Have you ever found yourself looking through the court cards in a deck and being completely lost on how you can make sense of them? I mean, they’re all just people right? And you don’t really have much to go on besides their clothes and maybe the background in the card itself. It feels pretty weird to find the meaning of a card in the context of your reading based on just those cues. On top of that, it’s so tricky to think about those damn court cards without getting caught up in just physical characteristics, like gender and age, that may just lead you to very blunt but seemingly random, meaningless interpretations of those cards.

Sound like you? You’re not alone. The court cards within tarot are some of the most difficult cards to get a grasp of. I’ll go through some of the methods that I personally understand the role of court cards during a reading - ways that go beyond the traditional age, appearance, gender and focus more on the personality and situation of the querent.

What Can Tarot Court Cards Represent?

Tarot Court Cards as you or someone in your life

Tarot Court Cards as a role that you play, or an aspect of your personality.

Tarot Court Cards as an event.

That being said, let’s get into the depth of this post and talk about the personalities behind each of the court cards. I find that the best way to approach them is as a friend, as someone to have a conversation with. When you speak with them, imagine yourself in their presence, and allow yourself to visualize how they act, their tone of voice. How do they express themselves? What are they concerned about? What do they say outright, and what do they keep quiet? What are their intentions? 

The Pages: Court Card Personalities

There’s a feeling of innocence and naïveté to all the pages. They approach the world with an almost childlike wide-eyed demeanor - as if seeing the world for the first time. They want to take it all in, and they are eager to learn and discover every little thing that comes their way. They are all about exploration, especially in the realm of their suit.

• Page of Wands - excited, imaginative, adventurous, mischievous, bold, confident.
• Page of Cups - dreamy, sensitive, innocent, filled with deep emotion, dramatic.
• Page of Swords - bright, nervous, filled with anxious energy, vigilant, chatty, curious.
• Page of Pentacles - studious, well-mannered, focused, diligent, quiet, perfectionistic.

The Knights: Court Card Personalities

You can usually recognize the knights when you meet someone that is extremely enthusiastic about demonstrating the powers of their suit. These characters are excited and devoted, but usually *so* eager to prove themselves to the world, that they tend to go to extremes. Think of the standard “hero” archetype. They’re often pretty memorable characters, with good intentions, but their source of energy is also their biggest weakness.

• Knight of Wands - hot tempered, reckless, impulsive, doesn’t think things through, fearless.
• Knight of Cups - moody, charming, dependent, romantic, idealist, trouble seeing reality.
• Knight of Swords - aggressive, ambitious, sometimes manipulative, controlling.
• Knight of Pentacles - responsible, hard-working, finance and career driven, workaholic.

The Queens: Court Card Personalities

The queens have a deep understanding of their suit. Unlike the kings, who use their knowledge of their suit to act on the world, the queens use it to develop their inner self. They have a mature understanding of both the strengths and weaknesses of their suit, and are able through quiet reflection and gentle expression to help others see those qualities within themselves.

• Queen of Wands - independent, easily excited, lively, feisty, determined, passionate, sincere.
• Queen of Cups - sweet, empathetic, intuitive, compassionate, sensitive, soothing
• Queen of Swords - intelligent, guarded, sharp, seductive, careful, mysterious, reserved.
• Queen of Pentacles - patient, business-savvy, nurturing, practical, loves the familiar.

The Kings: Court Card Personalities

In the tarot court cards, the king has the role of using the powers of his suit to create external change. They have mastered it for a practical use, unlike the queen, who has mastered it by understanding. The kings are usually are quite balanced in the way that they handle situations, with a knowledge of how their suit affects others, both in positive and negative ways.

• King of Wands - passionate, courageous, brave, energetic, funny, leader
• King of Cups - caring, creative, spiritual, big-hearted, warm, controlled emotions.
• King of Swords - rational, communicative, disciplined, distant, aloof, careful.
• King of Pentacles - provider, generous, hard-working, stable, family-oriented.

What is a Tarot Significator? How does it work with Court Cards?

You may have heard of a tarot significator, which these days I’m finding it rarer and rarer to see. It’s basically a card we pull out of the deck prior to the reading, traditionally from the court cards, used to represent the querent. Now that you’ve gotten a basic understanding of court cards, try to apply them in your life by using significators. 

Though not necessary for many readers, I do find that it helps me think and be more aware of my current moods, feelings, and situations, lending some more depth into the reading on how I affect the energy of the reading. And personally, since I believe that all magic is essentially about deep self understanding, it’s important to me to know how I factor into the world around me.