IV The Emperor - 'Authority'
The Fool continues his education through the Major Arcana as he moves from the feminine archetype of 'The Empress' to her mate and counterpart, 'The Emperor'. An old powerful symbol of the patriarchy, The Emperor is just as prone to command respect as he is to inspire fear. Numbered 'IV' in the Major Arcana he marks the transition from the nature-based, instinct-driven vibe of The Empress to a more structured, regulated way of life. He also builds the ideal social conditions for the establishment of organized religion that we'll study in 'The Hierophant'.
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| 'The Emperor' from the Infernal Tarot by E. Pollitt |
THE EMPEROR - Authority
KEYWORDS
Leadership. Authority. Patriarchy. Fatherhood. Masculinity. Alpha male. The male gender. Control. Self-control. Fairness. Strength. Resolve. Confidence. Common sense. Stability. Responsibility. Disciplinarian. Conservative ideology. Traditional social structure. Rules. Laws. Regulations. Politicians. World leaders. Bosses. Royalty.
Abuse of power. Tyranny. Dictatorship. Toxic masculinity. Self-doubt. Mind fog. Confusion. Rebellion. Chaos. Extreme rigidity. Lack of empathy. Uncompromising. Unfairness. Extremism. Anarchy. Lawbreaking. Questioning authority. Rejecting the establishment. Feminism. Modern liberalism. Rejecting patriarchy.
THE LIGHT
After the gentle, feminine mother figure of The Empress, the firm, conservative father figure of The Emperor appears. Much like his better half, he's a grounded, stable personality, but that is where the similarities end. While The Empress is ruled by her maternal instinct and nature's cycles, he's more comfortable drafting rules and laws for the benefit of the family, community or society he lords over. He exudes confidence, strength and integrity. He's an upstanding member of society whose dominant personality will inevitably land him in the highest positions of power. He's also a person of extreme institutional privilege.
The Emperor is a leader of men, the typical Alpha male. Unflinching and uncompromising in his role as the supreme authority figure, he doesn't tolerate dissent or deviation from his strictly enforced rules. He can be both respected and feared, yet fair and undiscriminating within the letter of the law. He represents traditional patriarchal attitudes; fatherhood; leadership; physical strength and mental fortitude. Emperor personalities are ideally suited to the world of conservative politics and international affairs, as well as to the corporate world.
The Emperor is the father who demands respect above all else; the one that mothers often use as the ultimate discipline threat: "Wait until your father comes home!". He's also the CEO, boss or supervisor whose authority is undisputed. At his best, he strives to be understanding and fair, while sternly maintaining the necessary order and discipline he believes is essential for a functioning society. All of which perpetuates the 'Father Knows Best', patriarchal mentality favored by previous generations and that still goes unchallenged in much of the world today.
The Emperor's best attributes are an innate sense of what is right or wrong, of what is fair or unfair; vital leadership skills and clarity of thought; confidence and rock-solid strength. In a reading he can call on us to take on more responsibilities; to believe in ourselves; to fearlessly and confidently go for it, whatever 'it' may be. He urges us to grow a backbone and face adversity with courage and integrity. He's a reminder that we're the masters of our own destiny and that we can change and improve our circumstances with every new decision, as long as that decision is made with a clear head and based on solid facts.
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| 'The Emperor' variations. From left to right: The Alchemical Tarot, the Shadowscapes Tarot & the Modern Witch Tarot |
THE SHADOW
The worst shadow aspect of the Emperor is a very dark and scary place. It can be summed up in one word: Dictatorship. In his efforts to control society, an unstable, insecure Emperor is prone to abuse his authority and create too many laws and regulations that infringe on basic human rights. A soul crushing loss of freedom that hinders progress and inflicts untold amounts of suffering and injustice ensues. The line between legitimate authority and outright tyranny is too often and too easily crossed. It's important to always keep in mind that authority can and should be questioned and that father does not always know best.
The shadow Emperor is a warning that we've lost touch with our sense of fairness; that we're out of sync with, or dismissive of, our emotions and those of our loved ones; that better plans need to be put in place to restore peace and balance in our lives. We need to check our privilege and how we use this privilege. We can lack empathy and fall prey to a sense of invincibility and self-importance. It might also be a sign of loss of confidence, instability, involuntary submission and humiliation.
The shadow Emperor is also a call to stand up to authority and speak truth to power. It may be time to fight against an oppressive individual and to restore equality in a relationship or partnership. Paradoxically, a shadow Emperor can become an unexpected symbol of feminism and diminished patriarchy. A reminder to constantly strive to create a fair, equal and inclusive environment at any level of society and in all aspects of our lives.
LITERALLY
When the Tarot turns literal, The Emperor, like The Empress, can signify royalty, a very powerful world leader or socially important male figure.
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| A perfect gender fluid 'Emperor' from the Fifth Spirit Tarot |
TAROT ACADEMIA
One of the most encouraging recent developments in the Tarot community is the emergence of Tarot creators who aren't afraid to not only play with gender stereotypes, but to completely shatter them. Traditionally male archetypes such as The Emperor, while still keeping their basic core attributes, no longer adhere to conventional pictorial symbology in modern decks. The Emperor isn't necessarily depicted as a male figure anymore. Consider the two pictures above: In The Modern Witch Tarot, The Emperor is represented as a clearly androgynous individual. In the Fifth Spirit Tarot, he's the very essence of gender fluidity. Yet both cards still manage to convey that sense of powerful strength and stability that is The Emperor's foundation.
This is a reflection of Western society's progress in acknowledging that gender identity is not as binary as had been previously established. We're witnessing the natural results of a gradual rejection of the old 'Father knows best' trope. Proof that social activism is transforming society into a better, more inclusive version of itself. Like swinging a liberating wrecking ball at the wall of the patriarchy that's been dividing, shaming and putting people into neat little ill-fitting boxes for far too long.
If we analyze these societal developments through the prism of these new, improved Tarot representations, we can't help but marvel at how much art is not only a reflection of society, but also an invaluable ally in its evolution. Comparing these newer versions of the Tarot with older decks, from the old Italian Tarocchi to decks published as recently as 20 years ago, is like travelling through time and witnessing this initially slow progression gathering up tremendous speed almost overnight in recent years.
The Emperor is obviously not the only card where this new phenomenon can be observed, but it is the most effective due to its previous rigidly male pictorial representations. While women have been embracing their masculine side from the early days of feminism, men have had a much harder time openly embracing their feminine side. We're much more used to seeing women in traditionally male roles, or what used to be considered traditional male clothing, than vice-versa. This is finally starting to change and Tarot is but one art form that is helping the process along.
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| More 'Emperor' variations. From left to right: The Tarot of the Masters, the Tarot of Dreams & The Slow Tarot |
AN EXERCISE
The Emperor is the ideal card to ponder important decisions. If you're torn about what the next best step in any given situation should be, try asking The Emperor for advice. Shuffle your cards and find The Emperor in your deck. Remove the two cards right before and the two cards right after it and place them on the table. These four cards will help guide you towards the correct course of action.