The soul is stripped of all its trappings before passing through Death's portal. The minds of many must have been opened to the transience and futility of mortal existence. Philosophers have speculated that the awareness of one's own mortality is the source of all true religion, perhaps even the driving force behind all human striving. We seldom acknowledge the fear of death, but it lives with each of us. I think it is the sense of being drawn rapidly, inescapably, toward an aperture through which we know we cannot pass.
Death is when the inconceivable becomes the inevitable.
Mainstream modern tarot interpretation views Death in terms of transformation and rebirth. Perhaps finding a market in card readers reluctant to frighten their querents, Death itself is transformed and reborn in many a contemporary deck, sometimes even approaching cheerfulness. This card returns to a simpler, harsher motif. Perhaps sweeping away the litter collected in the sands of time, the reaper turns toward the viewer with recognition. Beyond lies a desert, unbroken and arid to the very horizon, which is lit by an eerie glow.