Italo Calvino's "The Castle of Crossed Destinies" intricately weaves a tapestry of enchanting tales, all shared within two enigmatic environments: a castle and a tavern. In these remote settings, individuals recount their life stories, each marked by profound experiences that have rendered them speechless. The stories unfold through symbolic tarot cards, allowing readers to engage with the narrative and form their own interpretations.

The Mute Storytellers

Within these secluded havens—the castle and the tavern—guests are compelled to share their life narratives. Each character's past is fraught with trauma or intensity, leading to a collective loss of speech. The tarot cards become their chosen means of communication, laid out in sequences that reflect their life stories. The struggle for key cards becomes a central theme, as each tale is vital for its teller, asserting their existence and experiences. The ambiguity of the tarot imagery offers varied interpretations, inviting readers to craft their own versions of the stories as well.

Reimagining Tarot

Calvino's innovative narrative technique transforms tarot from a prophetic tool into a medium for exploring archetypal pasts. By reversing the order of a card series, one individual's story morphs into another's. Each tale is linked, with intersections between stories sparking new narratives and revealing universal archetypes that transcend personal experience.

Examples of Interpretation

Take, for instance, the card depicting the Popess, a nun-like figure, which accuses the Ingrate Knight of forsaking a woman who aided him, thus offending the deity Cybele. When this card is paired with the Ace of Cups, it inspires the Alchemist's tale. The subsequent choice of the Emperor card hints at a prophecy that the Alchemist will become immensely powerful, while the Juggler, alongside the Seven and Two of Coins, suggests a life-altering barter for the secret of gold.

Similarly, the grave quadrangle—Death, Pope, Eight of Coins, Two of Clubs—changes meaning across stories. Once part of the Doomed Bride’s tale, it becomes the foundation for the Grave Robber’s story. His narrative of ascent, choice, and ultimate damnation provides a timeless story motif, underlining the human quest for wealth, power, or wisdom.

Roland's Chivalric Tale

Roland, another castle guest, tells a classic romance through his cards. Defying caution, he enters the forest of love in pursuit of Angelica, a seductive enchantress. His choice leads to madness as he witnesses Angelica with Medoro, represented by the Page of Clubs. Force and lunacy triumph, leaving his once-mighty sword, Durendal, forgotten, while the Moon casts a shadow over his sanity. The series concludes with Justice and the Hanged Man, leaving an open-ended interpretation of Roland’s fate.

Tavern Intersections

The tavern section features its own interconnected tales, with a seventy-eight-card tarot deck adding complexity. Unlike the castle's linear stories, tavern narratives form irregular patterns and overlap centrally, altering the storytelling method. The Waverer, a young man indecisive in love, is portrayed within this format. His inability to choose between brides or paths leads to an existential dilemma, culminating in a celestial confrontation and an encounter with his choice-less double.

Literary Inspirations

The tavern's stories are enriched with literary references, including elements from "Hamlet," "Macbeth," and "King Lear," as well as "Faust," "Parsifal," and "Oedipus." Within this tapestry of tales, Calvino weaves his own literary self-portrait, depicted through a blend of tarot symbols and literary allusions. The King of Clubs becomes the writer with a humble pen, while the Two of Coins signifies language's core: "signification." The Devil and the Juggler represent the balancing act of storytelling against reality, while the Hermit and Knight of Swords suggest the solitary nature of the writer's journey and the need to stay connected with the world.

Calvino's narrative closes with a meditation on alternative storytelling media, suggesting that paintings could convey his life just as effectively as tarot cards. This offers a contemplative view of the writer's restlessness and his quest for understanding through diverse symbols and archetypes.