Despite its reputation as an ancient art like palm-reading or astrology, the Tarot is only a little older than Shakespeare’s plays. The illustrations of early Tarot decks used religious and literary archetypes to impart meaning, which made it enticing for spiritual guidance and cartomancy in addition to its originally intended use as a card game.
We may never know if Shakespeare used the Tarot himself, but the famous Rider-Waite-Smith imagery and The Bard's plays share a fascinating universality of themes and recurring archetypes. Here are 10 examples from The Bard's most popular works:
Ophelia is often described as the most tragic character in Hamlet in no small part due to her own lack of agency in the narrative. The circumstances that destroy her and her family are entirely unknown to her, eventually leading her down a path of madness. The illusions and uncertainty she faces are well-represented by The Moon, as presented in The Shakespearean Tarot.
As one of the most iconic works in Western literature, Romeo and Juliet is so full of incredible lines and imagery that it has a tarot deck of its very own, Luigi Scapini’s Tarocchi di Giulietta e Romeo. This deck is out of print, making it a rare find for interested Tarot readers.
If we must limit Romeo to one card in the deck, however, The Page of Cups best represents Romeo’s youthful rush to fulfillment in Romeo and Juliet. He exactly embodies the image of the classic Rider-Waite card in the climax of the play when he rushes home after hearing of Juliet’s death, prepared to join her in Death with a flask of poison at his hip.
If the page represents the youth of Romeo and Juliet’s star-crossed lovers, then The Three of Swords represents the tragedy. This card typically displays three daggers through the heart, symbolizing tremendous loss and grief, and exactly paralleling Juliet’s self-inflicted wound with Romeo’s dagger.
As shown in Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki’s The Shakespearian Tarot, Hamlet’s lack of direction and certainty in his own actions make a perfect stand-in for The Hanged Man. Throughout the events of Hamlet, the prince’s need to contemplate paired with his own lack of insight binds him, ultimately condemning him just like the figure in the card’s illustration.
Lady Macbeth is an icon within Shakespeare’s work not just for her role as an ambitious, manipulative nature in Macbeth, but also for the guilt that haunts her afterwards. Despite the weapons she wields, be they words or swords, she is a queen of action who feels deep emotion — something she embodies perfectly as The Queen of Swords in Michael Kucharski’s Shakespearean Tarot.
The traditional Rider-Waite tarot deck portrays The Three of Wands as a man looking out over a mountainside with three wands beside him, clearly contemplating the journey he is about to take. The opening conflict of Macbeth revolves entirely around Macbeth and his decision to act on or ignore a prophecy given to him by three witches, perfectly matching this card’s symbolism and meaning.
Nick Bottom appears as The Fool in Greg Schicker-Taubman’s The Shakespeare Tarot, which may seem a strange place for one of Shakespeare’s most comedic characters. Despite that, Bottom is present in almost every scene of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He is one of the only characters whose actions drive the intermingling storylines forward, demonstrating his agency despite the foolishness of his antics. This is also true of The Fool, who is completely unaware of his own path, influence, or the World around him.
The Lovers are meant to indicate not just romance, but a truly deep connection between two people. They may be married, friends, or even related, but there is no denying that these individuals are meant to stay at each other’s sides. Similarly, Beatrice and Benedict clearly enjoy their rivalry as much as their romance and find true companionship with each other.
While the Two of Cups appears similar to The Lovers in its imagery, the cards have distinct meanings. The exchanging of two cups between a young couple is meant to symbolize the matrimonial bond as well as the everyday responsibilities that come with it. Of Shakespeare’s many couples, this best describes Hero and Claudio, whose story and relationship revolve around a perceived betrayal of their eventual marriage.
Yorick isn’t a subtle symbol of Death; just as Death isn’t a subtle symbol in the Tarot. Despite his lack of stage presence in Hamlet, Yorick has made his way into almost every Tarot deck in this list. He, and his skull, remain a steadfast reminder that the only true constant of life is change.
Among all the decks recommended here, Greg Schicker-Taubman’s The Shakespeare Tarot stands out for its incredible illustrations by Eunice Choi and in-depth use of the bard’s characters. While some decks only connect face cards to Shakespeare’s plays, this deck has a story for every single card.
Claire van Doren holds degrees in English literature and journalism as well as a certificate in LGBTQ+ studies from Arizona State University. She is a volunteer reader for Uncharted magazine, a publisher of genre fiction. Her writing has been published by Inner Worlds, Zocalo Public Square, and ASU News.
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