Bohemian Gothic Tarot

THE FOOL

Lighter or more conventional meanings

Taking a wild risk * Chaos and the freedoms that accompany it * Throwing caution to the winds * Doing something on a hunch, even though logically it's foolish.

Darker, shadow or more hidden meanings

Refusing to take responsibility * Taking a stupid risk that works out badly * Being reckless and wilful * Going your own way regardless of others * Doing something that is risky to others, not just yourself.

This Fool is depicted as a young man dressed like a jester, who stands in a consciously posed position, balanced precariously on top of a gargoyle high on the roofs of a moonlit town. At any moment he could fall. Yet the scene seems very still, almost suspended in time, so it may be that the fall will never occur.

In tarot The Fool is the outsider card, often numbered 0 to indicate that it doesn't quite belong within the main sequence of the Major Arcana. It represents those times when we don't work things out with our rational brain but instead, on hunch, instinct, impulse or simply on blind faith, do something that seems both risky and illogical. We take a step into the unknown and trust that all will be well. On the positive side, the Fool can remind us that it's sometimes better to go with our gut feeling, even if this defies logic. More negatively, the card can represent a reckless irresponsibility that will lead to disaster.

There are many examples of "foolish" behaviour in Gothic film and literature - the horror genre repeatedly makes use of central characters who go to places and do things that they know to be foolish and risky. Jonathan Harker going to Transylvania to meet Count Dracula, and continuing his journey to the Count's castle in spite of clear warnings by local villagers. Dr. Jekyll undertaking his experiments with his own sanity and soul - while having the education and knowledge to know the risks. Not to mention numerous tales of haunted houses in which characters insist on going looking for ghosts. In tales like these, the results are rarely good, it's a theme of the horror genre that doing anything reckless is likely to have horrible consequences.

Fortunately, in real life things are less formulaic and taking risks does sometimes pay off. This is particularly true when we have a strong instinct that tells us that certain risks are necessary or the best course of action. When this card comes up in a reading look carefully at the cards around it; they can help you to decide whether The Fool indicates someone or some action that is truly foolish or whether it's a sign of "foolish wisdom"; the jump into the unknown that may lead to a positive outcome.

Some further ways to consider this card

Is the Fool shown here a real life person or a shadow or phantom? Does he represent reality or more shadowy hopes and fears?

The Bohemian Gothic Tower card also shows a scene of gargoyles under moonlight and high roof-tops. How might The Tower and The Fool relate to one another in a reading?