AT Comparative Study - C - Eight of Swords

[galadrial]

Ferret Tarot

Symbolism/Imagery: A ferret strains against a collar and leash. The person or object the lead is attached to is "off stage", the focus is on the mighty struggle of the ferret. His claws are out, gripping the surface, and his head is turned away- all muscles are being used to withstand the pull of the leash, which is taut. The collar shows a bit of a gap; I suspect that the ferret will not be in it for long

Comparison: No visual commonalities to the RWS, though the idea of restraint against one's will is clearly conveyed.

Reaction: On the one hand, I applaud his will and determination and believe he will probably work his way free. On the other hand, perhaps he really needs to go to the vet and his struggle and headstrong resistance are not in his best interest. Also, if that is the case, forces stronger than himself will not give up should he temporarily escape and might use even stronger measures to capture him. Then again, if all that is at stake is a stroll in the park, he may win out and spend the afternoon in the closet like he wanted to all along. Perhaps a pause to consider the reason for one's restriction and the consequences of resistance would not be a bad idea.

Booklet: "Resistance is NOT futile. Crisis, conflict, domination, oppression through belief in your own helplessness." By: Elaine Moertl

 

[Melvis]

Leonardo Da Vinci

DESCRIPTION:

A gaunt man clad only in a loincloth of sorts leans with his back against the trunk of a tree. His hands are behind his back -- are they bound? You can't tell. Four swords hover over his head, while two sets of two swords line the right side of the card. The tips of some of the swords are woven among each other like a lattice. The man appears to be standing on the stump of a secondary trunk directly in front of the tree he's leaning on.

COMPARISON:
The figure in this card is not blindfolded, but he's turned his head distinctly to the side, as if averting his eyes. He seems more resigned to his fate, rather than trying to escape but not being able to.

REACTION:
There seems to be an element of personal guilt to this card, especially since the LWB gives the meaning of this card as: "Punishment, Fine. Just penalty for an error committed. Atonement of guilt." So this guys knows he screwed up, and is there willingly, apparently. It's a bit maudlin, but I feel like it's the moment before the firing squad shoots!

This makes me think of the Hanged Man card a bit. It seems to be a person taking a punishment or making a sacrifice because he feels he deserves it, whereas the Hanged Man makes a sacrifice for the greater good, or for enlightenment of some kind.

Peace,

Melvis

 

[hyatt]

Buckland Romani Deck

Symbolism/Imagery: A very handsome knife thrower stands against his target board. On the board there is a human outline. Four swords are around the outline one has struck the person in the left calf - a spray of blood stains the wood and the ground. The thrower holds four more knives. Did I mention how hot this man looks? The sky is grey and it looks like there is snow on the ground. He is wearing a sleevless red vest and blue pants with a red stripe plus a blue bandana on his head. There is a carnaval tent in the background.

Comparison: There is no real comparisons to the RW deck. Perhaps the person that was having the knives thrown at them was blind folded - that would be common. It is different in this deck that the person is actual hurt from the swords instead of just limited by them.**But, I think it is interesting that in most cards you see the person that is feeling the oppression of the swords and in this card you only see the one responsible for the swords**

Reaction: Oviously I like this card because I find the man so handsome. Plus being an art teacher I can't resist saying that the composition is striking. I do think that this card has some real differences from the traditional images but I am found of this deck for that reason too. There will be pain from the situation unlike the Rider Deck. The person put themselves in this situation - they were not forced to play a game and they did get hurt. I feel that one might need to look at the choices they are making and need to make sure that they are not purposfully causing themselves pain or conflict. It was just a leg and not a mortal wound so perhaps the card is saying that it isn't the biggest mistake you could make

Booklet: "Crisis, bondage that is seemingly inescapable, waste of energy."
Reversed:" New Beginnings are possible, release, relaxation,meditation"

 

[mooncat2]

Animal Lords - 8 Swords

Description

A mouse woman appears to be caught in a spider web and is confronting an huge spider. She holds a stick in her right hand.

Initial reaction

She is so focused on the spiders approach that she fails to see that she can quite easily free herself .

Comparisons

No bonds , no blindfold, no swords - not at all like the RW although a similar meaning emerges.
Similar to the Old Path which has a circle of swords but no bonds or blindfold. The same sense of focus on fear inhibiting escape.

LBW - Agreement, economic stability, social achievement - which seems so ludicrous in connection with this card that I wonder if its a misprint.

 

[Sevan]

The Medieval Scapini Tarot

By: Luigi Scapini

Eight of Swords:

Description: A man wearing black pants/ white shirt, caged by swords, sits before a wigged magistrate holding a gavel. On a table nearby, surgical instruments and a blood-filled syringe while "nightbirds" gaze ominously out of the card. The magistrate holds his finger up, scolding or ordering.

Initial Reaction: That of condemnation? Unpleasant as if he is being judged and restricted.

Comparison: a card that focuses on being bound and judged more than the others

Booklet: Crisis, Calamity, Conflict, Domination, Imprisonment, Turmoil, Bad News, Censure, Criticism, Sickness, Calumny

 

[lionette]

Tarot of the Master

This is the first deck to have partially illustrated Minors, before RWS, from 1893.

