The History of the Hermit (Old Man) Card

This is a card where modern versions based on the Waite-Smith deck actually track older historical models quite closely. Although Smith redrew the figure (adding a few little touches like the hexagram star inside the lantern), the basic symbolism is the same as in the Tarot de Marseille and related decks: An old man in monk's garb, leaning on a stick and holding a lantern.

He looks very much like classic portrayals of Diogenes, the Greek philosopher of Syracuse who went out with a lantern in broad daylight, cynically seeking for an honest man. A hermit, of course, is one who lives away from society, usually in pursuit of religious enlightenment. So it is easy to equate his lantern with the light of truth, or perhaps knowledge or wisdom to light his path. His old face, beard, and staff also quickly conjure up the archetype of the wizard, Merlin or Gandalf or countless others. He might also be a holy man or prophet.

If we trace the tarot back to its roots, however, we find a somewhat different intention behind this card. The title given to the card in Italy in the 14th and 15th centuries varied between three alternatives: The Hunchback (il Gobbo), the Old Man (il Vecchio) and Time (il Tempo). All were about equally common and equally early, so there is no reason to give one clear priority over the others. Rather than carrying a lantern, he typically carries an hourglass. He is, in fact, the familiar "Father Time" who is still occasionally trotted out for New Years festivities. In the tarots of the southern tradition, this identification is made very clear. The Tarocco Bolognese shows an old man walking on two crutches, but with wings (because time flies). The Minchiate of Florence shows and old man on crutches, an hourglass nearby, and a stag sitting behind him. The stag, with its long antlers acquired over many seasons, is also a symbol of old age or of time.

Time appears as one of the triumphs in Petrarch's poem "I Trionfi", but further along in the sequence, fifth of the six triumphs. In Petrarch, Fame defeats Death and Time defeats Fame. If the card were an allegory of Time, as seems likely, why does it come so soon in the tarot sequence?

Actually, the card appears earlier in the Tarot de Marseille sequence (inherited by our modern decks) than in the other Italian arrangements. In the old Italian traditions, the card invariable comes immediately before the Traitor (Hanged Man), and seems to serve as a prelude for the "dark cards" that deal with human mortality (the Traitor, Death, the Devil, Fire). This leads me to think that the tarot designer was looking not so much at historical or cosmic Time (as Petrarch was), but at human Time, that is, the onset of old age. This also helps to explain "il Vecchio" (the Old Man) as an alternate title for the card. The third title, "il Gobbo" (the Hunchback) may have arisen as an affectionate nickname based on the figure's posture, or may reflect the idea of infirmities associated with age.

So the allegorical message here is probably that the trumps that come before (Love, the Chariot, the Wheel of Fortune, and usually two or three of the virtues) dominate our youth and middle years, but eventually Old Age overcomes them all, and signals the approach of Death.

This is a somewhat more somber interpretation than is usually given to the card, but it makes sense in terms of the old images and trump orders. Some of the connotations of the hermit figure still pertain, however. Old Age is associated not just with bodily decline and approaching Death, but also with wisdom and knowledge. The Old Man has conquered Love, Fortune, and the others because he has learned from them, and translated them into experience and understanding. It is really no wonder that it is such a short step (substituting a lantern for an hourglass) needed to transform an allegory of Time into a holy man seeking truth. The figure of the old, bearded man embodies them both.

I'm actually a little surprised that this card was never called "Old Age", since that seems to be what it depicts, and the ages of life were a common enough subject in Renaissance art.

 

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Copyright 2000 Tom Tadfor Little