The First Doctor Tarot, Season 1

This is kind of a random miniseries of posts, just because the idea popped into my head one night recently while I was having trouble getting to sleep. I'm not actually a believer in divination of any sort, but I am nevertheless interested in much of the symbolism involved - and I do believe that Jan Woudhuysen got it right when he said that the tarot can be used as a mirror to give our conscious minds access to the subconscious. Basically, how we interpret a spread of cards can give us insight with no mysticism required.

This, however, isn't even going that deep. It's just a bit of fun to see if I can match up cards to serials.

The observant reader will notice that there is a fundamental problem with this, namely that there are 29 Hartnell serials and only 22 Major Arcana. What I have done is to add in the ten sephiroth of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life (which has been associated with the tarot since the days of the Golden Dawn), giving 32 possibilities; I've then split serial A into the first episode (An Unearthly Child) and The Tribe of Gum, and added the two Cushing movies. Simple.

On to the tarot associations, then, with a few comments. Enjoy!

A(i). An Unearthly Child: The Fool
Meaning: Beginnings, Innocence, Spontaneity

It is, of course, virtually compulsory to begin any tour of the Major Arcana with The Fool; but fortunately, in the figure of the unearthly child - the version of Susan that disappeared from the program all too soon - we have the perfect representation.

A(ii). The Tribe of Gum: The Magician
Meaning: The Trickster, Skill, Resourcefulness

The Magician is the next card, and happily matches up well with the figure of the Doctor in the rest of serial A. What else could the man who brings fire to the tribe and transports his kidnap victims through time be but a magician?

B. The Daleks: The Chariot
Meaning: Triumph, Control, the Will

Surely a chariot is a kind of travel machine? And the daleks are all about control.

Dr Who and the Daleks: Hod
Meaning: Splendour

This is the first of the non-tarot associations. What is most different about the film version of the story for many people, myself included, is that it is in vibrant, startling colour. Hence, splendour.

C. The Edge of Destruction: The Moon
Meaning: Illusion, Anxiety, Insecurity, the Subconscious

Seriously, with those meanings, do I need to say anything?

D. Marco Polo: The Emperor
Meaning: Order, Authority

The overt reasoning is obvious, but the story is also all about authority, about who is in charge.

E. The Keys of Marinus: The Hierophant
Meaning: Patience, Analytical Intelligence

I mean, good grief, those Marinusians have patience in abundance! And there's a fair degree of analysis going on, particularly during The Velvet Web and the last couple of episodes.

F. The Aztecs: The Empress
Meaning: Sensuality, Fertility, Abundance

I could go on about how the Aztec blood sacrifices were to keep the gods happy and keep the land fertile and abundant; but really, let's be honest, it's all about Barbara as Yetaxa.

G. The Sensorites: Chokhmah
Meaning: Wisdom

This is a cerebral story, and it's not too much of a stretch to read it as being about wisdom, who makes use of it, and who doesn't.

H. The Reign of Terror: Gevurah
Meaning: Severity

In contrast, this serial starts with the Doctor chucking out Iananbarbara in a fit of pique, in the midst of a particularly violent setting governed by people whose judgements were pretty darn harsh.

Next Time:
The First Doctor Tarot, Season 2.