The Devil as a relative?

[The crowned one]

There's only so much detail in the cards, though. You do the best you can with the images.

I hit this wall every day.

 

[Thirteen]

There's only so much detail in the cards, though. You do the best you can with the images.

This may be true, but there are 78 cards. We have to ask, if this is about a "forced" marriage, would the Devil be the best card to indicate this? I can think of several other cards that might be better (8 swords, anyone?). Nor can we assume that the connection to this relation is by way of those chains. Maybe she wasn't the one chained. Maybe she was the Devil and doing the chaining.

A Queen/Wands would likely be the one in charge, not the one submitting.

If this is all about contacting ancestors who have passed over, and if we're going to be lose with interpretations, then why not go in the easiest direction? Queen/Wands and Devil would indicate to me a wild woman. Someone who was into a passionate, hedonistic lifestyle, maybe involved with drunks and/or drug addicts. In short, you're looking for the Queen/Wands. That's a passionate, dramatic woman. An actress, perhaps. Certainly someone who might have had affairs and wild times. Who might this person be? Get some suspects, and the reason why the Devil was used to show the relationship might come clear. Might even be obvious given her lifestyle and what happened to her.

 

[Azarial]

I have never met anyone on my dad's side, except for an uncle. But when he was alive, he often told me about a sister he had. She had a lot of mental issues, and often drank while taking her prescription pills. My dad always believed that she had committed suicide. She was never married or had any children. I wonder if this could refer to her.

 

[The crowned one]

I have never met anyone on my dad's side, except for an uncle. But when he was alive, he often told me about a sister he had. She had a lot of mental issues, and often drank while taking her prescription pills. My dad always believed that she had committed suicide. She was never married or had any children. I wonder if this could refer to her.

Not a bad fit. What do you think, conscious mind aside?

 

[Azarial]

Well, I think that logically if you compared The Devil to her lifestyle (minus I don't know if she went from man to man, or if she partied alot or anything like that.) it would fit. I can see mental disorders fitting under The Devil, along with alcohol abuse, possible suicide. I guess you could say that she would have been chained to her demons. It seems like it would fit. She died fairly young, I think she was in her twenties.

 

[The crowned one]

Then you have answered your question!

 

[wordwitch]

perhaps it is the black sheep of the family...someone who believes differently or lives a more freewheeling lifestyle?

 

[celticnoodle]

I have never met anyone on my dad's side, except for an uncle. But when he was alive, he often told me about a sister he had. She had a lot of mental issues, and often drank while taking her prescription pills. My dad always believed that she had committed suicide. She was never married or had any children. I wonder if this could refer to her.

this is how I immediately thought of the devil card when I read your first post. I did read through and liked the other answers also, but I think I would be more inclined to reading the devil as a person who had to battle with mental issues, or possibly was a drug abuser. however, I also like the answer of a forced marriage. while there may be other cards to indicate the idea of a forced marriage, this card also fits that possibility well. don't forget that as little as 50 years ago, many women felt they had no choice but to marry the man their parents chose for them--and especially if they had become pregnant.

 

[minrice]

Huh, this is a very interesting thread. I didn't respond at all early on because I was stumped and had no idea. Very cool.

 

[Kenny]

I would have said that this card represents a person who binds the querent--depending on the location of the card in the spread--or is bound to the querent in some way.

Other suggestions, maybe not for this reading though:
It could stand for two people madly and deeply in love.
Unhealthy attachment to a particular person.
Unrequited love.
A crush (for example between a school boy and their teacher).