Touchstone Tarot ~ The Queen of Swords

[stargazer]

Touchstone Tarot ~ The Queen of Swords

This Queen looks like she could be Billy Mitchell’s (of Eastenders fame) evil twin sister!

Here is a woman who is intelligent and quick witted.
Her tongue can be as sharp as the sword she holds, she’s not afraid to tell it like it is!

She is sitting bolt upright as if her corset has been laced so tight that she can scarce draw breath. This to me, seems to indicate self-discipline.
She has a look of determination about her that I find very appealing, its as though she’s just made her mind up about something and nothing and no-one can change her mind or sway her from her path…
I for one wouldn’t dare to try it!

She looks like a force to be reckoned with and I can imagine her being a hard and unforgiving woman if crossed.

 

[Nemia]

For me, the easy identification with the English queen interferes in this case with the interpretation of the card. When I see her, I see Queen Mary, and my mind goes on a tangent about her tragic childhood, her ambivalence towards her siblings, her intolerance etc.

In other cases, the historical image of the person doesn't disturb me in this deck, but this is the one card where I find it a bit too much. I'm missing the objectivity and fairness of the Queen of Swords. I feel that Mary's strong partisanship doesn't suit the bill.

Nevertheless, this is a strong image of a woman who is no longer in her youth but still active in her life. A woman of strong convictions, a certain bitterness, and a certain inflexibility.

This card works for me when I disregard the concrete person.

http://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/queenmary.htm