The Alternative Lord Of The Rings Tarot (Cardiff University Pagan Society)

The Alternative Lord Of The Rings Tarot

By Nicholas Phillips

Some of the Tarot readers out there may be familiar with a certain tarot deck featuring characters from Tolkien's famous works, (The Lord of the Rings Tarot by Terry Donaldson and Peter Pracownik). Some of you may also be aware that it is not regarded very highly among Tarot readers and LOTR fans alike. The concepts used in the Major Arcana occasionally work well but many are superficial and there are many better choices for some of the cards. This led myself and Kim to think of alternatives for the majors that made sense to us. I have listed them here (along with the names used in the published deck) and descriptions of why we chose them. See if you agree!

The Fool - Frodo

(originally Gollum in the published deck)

Frodo is the adventurer, the inexperienced quester who is it at the centre of the journey. His quest is both an inner and outer one, as he struggles to take the ring to Mount Doom, whilst inwardly contending with the experience and problems this task brings with it. Gollum is less appropriate as he makes no real transition in character. The plight of Gollum is in fact just one of the possible ways that Frodo's burden may take him.

The Magician - Aragorn

(originally Gandalf)

Although Gandalf the wizard is the obvious choice here, he is not necessarily the best one. Aragorn, the future king, has all the resources he needs within him to succeed, and is in control of the situation around him. He is a ranger, a fighter, a leader and protector. A notable point is that he also has the role of healer towards the end of the book and is seen as a semi-divine being, often using what one may describe as 'Divine energy' in what he does, just as the Magician does. Gandalf, we felt, is more appropriate to characteristics of later cards.

The High Priestess - Galadriel

(originally Eowyn)
Galadriel is more suited to this role because she has wisdom and intuition. She is mysterious and beyond the comprehension of mortals. Her mirror shows Frodo a vision of the future how it could be. She represents the twilight of the Elven peoples and prefers wisdom and acceptance to absolute power. Eowyn does not seem to fit this role at all.
The Empress - The Shire

(originally Belladonna Took, Galadriel, and Rose Gamgee)
The Shire is mother to its inhabitants, the hobbits. It provides for them, is always fertile, and represents safety and comfort. The fact that this card is illustrated by a place rather than a person highlights the poignant fact that there is no real mother figure in the whole story. The obscure choices in the published deck are supposed to represent the three aspects of the Goddess, but it is unclear which is supposed to be which. Also, it is often said of the Empress that she represents the Goddess of the Land, or the Land itself, not necessarily a person. Another suggestion is Sam: even though he is male, he embodies nuture and care for Frodo all through his journey. He cooks for him, looks out for him, loves him, and even takes on Frodo's burden when he believes Frodo to be dead. The Mother can be found in all things: not just women.
The Emperor - Elrond

(originally Elrond)
Admittedly this is a good choice for the Emperor. Elrond is a father figure to Aragorn as well as a ruler. He is fierce and proud yet fair and protective.
The Hierophant - Gandalf

(originally Saruman)
We felt the choice of Saruman was too negative here. Gandalf is a representative on Earth of the Gods (The root word for Hierophant is 'hierophany', meaning 'manifestation of God' in Greek) and is a mentor to the Fellowship. According to the LOTR Tarot, The Hierophant "courts dark and secret powers" and is glory seeking. We felt this was a misinterpretation of the card. The Hierophant seeks to educate, not to hoard power for himself.
The Lovers - Aragorn and Arwen

(originally Aragorn and Arwen)
This is another choice we were happy with. As well as being the obvious couple in the book, they represent balance: male and female, man and elf. Their reunion at the end completes this. Some say that the Lovers card is about choices, and within the story of Aragorn and Arwen we find this: Arwen has to choose between going to the Grey Havens with her people or staying in Middle Earth with Aragorn.
The Chariot - Last stand at Helm's Deep

(originally Theoden's charge)
The Battle of Helm's Deep is an appropriate setting for the Chariot. We felt rather than just being about Theoden's last stand it should include the arrival of Gandalf and the Rohirrim which helps turn the tide against the onslaught of Saruman's army.
Strength - Eowyn

(originally The White Tree)
Eowyn exemplifies the need to draw on inner strength, to seek out the inner animal nature and use it without surrendering to it. Eowyn is courageous in the face of an uncertain future. The White Tree of Gondor, it seems, only represents the might of men, and is not a great example of one at that. The kingdom is on the brink of destruction and its stewards are failing. This we found to be a rather odd choice of image for Strength. The choice of Eowyn for this card also has the added bonus of looking like the traditional image of Strength: a maiden wrestling with a fierce beast. In the Return of the King Eowyn slays the Witch King's fell beast, not through bodily might but inner courage.
The Hermit - Tom Bombadil or Bilbo

