avengeful expression, I wonder if this card could represent not just protection of your own, but spiteful planning and jealousy also.
Edited.. Glad to see I'm on the same wavelength as jmd, I must be doing something right!
'The Queen looks sad, worried or reminiscing (or all three)... and I can't help thinking that the way she observes the sword and holds her pregnant stomach as well, is somehow connected... perhaps she is thinking of the future king, or worried about it's birthright but there definately seems to be something on her mind.'
In the Conver link given by jmd she certainly seems to have a bitter or avengeful expression, I wonder if this card could represent not just protection of your own, but spiteful planning and jealousy also.
Edited.. Glad to see I'm on the same wavelength as jmd, I must be doing something right!
kwaw
I see in her, along with the King, a figure of Justice, but also Jeolousy, Sadness, Grief, Distress. She is the sting in the nettle, the heat in the coal, and the immediate response to 'let go' when grasped. She is the warning of danger, to keep away, she is saying 'I wouldn't do that if I were you, you won't like it, but if you must then don't come crying to me when you get burnt, I have no pity for fools.' Or, in a scornful, disparaging but perhaps dissappointed tone, 'I told you so'.
Kwaw
Kwaw
tmgrl2
Fine reflections, so far.
I, too, have seen her as pregnant...In my Hadar, even though two of the other queens have a fullness around the stomach area, it appears that theirs is more from the gown, whereas, this Queen seems to be resting on her child within her womb.
Definitely, a "Don't mess with me person." Single mom??
She is looking to the left, feminine, passive, reflective, receptive, but weilds a red blade (ardor? courage? power?) in her active right hand, as if she feels a need to protect herself.
Hence, a woman who may appear to be assertive and aggressive because of the sword, but who is, in fact, somewhat fragile because of her state and/or condition.
Rigid? Castrating? (the sword as a symbol?)
Also, I am reminded of La Justice who also sits with that sword in her right hand pointed straight toward the heavens. The Queen here doesn't face us straight on, but perhaps, the sword connection to La Justice embues her with a sense of moral integrity, one who respects lasw, finds solutions and can be objective.
terri
I, too, have seen her as pregnant...In my Hadar, even though two of the other queens have a fullness around the stomach area, it appears that theirs is more from the gown, whereas, this Queen seems to be resting on her child within her womb.
Definitely, a "Don't mess with me person." Single mom??
She is looking to the left, feminine, passive, reflective, receptive, but weilds a red blade (ardor? courage? power?) in her active right hand, as if she feels a need to protect herself.
Hence, a woman who may appear to be assertive and aggressive because of the sword, but who is, in fact, somewhat fragile because of her state and/or condition.
Rigid? Castrating? (the sword as a symbol?)
Also, I am reminded of La Justice who also sits with that sword in her right hand pointed straight toward the heavens. The Queen here doesn't face us straight on, but perhaps, the sword connection to La Justice embues her with a sense of moral integrity, one who respects lasw, finds solutions and can be objective.
terri
Sophie
She looks cross, and possibly sad, but the back of her chair reminds me of the back of II- La Papesse, the same light blue, the colour of the Madonna's dress, a spiritual colour, associated to motherhood. The pillars of her chairback also remind me of the scroll-like wings or pillars on either side (but just behind) of the Papess. She looks in the same direction as the Papess, towards the past. Is she regretting her girlhood?
She rests her hand on her pregant belly the way you smetimes see mothers-to-be do. An instictive protective gesture.
To me she is an embodiment of Kipling's verse "the female of the species is more deadly than the male". Because she has a deep knowing, that comes from her sharp mind, from her incipient motherhood; and something you can read in the lines of her face: a kind of wary, proud suffering, that would not exclude understanding, even though you know she would not hesitate to use that sword if she had to. She is deep in thought, and has let her sword slip a little from its upright, ready position (Rusty Neon remarked on the position of her sword in another thread, and compared it to the Justice card).
I don't know why, but am reminded of the character of Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings - fierce, clever, brave, proud, but warm and loving underneath, with a strange spiritual link to her sword. Resentful that she is not a man, too. She was brought up among men and looks down on woman's work. I think if Eowyn were pregnant she might look like this.
In a reading? I like tmgrl's single mother. But also: a time of knowing and wariness, a time for the querent to be closer to herself (and her baby for pregnant women), than to others. A time of mental preparation for a big change or challenge, that includes some difficult moments. She could also indicate a Daddy's girl, someone who was desired as a boy, but was born a girl; she might have been brought up as a boy by her father, despise her mother and has a secret desire to be a man (Margaret Thatcher looms in my mind). Someone who might even repress her feminine side until nature makes her take notice by making her a mother. I wonder if she is not a little resentful of her pregancy? And once she has children, she might prefer her boys.
She rests her hand on her pregant belly the way you smetimes see mothers-to-be do. An instictive protective gesture.
To me she is an embodiment of Kipling's verse "the female of the species is more deadly than the male". Because she has a deep knowing, that comes from her sharp mind, from her incipient motherhood; and something you can read in the lines of her face: a kind of wary, proud suffering, that would not exclude understanding, even though you know she would not hesitate to use that sword if she had to. She is deep in thought, and has let her sword slip a little from its upright, ready position (Rusty Neon remarked on the position of her sword in another thread, and compared it to the Justice card).
I don't know why, but am reminded of the character of Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings - fierce, clever, brave, proud, but warm and loving underneath, with a strange spiritual link to her sword. Resentful that she is not a man, too. She was brought up among men and looks down on woman's work. I think if Eowyn were pregnant she might look like this.
In a reading? I like tmgrl's single mother. But also: a time of knowing and wariness, a time for the querent to be closer to herself (and her baby for pregnant women), than to others. A time of mental preparation for a big change or challenge, that includes some difficult moments. She could also indicate a Daddy's girl, someone who was desired as a boy, but was born a girl; she might have been brought up as a boy by her father, despise her mother and has a secret desire to be a man (Margaret Thatcher looms in my mind). Someone who might even repress her feminine side until nature makes her take notice by making her a mother. I wonder if she is not a little resentful of her pregancy? And once she has children, she might prefer her boys.
tmgrl2
Helvetica said:
Oh, yes, Helvetica...I definitely see Eowyn in this figure...yet Eowyn wished so much to be loved as well. I think she is a wonderful character to allude to when thinking of this Queen! I remember in the movie, Eowyn had looks of longing, sometimes, anger, sometimes puzzlement on her face. She was so capable, yet so NOT like the other women. Must have been lonely indeed to be Eowyn.
terri
kwaw
I relate King/Queen of Swords to Cancer/Fourth house, the protective mother, but also the house of the grave, the end of things [it has been said of some TdM decks the Kings appears to be sitting of a gravestone]. The King represents the Sun at Midnight, Osiris in the Underworld, the sacrificed Tammus, as Isis she is magically pregnant with Horus. Mary as Mater Dolorosa the Mother of Sorrows [whose heart is pierced by the sword, suffering rather than inflicting sorrow]:
2. Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had pass'd.
From STABAT MATER DOLOROSA, full text here:
http://www.ixeh.net/faith/Stations/stabat.html
As not only Mother but Bride of Christ, she represents not only the grieving mother but also widow.
Kwaw
2. Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had pass'd.
From STABAT MATER DOLOROSA, full text here:
http://www.ixeh.net/faith/Stations/stabat.html
As not only Mother but Bride of Christ, she represents not only the grieving mother but also widow.
Kwaw
catlin
To me the Queen of Swords looks like a "Don't you dare to come nearer", full of distrust and suspicion gazing at what may be come from the left side. Kind of Queen Morgause type to me.
