Bohemian Gothic--Four Swords

Thirteen

Continuing on with filling in cards that were never discussed....Framed by a stone arch, a youth draped in red cloth lies atop a stone coffin in a vaulted crypt or Cathedral. He seems to be sleeping (?) peacefully. His head rests on a pillow, a hint of gold cloth or light coming out from under it. propped on his legs is a naked sword, and perched on the hilt of that sword is a raven. The raven is staring at the youth.

This card seems to have drawn from a variety of wonderful references. There is, of course, a nod to the traditional RW 4/Swords of a man lying on a coffin: The original RW image goes back, itself, to knights on crusade who had coffins made for them in case they died. If they came back alive, they'd lie in the coffin meditating on the second chance they'd been given. The card itself, signifies rest and solitude.

Then there are the "sleeping" and dreaming references: the famous Nightmare Painting with a nightmare/dream perched on the sleeper, the myth of Selene and Endymion, and also a reference to Morpheus, god of dreams (in Spenser's the Fairie Queen, Morpheus is described as sleeping in a cave surrounded by poppies--the red of the cloak suggests those).

And, finally, there are the raven references, from Poe's raven, to Odin's messenger ravens and the Irish war and death goddess Morrigan, who appears as a crow/raven on the battlefield. In short, this card, deceptively simple in composition, has packed it all in. It shows not only the "rest" of the youth, but also that of someone dealing with blood (the red cloth), battle (the sword) and death (the coffin). Peaceful as the image is, the Raven (like "nightmare") indicates that there is a great deal going on in his dreams. This may be a retreat and a rest, but making peace (eternal peace?) with whatever is within your mind, be it memories, nightmares, guilt, fears of morality (or immortality?), or facing off with the supernatural is not so simple.
 

Flaxen

Thirteen said:
Peaceful as the image is, the Raven (like "nightmare") indicates that there is a great deal going on in his dreams. This may be a retreat and a rest, but making peace (eternal peace?) with whatever is within your mind, be it memories, nightmares, guilt, fears of morality (or immortality?), or facing off with the supernatural is not so simple.

I really like this interpretation. Odin's ravens were called 'Thought' and 'Memory' which is particularly apt for a swords card. Even when we sleep and are apparently resting, our mind is busy working through the day's events and dragging things out of our subconscious. It hints that we can never truly rest when our minds are in turmoil.