Swords: Observations/Questions

[Don]

In studying the suit of swords, I couldn't help wondering if anyone else noticed something subtle about the 3. It's obvious it's raining in the background, but notice that the swords and heart are actually being bathed in white light from a source that is above and slightly to the right (notice the reflection on the swords).

At first I thought this was just a way for the artist to render a 3D effect on the sword blades, but in studying the other sword cards, I don't believe that's the case. In fact, you'll notice that the heart shades the bottom of the swords from the light.

I'm wondering if this light (and its location) has some significance. What do you think?

[Dawn]

:bulb: Great observation, Don!

A few things that I can note with this card....
http://www.learntarot.com/s3s.gif (http://www.learntarot.com/bigjpgs/swords03.jpg)
The clouds are raining, but, where are the clouds and the raindrops located? Behind the heart, behind the swords, but if you'll notice there is no rain in the foreground. My thought with this is that every cloud has a silver lining. Maybe this union has to come to an end in order for something better to happen. Or, depending on where this card might fall in a card spread, it can be an indicator that IF we were to take part in a specific union / partnership / contract it might prove difficult, if not impossible, and we'd be better off avoiding it altogether. Possibly this union would stifle our own thoughts, communications and truth (swords influence; shading on the bottom of the swords after they have passed through the heart).

Everyone, please feel free to jump in and start picking apart the symbolism in these cards; there is so much to learn and observe that it really helps to get several views. If a picture is worth 1,000 words then a tarot card is easily worth a million:laff:

[Pam]

Picking up on the lighting is a good catch. :) Pamela Coleman Smith was a set artist in the theater, and would have used light as a medium itself.

Here's another bit of RW tarot symbolim trivia: How many of the cards are set on "stages" like the 10 of cups? What does it mean (if anything) that she painted the stage at all?

[Dawn]

Pam, as I read your post I thought of Shakespeare:

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages."

Very interesting! I was thinking how cool it would be if there were 7 cards but I found the following 14 that appeared to be set on a stage:

2 Pentacles
4 Pentacles
6 Pentacles
8 Pentacles
5 Swords
2 Swords
7 Swords
4 Wands
9 Wands
10 Wands
2 Cups
4 Cups
10 Cups
Page of Cups

Well, 14 is divisible by 7, meaning that we would "play" in two scenes each, suggesting reincarnation? Yeah, I am totally reaching on this one.:D What's your interpretation?