Most people have difficulty with these cards, which is why I am devoting a whole chapter to them. (You will also find a brief interpretation of the Court cards in the Minor Arcana chapter.) The best way to deal with these cards is to categorize them as follows:
Some Tarot Readers relate the Court cards to hair coloring as a means of identification, thus seeing the Coin cards as people with gray or dark hair, the Sword cards very dark hair, the Wands brown or reddish hair, and the Cup cards fair hair.
I tend to use characteristics to describe each card. I can only pass on my own ideas as to the character of each card, which may help you at this stage, but you must find your own interpretation of the personalities that these cards represent, and make up your own designations for your use.
I have given you the good and bad aspects of each card together, but if you wish you can use upright cards to show the positive side of the card's nature and reversed cards to show the negative side.
This is the kind of man who can be relied upon to do the right thing at all times. If he says he is working late at the office, that is exactly what he is doing. He digs the garden and washes the family car on weekends and he is a conscientious and protective family man. If he won money, he would tuck his winnings away in a savings account. Some people may consider him dull and he can be miserly and overly materialistic. He could also be temporarily down on his luck. This man may be into farming or land and property development. He may actually be the Questioner's bank manager or accountant or the manager of the financial department of her firm or organization.
This man is kind, pleasant, warmhearted, friendly, and fond of romance. His advice is worth listening to, but he may be too lazy to give much practical help. Artistic and creative, he doesn't measure the value of anything by money alone, but he makes sure that he, himself, has all that he needs or wants. He is a loving family man whose happy, humourous nature makes him nice to live with, but he could be weak and silly. Sometimes this card is an indication that a man in whom the Questioner is interested would be happy to offer her friendship, but not a fully-fledged relationship.
This man is a good communicator and may work in sales, teaching, or journalism. He is very helpful in a working environment, but possibly reluctant to commit himself to an emotional partnership. He is great fun to be with and is full of enthusiasm for life. He could be a highly successful negotiator, a glamorous figure who travels and mixes with interesting people. He may be something of a confidence trickster and a bit forgetful when it comes to duty and responsibility.
This man is clever, serious, and intellectual in outlook. He may have a career in one of the professions. His personality is strong and he is, generally speaking, quite dependable in both business and personal relationships. His judgment is good and his knowledge extensive, which makes him an excellent advisor. He may be a tough, determined, rather bullying type who could, in the long run, turn out to be too selfish and aggressive to live with. Alternatively, he may be withdrawn, sarcastic, or even rather bigheaded, with an inflated opinion of himself.
This lady is practical, reliable, and conscientious. She is very caring towards her family, but may be a bit undemonstrative. She is a sensible and capable businesswoman, possibly involved with work with land, property, or gardens. She needs material comforts and will fight hard for her share of the family wealth in the event of any kind of dispute. If a woman were being difficult over money, perhaps in a divorce situation, this card would turn up (reversed) in the reading.
This lady is soft and gentle, loving and caring, or she may be lazy and selfish. She is artistic and will create a beautiful home and garden for herself and her family. She needs to be kept in comfort and not required to work too hard. She loves her children and is a good and loving companion. This card may well indicate that the Questioner will soon have a very good friend who really listens to her problems.
This lady is businesslike, highly sexed, and warmhearted. She may be too busy and too temperamental for some tastes. Her career is important to her and she may take on the major financial responsibility for the family. This card turns up when the Questioner would be advised to adopt a very businesslike approach to life.
This lady is clever and competent, but may be a bit too cool-hearted for some tastes. Her emotions are strong when they are aroused and she never forgives and forgets. She needs a meaningful career in order to be fulfilled. This lady can be immensely helpful to the Questioner or, conversely, a real bitch.
The Knights are traditionally supposed to be young men, although Tarot Readers often see these cards as representing young people of both sexes. Another very common meaning is of a mature man who is less important to the Questioner than a king would be. He may be a colleague or a friend. Sometimes a Knight card that follows a King of the same suit in a reading suggests that a man is decreasing in importance to the Questioner, while a Knight that is followed by a King suggests that a man is increasing in importance. Remember that the Knights often represent situations rather than people.
The following is the traditional way of looking at the Knights both as persons and as situations.
A cautious, materialistic young man. He is reliable, dependable, and rather serious, but possibly a bit dull. A business matter could take off now, or there could be some travel in connection with business. The Questioner could develop an interest in land, farming, or money-management.
A kind, friendly young man. He is artistic, romantic, and loving, but possibly somewhat weak or unreliable. The Questioner will make some new friends soon, and she may travel in connection with friends.
A cheerful, busy young man who travels in connection with his work. He is great fun, but could also be a bit of a liar. This card might indicate travel in connection with work, and it can also denote an important visitor from afar.
This may represent a clever, intellectual, ambitious young man. Alternatively, this card could suggest an aggressive and slightly crazy guy who invites trouble. The Questioner may soon need to deal with people from the legal, medical, or other professions. The card might indicate the arrival of a man who brings trouble, or possibly excitement, into the life of the Questioner.
These can be children and young people of both sexes. Alternatively they can show either the first glimmerings of a potential relationship, or the very end of one as the person in question fades away out of the Questioner's life. Remember that these minor Court cards often denote situations as well as people.
If the Page appears to be negative in a reading, a child may be ill or in trouble, or a child may be at the heart of a problem.
A quiet, reflective, rather materialistic, and serious child who is old for his or her age. A small raise in salary or a small matter concerning money, goods, or resources. The beginning of a relationship with a steady type of man.
A sensitive, gentle, loving child who may be artistic or creative. The beginning of a course of study or some kind of job training. A new situation that turns out well. A new friendship, possibly the beginning of a romance.
A lively, cheerful child who can be a bit scatterbrained. A significant letter, phone call, or other form of communication. Beginning of a friendship or romance. Would benefit from writing or broadcasting something.
A clever, serious child who is slightly withdrawn. Possibly a strange or aggressive child. A contract or document of importance. Someone who warns the Questioner about something. The beginning of legal, medical, or some other kind of professional help.
1. If you use cards in both their reversed and their upright positions, you will find that a person represented by a reversed Court card is not being particularly helpful to the Questioner.
2. A most important point is that all readings are subjective and this subjectivity comes from two sources. First of all, you have your own prejudices that cannot help being brought into a reading; and secondly you have the Questioner's point of view to cope with. I have explained both of these concepts more fully in the advice chapter. As far as the Court cards are concerned, the Questioner's point of view must always be taken into account.
For example, if your Questioner is in love with a married man, she will see his wife as an obstacle to her happiness. This is fair enough, but she may also see the wife as an evil bitch. A card such as the reversed Queen of Swords would express this view of the wife. While it's possible that this wife may indeed be an absolute bitch, she may just as possibly not be so, but will be perceived by the Questioner as such, simply because she stands between the Questioner and what she wants (i.e., the husband). If, a week or so after giving this reading, you had the immense bad luck to find yourself reading for the wife, you might find that she, in turn, sees the mistress as an interfering, thieving bitch. The fact of the matter may be that neither of these women is evil or bitchy, but that a greedy amoral man is playing both for suckers.
The facts of the matter may be even more surreal than any of these scenarios, but you are in a position to see the situation only from the Questioner's point of view at the time of the reading; that is, subjectively.