Girl on a Ledge & Girl with Beast

[Melpomone18]

I was looking through this discussion group, and I don't believe that I've seen this question raised before (my apologies if it has been), but while getting to know these cards I noticed that there are three different cards that remind me very much of each other in that they each involve a woman standing on the edge of a ledge with a beastie sort of creature next to her: Strength, 4 of Pentacles, and the Queen of Swords. In addition to that there are two other cards that don't show a woman on a ledge, but do show a woman with a lone beast similar to the other three: the Queen of Wands and the 6 of Swords. The thing that I've noticed is none of the male figures are pictured on ledges in the same way The Knight of Swords comes close, but there is, of course, no animal with him. And the King of Pents also comes close, but here, we see a little more below his ledge rather than this general feeling of a void that exists with the ledges in the aforementioned cards. Also, there are no male characters depicted with lone beastlike animals (the guy on the 5 of Cups has a raven, but that's not quite the same. Also, the Count Dracula-Like figure on the Emperor card has a wolf next to him, but they're not alone, there are also a raven, bats, and, of course, the three brides).

So my question is, does anyone else think that there may be a connection here? Is there something fundamentally similar about Strength, the 4 of Pentacles and the Queen of Swords? What role do the beasts in these pictures play? Are they protectors of the women? Pets? Totems? Or familiars perhaps? (Maybe mixtures of all of the above) Or, am I perhaps going off into left field here and making too much of 5 cards in a 78-card deck? As I said before though, the thing that struck me was how similar the cards are and that no males are pictured in the same manner. Anyway, if anyone has any opinions on this I'd love to hear them!

 

[Myrrha]

Melpomene18, that is a very good question. It is helpful to look "across" the deck at cards with similar symbolism rather than always looking at each card separately.

To me, the gargoyles and hulking companion beasts in this deck indicate a certain kind of inner strength and power. They show what happens when aspects of yourself that you deny and see as "ugly" or unacceptable are acknowledged and handled in such a way that they become strengths. This seems to me to be a big theme in this deck.

In the Queen of Swords the ledge makes it seem like she is at the top of her place, defending it from attack. She is up high so that she can have a long and unobstructed view. She accepts her need to defend her ideas, her point of view, her territory and this makes her strong. The woman in the Four of Pentacles is so strong and secure, you can see by the way she caresses her gargoyle. She accepts her need for material security and to hang on to what she has. The ledge could be to show that even here, on a small ledge, she is perfectly balanced and secure.

As to why these cards all show women, maybe because it is not physical strength that is being depicted, but a kind of acceptance and inner strength.

It would be interesting to hear some more ideas.

--Myrrha

 

[Alissa]

ISo my question is, does anyone else think that there may be a connection here? Is there something fundamentally similar about Strength, the 4 of Pentacles and the Queen of Swords? What role do the beasts in these pictures play? Are they protectors of the women? Pets? Totems? Or familiars perhaps?

...no males are pictured in the same manner.

I found this interesting from the moment you posted, but haven't had much chance to respond of late until now. Hmmm, I've pulled the cards, and pawed through the deck for any others that strike me as "ledge" cards.

You know, the Queen of Swords and 4 Pents (maybe Strength, can't tell) look like the same model was used for the piece - and you'll see her, or her twin, again in Queen of Wands, and by golly, I do believe 10 cups as well. But do these cards have anything in common, divination-wise?

Hmmm, I've really laid them out, looked them over and mulled on it... and I sure can't see any linking thread to these cards, and/or their meanings. They just don't gel together in a divinatory group, for me. No "through thread," as they say in acting.

Visually, we see very similar elements, just as Melpomone says. Women. Ledges. Beasts. The Queen of Swords, 4 Pents, and Strength... those creatures often look like architecture, not real animals, to my eye when reading... I dunno why. Queen Wands has a real life pet - a familiar is how *I* have seen the animals in the deck (ravens included). A familiar works together with his Master/Mistress, but remains independant. A familiar is not so much a pet, but a companion, and one who gives assistance when it pleases the familiar, is how I see their role.

Ledges; I've always read those as the Imminent Void, the Universal Yin, the potentiality of the Unknown that the High Priestess knows so well. In the Star, we see an angel pouring 2 urns, one into the clouds from her own ledge. This has read to me in the past as the pouring of personal energy into this potent void, the addition of Yang/Male energy that brings the Yin/Female into action. The ledge is a kind of catalyst... or maybe the indication that a spur for action can be taken.

The Void is waiting at your feet, what you do with that immense potentiality is up to you.

Interestingly, to my eye, the men on ledges suggest a war-like, "preparation-for-opposition" poses to me. The Knight of Swords, King Pents, 7 wands, 9 of swords even - all look like they're getting ready to go kick it on the battlefield down below to me.

(I guess no Tarot conversation about ledges wouldn't be complete without mentioning the Fool's ledge/cliff as well).

 

[Alissa]

I just received a copy of Vargo's new art book, Born of the Night, and there is an entire chapter called "Beauty and the Beast," dedicated to works such as the one we discussed here. Immediately, I remembered this thread, and thought to let others know, should they wish to hear Vargo's own words for individual works, he has now touched on this subject himself!