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Offering the Fifth; the Emperor  The Emperor represents stern authority, at its most flattering--and unflattering. The noble patriarch, the protective source of security and comfort, the man with all the answers, the 'Defender of the Faith' This card emphasizes tradition, confidence, goal-setting, direction-setting, and the strength of the male in his prime. This is the man who will bring order out of chaos, and do it with a firm hand. This is the man who will provide shape and form to the formless, bring organization and categorization to the disorganized, bring systematic reason to those places where the breakdown has begun. He wages the battle against the darkness of unruly nature. He coordinates. He establishes. He controls. He leads by example and by action. He commands. He is the established order of things. If he represents an actual person, not simply the idea of control, he is generally an older man, in a position of authority, an official with a specific job title who holds a position of strength and skill. He could represent a judge, a police officer, a lawyer, a general, a naval commander. In most decks, the Emperer is seen either looking straight out of the card, overseeing the effects of his actions. He sits on a carved stone throne, his back straight, his carriage proud. He wears a stern, commanding face, and is either wearing royal robes or armor. His eyes meet ours directly without wavering. He is confident of his ability--and his authority--to command. Where the Empress represents a lush, natural fertility, the Emperor represents structured order. Learning Tarot says: "The Emperor represents structure, order and regulation--forces to balance the free-flowing, lavish abundance of the Empress. He advocates a four-square world where trains are on time, games are played by rules, and commanding officers are respected. In chaotic situations, the Emperor can indicate the need for organization. Loose ends should be tied up, and wayward elements, harnessed. In situations that are already over-controlled, he suggests the confining effect of those constraints. "The Emperor can represent an encounter with authority or the assumption of power and control. As the regulator, he is often associated with legal matters, disciplinary actions, and officialdom in all its forms. He can also stand for an individual father or archetypal Father in his role as guide, protector and provider." The Emperor is the nature of authority distilled into human shape. It is up to the querent to decide if this authority comes to help them, or to hinder them. He is the father figure incarnate, the officer behind all desks, the teacher to all scattered souls. The Emperor will maintain his empire...at all and any costs. Post a comment in response: |
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