The Suit of Swords in tarot has only a few cards that convey a truly negative message; the Five of Swords is one of them. In traditional tarot reading, the Five of Swords is associated with conquest, degredation, and conflict. It indicates a tragic situation that resulted from unfairness and cruelty. The sad, bitter imagery of the Five of Swords represents selfish ambition that ultimately benefits no one.
In the Rider-Waite tarot deck, the Five of Swords card shows a young man with fiery red hair. He is well-dressed, proud-looking, and holding three swords. Two others rest at his feet. Behind him, two men who appear to be in mourning are dressed in tattered, yellow clothing. An ocean and a stormy sky lay in the background, with a range of stone mountains beyond.
The Five of Swords ultimately illustrates abuse and conquest. The character of the card has won the battle, but he can not even carry his spoils-- the unused swords rest at his feet, leaving the losers defenseless. The people who have been defeated wear yellow, the color of cowardice, and their clothes are beaten. The atmosphere of the card is cold and uncaring, yet the sneering protagonist of the card seems comfortable.
The scene illustrated in the Five of Swords communicates a lose-lose situation. Although the subject of the tarot card has won the battle, it is to no one's benefit. Most tarot readers view the Five of Swords as a warning that someone-- possibly the querent of the tarot reading-- is acting with brash and selfish ambition that will hurt many people, yet fail to benefit the person who is acting unfairly. No one benefits from cruelty.
Depending on its specific context in a tarot spread, the Five of Swords may be a warning to avoid people portraying the traits associated with the card, or it can be a warning to avoid these traits within oneself. If the message is unclear given the context of the tarot reading, it is most likely a general warning, to avoid perpetuating unnecessary conflict between two or more people who are prone to behaving unfairly.
When reversed, the Five of Swords card indicates that the querent is in the role of those who have been defeated. He or she is experiencing a sense of mourning or loss because a cruel person has defeated them with an attitude of conquest. It is important to mourn the sense of defeat, but also to move on. The tarot reader should emphasize that the person who "won" did not truly benefit in any way.
