The Fool Again

The Fool: the good, bad, and dangerous

We can examine the meaning of The Fool card in Tarot from several different perspectives, but this will be mostly about the fool in literature and art. If only we could see the big picture. Imagine

Ship of Fools
Tarot Brian Williams

yourself on the moon right now sitting in your lawn chair looking at the blue ball of earth. What do you see? White clouds swirling around blue oceans and some green and brown land masses. We can’t see any details, but we know it is populated by about seven billion human beings plus millions of insects and other creatures. Many people, civilizations, and wars have come and gone. Kingdoms and regimes have wielded power and collapsed, only to be built up again. Over time, humans have dominated the earth for better or worse to the point where now the worst looms in the background – the ability to destroy the earth with the “atomic bomb.” In the midst of the Covid19 virus pandemic, it seems the earth has to defend itself with stronger storms, fires, floods and nasty viruses. Of course, in Biblical writings, it was “the flood.” When we look at the details of human history concerning the remnants of previous civilizations such as Egypt and Rome, we see and hear all about the foibles of how humans have functioned together, or not functioned together at all. Who is “fooling who?” It seems we are often “fooling” ourselves. Sometimes the fool in all of us is apparent.

“A fools lips bring strife, and his mouth invites a flogging. A fool’s mouth is his ruin

and his lips are a snare to himself.” (Proverbs 18:6-7)

Biblical fools were written about over 2,000 years ago with warnings of misbehavior (see Prov. 12:15). Courtly fools have been portrayed in early European and Medieval literature and art where we see fools who assist Kings but who can also create mayhem.  (see my blog “More thoughts on the Fool” Feb. 2015.) For example, we come across such fools in English literature such as the one in Shakespeare’s “King Lear.”

“Dost thou know the difference between a bitter fool

and a sweet one?” asks the fool of King Lear

Lear says to the fool, “Nothing can be made of nothing.”

The Fool card in Tarot means to begin with “nothing” in usual interpretations. This card represents someone who is starting on the journey of self-discovery by progressing through the life-experience situations exemplified by the 22 Major Arcana where certain lessons are learned. “…it symbolizes a path of ascension through various levels of spiritual attainment,” says Cynthia Giles in her book “The Tarot, History, Mystery and Lore” (Simon & Schuster 1992). The psychological aspects of the cards can be seen as archetypes of human behavior on a spiritual path. The Fool begins in innocence, not knowing anything. In literature, there are various descriptions for the fool as a jester, a trickster, a comedian, a fancy fop, or a clown. So, we see in the play “King Lear,” the courtly fool is protecting the King by watching and sizing up his constituents and giving the King advice. He appears to be a “yes-man,” yet he is the only one who can safely point out King Lear’s faults. He helps confront the tragic results of a King who is imploding because of his defects of character and unpredictability.

“May not an ass know when the cart draws the horse?” says Lear’s fool

A fool can also be the devil’s advocate: a person who challenges the status quo and provokes debate, testing the strength of opposing arguments. He gives unpopular opinions, overstates skepticism and engenders general contrariness. There were whimsical celebrations observed by “fools” in Roman times, known from the descriptions of “Saturnalia Festivals,” which occurred at the time of the Winter Solstice. They held wild parties, marched in bizarre masquerades of irreverence, performed fake orgies, and indulged in gluttonous feasts, all while defying the rules and disrupting order. This trend has continued over the centuries. We get a better perspective of foolish behavior in the woodcut illustrations of Sebastian Brandt’s 15^th century book, “Ship of Fools,” which depicts a “cargo of fools, gamblers, gossips and idlers.” Some of the woodcuts were made by Albrecht Durer. The former Brian Williams, Tarot artist and lecturer, has recently re-interpreted the woodcuts with similar updated drawings based on the Major Arcana. (Refer to Brian Williams, Book of Fools Tarot, Llewellyn 2002) Carnival Festivals of Central European peasants in the 16^th century were depicted in paintings by Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel (in 16^th century Flanders) with scenes of merrymaking and party-goers mocking everything with repugnant fantasy, especially the dogma of the Church. Bosch’s fool is indicated as “The Pedlar or Wayfarer” in the wing of “The Cana Triptych,” and includes a growling dog behind him as a sign of the Devil. He is on the path to salvation and about to go through the “narrow gate “to Heaven (see Matt. 7:13-14). Bosch also portrays the fool in the typical regalia of a fool’s cap and coxcomb in the painting “Lust” part of “The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things.” In contrast to Italian Renaissance artists of the time, Bruegel’s huge paintings illustrated the the everyday life of the peasants, encompassing their outdoor celebrations of Carnival in feasts, foolery, games, music and dancing. Today’s Mardi Gras is a continuation of such folly. These Germanic peasants were defying the rules and order of the governing feudal overlords and their defiance eventually exploded in an uprising referred to as the Great Peasant Revolt of 1524-25, where thousands were killed by soldiers of the local nobles. This was a precursor to the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