(originally Tom Bombadil)
We agreed that Tom Bombadil was an appropriate choice here, but Bilbo also fitted this archetype. Tom Bombadil lives in self-imposed isolation and is unaffected by the sway of the Ring. However, Bilbo is also isolated and is a scholar and, unlike Bombadil, does not completely turn from the outside world. He draws maps of Middle Earth and collates its history. Bilbo also, like the Hermit, acts somewhat as Frodo's guide, having given him the desire for exploration at a young age.
The Wheel of Fortune - The Fellowship of the Ring

(originally The One Ring)
The Wheel of Fortune represents the hand of Fate and although the Ring is good symbolically for a wheel, it does not illustrate the diversity of possibility that the Fellowship has. The One Ring, if placed into the hands of any of the nine other than Frodo could have met a very different fate. Had it been taken by Boromir, for example, it would have gone to Gondor and may consequently been reclaimed by the Enemy.
Justice - The retaking of the Shire

(originally the Oathbreakers of Dunharrow)
Although the original image depicts atonement for past mistakes, the meting out of Justice is far better exemplified in the Hobbits who have to reclaim their lands from evil men. It involves the re-balancing of the natural order of things. The Hobbits replant trees after The Shire has been industrialised.
The Hanged Man - Gandalf

(originally Faramir over the funeral pyre)
The choice of Faramir here is a particularly strange one. He does not embody self-sacrifice; he is in fact being sacrificed by his deranged father. Nor does he die and be reborn as Gandalf does after his fight with the Balrog. He returns with a different perspective on the World, as Gandalf the White. The Hanged Man can be seen as a 'Dark Night of the Soul' leading to spiritual enlightenment: something Gandalf goes through during this fight.
Death - Theoden

(originally Gandalf's fight with the Balrog)
Although the cycle of death and rebirth is present in the original image, we felt that the theme of Theoden in a deathly state under the influence of Saruman and Wormtongue was more fitting. His condition is reflected in the state of the land and he undergoes a rebirth when Gandalf helps him shake off the hold over him.
Temperance - Legolas and Gimli

(originally Frodo's mercy for Gollum)
The friendship between Legolas and Gimli embodies the spirit of Temperance. The balance between the elf and the dwarf and the tolerance and companionship that they discover show this. They understand each other's capabilities and limitations. Nowadays the quality of Temperance is seen more as balance than mercy.
The Devil - The Ring

(originally Grima Wormtongue)
The choice of Wormtongue and his poisonous advice is a good one, but is less corrupting than the influence of the One Ring. The Black Riders, once men, were tempted by material possessions (the nine rings). They eventually all fell under the influence of the One Ring and its master, the Dark Lord.
The Tower - The destruction of Isengard

(originally the destruction of Isengard)
This is a good choice, but the reasons given for it in the published deck are a little superficial. It actually represents the ego of Saruman in all of his constructions being swept away. It is the cutting away of the unnecessary and the ill founded.
The Star - The Light of Elendil

(originally Galadriel's ring)
The light of Elendil is the obvious choice for this card. It is the "light in the dark places when all other lights go out." It is what Sam uses to fight Shelob in her dark lair. The ring of Galadriel is far less central to the story, and does not represent hope as the Light of Elendil does.
The Moon - Gollum's guidance

(originally the power of the enemy)
The original imagery for this card is weak, particularly when there is a much better choice in the treacherous path Gollum leads Sam and Frodo on. His guidance is deceptive and not to be trusted, and he continually leads Sam and Frodo from one illusion to another.
The Sun - Aragorn's coronation and wedding

(originally The Shire)
This represents the joyous celebration after the downfall of Sauron. It is easy to forget that there is quite a substantial section after the destruction of the ring. This is the ray of sunshine after the dark times. Traditionally the Sun card signifies marriage, so the fact that Aragorn is married in this card is an added bonus.
Judgement - The Grey Havens

(originally Frodo learning of his task)
The original interpretation of this card lacks the self analysis involved in the card and does not have the feeling of reaching an ending that Judgement usually embodies. The Grey Havens is a better choice because the ringbearers have to judge themselves to discover if they are worthy to pass into the Undying Lands. It is a time of Judgement for all, including those left behind such as Sam.
The World - Frodo

(originally Middle Earth)
Here the creators of the deck used the cop-out image of the world itself, united after the battles. The World card is about endings and new beginnings and Frodo faces this at the end of the book. Throughout the story Frodo longs to go home to the Shire but when the time comes he realises he cannot go home because it will never be the same. He has seen too much of the world to go back to that state of innocence. The character from the Fool card has completed his journey through the archetypal Tarot majors.


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