Imagery - 8 swords, all different. 6 of them are crossed 2 by 2 in a vertical line with ends pointing up, and flanked on either side by 2 longer ones pointing down. A violet ribbon connects the 6 in the center with a bow on each crossing of blades and 2 ends wind upward behind the hilts of the 2 hilts of outer swords. All swords are touched by the purple ribbon.
These seem to be swords of different nations/cultures, both Eastern and Western. There is varying degree of decoration on each sword. 3 are decorated on hilt and blade, and 4 are only decorated on hilt. The remaining 1 in a decorated scabbard of gold and red, with the tip also in red, making it look as if dipped in blood.

Keyword - Test

From LWB - Nothing about the 8

Symbolism - In thinking of the 1 sword on this card in its scabbard of gold and red, the Dictionary of Symbols (J.E. Cirlot) says "The golden sword -- Chrysaor in Greak mythology -- is a symbol of supreme spiritualization." Alchemy symbolizes the sword as purifification. Western swords are thought of as masculine, while curved Oriental/Asian swords are feminine. Violet is the color of magic and psychic purity/protection and the ribbon itself equals connection.

Impressions - The majority of swords pointing up seem a bit like a celebratory gesture. Feels very positive. Thinking of the cards in a suit as a progression, the 8th card of swords would be nearing completion on one's path to intellectual enlightenment. I'm inclined to view this card as a real progression towards spiritual/psychic unity. The single gold sword really glows and stands out in the group, as a person might when they've a clear understanding of Self -- like an enlightened person does.

 

[galadrial]

Fantasy Showcase

Symbolism/Imagery

The card has an all brown background. A woman dressed in brown with wheat colored hair sits with her left hand completely covering her face and her right hand out to the side like one reaching for a stair railing. Eight japanese style swords float about her head without touching her. "Breeze" lines (the artwork is in a cartoon style) are above her head and a single fall colored leaf is just above her head, unseen by her (her head is tilted slightly downwards).

Reactions

She appears temporarily overwhelmed by her thoughts. They hang about her, confused and with a threatening aspect, and she cannot face up to them. Her right hand seems to instintively reach for a support that is not there. The breeze blowing the autumn leaf (the whole card has an autumnal look to it) could indicate that she is paralyzed by the futility of action in a world where "all is vanity and grasping for the wind" (Solomon). Why commit, why strive, when all eventually comes to naught? And why attempt to relate when one can be reduced to pain like this? Or perhaps it signals a fresh breeze that will blow the swords away along with the leaf (symbolising her autumnal mood)- a change in the weather that signals clearer thinking and the ability look up and see her way.

Comparison: She does not look hemmed in by the swords, they merely float about her. She is not tied or blindfolded but appears helpless to move by being overcome with emotion. There is no castle in the background; the only thing in the picture besides her and the swords is the breeze and leaf.

Booklet: Artist: Alexis Gilliland. Meaning: "Captivity of indecision; censure, betrayal."

 

[mj07]

The Cosmic Tarot

This card varies from the usual by including two figures surrounded by swords, a man and a woman. She faces outward but looks down, he has his back to her, also looking down. They are both barefoot and standing in shallow water, it's night. It looks as if they are on a small island or rock in the ocean, water all around them is what keeps themt here (though maybe it's a peninsula, we really only see what's infront of and behind them). They seem to be in an argument and have stopped talking to one another. Self-imposed restrictions. As usual, perhaps they COULD walk out of the circle of swords but are afraid to, or don't know how, or maybe have to wait till low tide to get off the eddy (or whatever it is they're on)!

 

[WooMonkey]

Secret Tarot

Symbolism & Imagery - A woman partially draped is crouched down in the middle of 8 swords planted in the ground. She looks out of the card over her left shoulder. There is some kind of rock formation in the background.

Comparisons/contrasts - The woman is neither blindfolded nor bound, but still appears vulnerable.

Initial reactions - There isn't really so much a constrained or trapped feeling on this card as much as one of fear or apprehension. The woman's posture reminds me of an animal at bay.

LWB - Bewilderment, uneasiness.

 

[mercenary30]

The Egyptian Tarot by Alasia

Symbolism and imagery – The card has art work in two separate places on the papyrus. At the top is 5 similar Egyptian swords pointed up. Below that is two swords pointed up in the second and fourth position, and a third blade crosses behind them pointing left (yours). There are some hieroglyphics on the left side and in the center of the bottom swords. I will again assume that they have not a lot of meaning as I have discovered with other cards. The key piece is behind the lower “arch” of blakes, a crocodile is on a slab. He is pointing to the right and sits there proudly, menacingly displaying his full length and glory.

Comparisons/contrasts with other decks – As with most of the Egyptian Tarot cards this one is nothing like the RWS standard. Sobek was the Crocodile God and he was the eater of souls. The paralyzing fear of him in the afterlife was enough to make people think twice about misdeeds. When you died the gods would weigh your heart and the more misdeeds you performed the heavier your heart would be. If it was found that your heart was too heavy, they would feed it to Sobek, and your soul never got to go to the afterlife.

Initial reactions – The book calls this Sobeks teeth. I recognized the threat that the crocodile depicted, but I couldn’t remember which god it represented. This is one of the cards that I thinks fits the meaning of the RWS Eight of Swords quite well.

Book Notes – A crocodile surrounded by blades, the teeth with which the god Sobek devours souls that do not manage to justify their own actions and that will become filth in his stomach.

Positive: Bad news, inner crisis, censure, impediments, health in danger, inconvenience.

Negative: fatality, betrayal, accident, difficulty.