Bosch The fool in section on Lust

Bosch The Pedlar

In modern times, we have seen the hilarious parodies and silliness acted out by comedians on early TV shows such as I love Lucy, Laugh-In and Candid Camera. Later, we saw more outrageous comedy from Sanford and Son, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, The Carol Burnett show and Mash, and of course, still ongoing - Saturday Night Live. Those TV “fools” have been pointing out the daily human foibles of modern society every week. But, there is another kind of fool that we cannot ignore - the dangerous fool.

“No one is quite so dangerous as a fool, for nobody can calculate what a fool is going to do.”

(Madeline Montalaban, “The Tarot,” Blandford press 1983)

You may ignore someone’s seemingly foolish behavior but beware of the fool who is in a position of 

power – the foolish King or Queen, Fuhrer, President, Emperor or Dictator. “Oh, they are just being silly,” they say. Such fools can purposely defy logic and reason in a complex subversion of rule of law and order. On one level, the fool can represent fun and comic relief. The “Eccentrics Club” used to meet in London Pubs every month to defy popular superstitions such as walking under a ladder, opening umbrellas indoors and so-on. But on a gloomier level, we are still feeling the effects of deranged fools who have promoted disastrous wars and catastrophic destruction in the past, culminating in the 20^th century Nazi regime in Germany. This warring Nazi death cult of murderous monsters and ghastly ghouls killed millions of people on a huge scale with modern weapons and gas chambers disguised as showers in World War II under the leadership of such a dangerous fool, Hitler. Let’s never forget that this is the hell humans can bring about when they start down the horrific path of the “dark side.”

The fool on another level, can unknowingly uncover corruption and sordid plots, but we must be aware of the shady side of the fool - the twisted trickster who can bring out the worst in people while promoting chaos and disaster. Such fools intentionally defy logic and reason in their subversion of order.  In a negative sense, when The Fool card is reversed in a reading, it’s important that we question them in a realistic assessment of a person’s character. Here are some behaviors to look for:

- Inability to think things through                               - Obsessive exhibitionism

- Lack of honor and responsibility                              - Making up stories and conspiracy theories

- Contrary attitude, looking for a fight                       - Blaming others, passing the buck

- Irrational impulses                                                   - Mania, even megalomania

- Reluctance to listen to advice                                  - Scattered, glib, motor-mouth

- Striking out at critics                                                - No empathy but inspiring mob-rule

- Selfish, egotistical and narcissistic                           - Magical thinking

-  Abuse of power through guile, trickery                   - Inflated view of self

- Lack of integrity and good will                                 - Lying and deceitful, hiding the truth

What happens when you receive The Fool card in a reading?

Tarot Garden Fool
Niki de Saint Phalle

In a positive sense, this could mean you are waking up and starting to do something new. You, or someone you know, may seem to be doing something that appears foolish to others, but never fear, go ahead and try it out.  No matter what happens, one has to be willing to take a chance and jump in to take a risk by trying out a new idea, a new job, a new adventure, a new way of life! You have a whole realm of possibilities ahead of you. Don’t be afraid to explore that creative potential. You, or someone you know, may be acting the fool in sudden rebellion or doing something outrageous, but it may be the right thing to do to get out of a rut or to get off the couch and take a chance. One must hope that it will work out. Your attitude should be to try something new - you’ve got nothing to lose. This means it’s time to accept the challenges this card represents and do something that you have never done before. It’s time to Jump in, to swim, and see what happens. You never know until you try.                       

“Not knowing where he is going, the fool is ready to discover. He is the hero of fairy tales who appears dim-witted but is able to find the ‘Treasure’ where others have failed.”

(Niki de Saint Phalle Tarot cards, The Tarot Garden, Tuscany, Italy)