The Emperor (tarot card)

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The Emperor (IV) in the Rider-Waite tarot deck RWS Tarot 04 Emperor.jpg
The Emperor (IV) in the Rider–Waite tarot deck

The Emperor (IV) is the fourth trump or Major Arcana card in traditional tarot decks. It is used in game playing as well as in divination.

Contents

Description

The Emperor sits on a ram-adorned throne, a symbol of Mars. Another ram head can be seen on his cloak. He holds an Ankh scepter in his right hand, and a globe, symbol of domination, in his left. The Emperor sits atop a stark, barren mountain, a sign of "sterility of regulation, and unyielding power." [1] He symbolizes the top of the secular hierarchy, the ultimate male ego. The Emperor is the absolute ruler of the world.

In astrology, the Emperor is associated with the masculine, cardinal-fire sign of Aries, the domicile sign of Mars which is symbolized by the ram. [2]

Interpretation

According to A.E. Waite's 1910 book, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot , the Emperor card carries several divinatory associations: [3]

The Emperor Keywords

UPRIGHT: Authority, establishment, structure, a father figure

REVERSED: Domination, excessive control, lack of discipline, inflexibility

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References

Works cited

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