Western Tarot symbolism
Two of Wands
The figure looks across sea and shore, holding a globe while one staff rests on the battlement and another is fixed. The main text notices rose, cross and lily motifs and compares the figure's dissatisfaction amid wealth with Alexander. It admits that its alternative readings of magnificence and suffering cannot be reconciled. The additional list then gives a specific disappointment for a young woman, using a different convention again.
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In the sources
The card account
LiteraryThe figure looks across sea and shore, holding a globe while one staff rests on the battlement and another is fixed. The main text notices rose, cross and lily motifs and compares the figure's dissatisfaction amid wealth with Alexander.
Comparing the lists
LiteraryIt admits that its alternative readings of magnificence and suffering cannot be reconciled. The additional list then gives a specific disappointment for a young woman, using a different convention again.
Context & interpretation
The active library scan carries L. W. de Laurence’s name and reproduces material associated with A. E. Waite’s Tarot exposition. This entry follows that supplied edition’s card prose and supplementary lists. Historical divinatory assignments and period character labels are distinguished from the pictured symbolism and from independently supported judgements about people or future events.
Original passages
Source 1
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination
he holds a globe in his right hand, while a staff in his left rests on the battlement ; another is fixed in a ring. TheOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Illustrated Key to the Tarot, supplied de Laurence edition; card description, active reader leaf 104
Exact supplied-edition extracted passage actually read; whitespace-normalised quotation anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Image descriptions attributed to printed prose; no new full-plate visual inspection asserted.
- Edition
- IMJ-0149-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0149-E001-P0104
- Original scan leaf
- 110
- Recorded leaf number
- 110
- Current Reader position
- 104
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 2
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination
Tivo.—A young lady may expect trivial disappointments. Ace.—Calamities of all kinds. Reversed: A sign of birth^ Cups. King.—Beware of ill-will on the part of a manOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Illustrated Key to the Tarot, supplied de Laurence edition; additional meanings, active reader leaf 150
Exact supplied-edition extracted passage actually read; whitespace-normalised quotation anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Image descriptions attributed to printed prose; no new full-plate visual inspection asserted.
- Edition
- IMJ-0149-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0149-E001-P0150
- Original scan leaf
- 156
- Recorded leaf number
- 156
- Current Reader position
- 150
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Ace of Wands
A hand from a cloud presents the suit's single stout wand.
Shared source pageEight of Wands
Flying wands carry the numbered suit into an image of swift motion.
Shared source pageFive of Wands
Five youths brandish staves in a scene described as mock combat.
Shared source pageFour of Wands
A garland joins four foreground staves beside a bridge and a house.