Born Under a Charitable Star
How Shakespeare Uses Astrology to Define Characters (And We Can, Too!)
I share a birthday with William Shakespeare. As a result, I’ve always had a fondness for him, even before I really knew who he was. The bard and I were born under a Taurus sun. That makes us, among other things, stubborn, loyal, nature-loving, patient, persistent, and delighting in all forms of art, be they written, painted, danced, sculpted, drawn, played, cooked, acted, or sung. Perhaps that’s why I always wanted to be a writer. That, and being born on Shakespeare’s birthday.😊
Most everyone knows what “sign” they are, like me being a Taurus and my best friend being a Leo, but I didn’t know much more than that until a few years ago, when I found myself on a trip to Greece with several professional astrologers. One of them was Vivi Henriette. She is a writer, artist, and stargazer with a kickass Substack that you should definitely check out, and she is partially responsible for getting me hooked on astrology.
When I say “hooked,” I mean obsessed, intrigued, bewitched, captivated, and determined to learn more. Soon after returning from Greece, I stumbled upon an online translation of The Anthology, a dense and detailed astrological treatise by 2nd century Hellenic astrologer Vettius Valens. I was introduced to the “big three” (sun, moon, and rising sign), the zodiac houses, the aspects (angular relationships) between the planets’ positions in the sky, and the nature of those planets as they relate to the human experience.
Elizabethan Astrology
What really sealed the astrology deal for me as a self-proclaimed Shakespeare enthusiast, however, was a book called The Elizabethan World Picture, by E.M.W. Tillyard. The author makes a compelling argument regarding Shakespeare as an astrologer, positing that the bard had a masterful grasp of the “great chain of being” that placed our earthly existence squarely in the hierarchically-ordered universe beneath the planets and stars. Tillyard claims that most of Shakespeare’s audience were familiar with the ancient form of divination, as modified and interpreted during the Renaissance. Astrology was as much a part of Elizabethan daily life as chamber pots and prayer books.
Astrological and astronomical references appear hundreds of times in Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets, from Romeo and Juliet’s introduction as “a pair of star-crossed lovers” to Cassius’ lament in Julius Caesar that “[t]he fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.”
Yes, those are beautiful and poignant phrases, but astrology offers a writer so much more. Astrology is the workhorse that delivers vivid depictions of personality archetypes drawn from ancient mythology, as translated through the mystery of the planets. It’s an ideal instrument for deciphering and defining characters in a way that imbues them with a depth that goes beyond dialog or descriptive prose. Shakespeare utilized it brilliantly.
As a writer, discovering Shakespeare’s use of astrology was like digging under the “X” and finding buried treasure. Astrological archetypes are a fun alternative to the “character coffee date,” with the added bonus of self-discovery through the lens of the zodiac. For example, a character with Venus in Virgo could signify a perfectionist with unmatched attention to detail. Uranus in Scorpio might indicate an intense and magnetic inventor with revolutionary tendencies. In modern times, there are nine planets and twelve zodiac signs, offering nearly endless possibilities for character dynamics. Simply mentioning where a natal planet is positioned can give a world of meaning to a character (it sounds beautifully poetic, too).
Even if you’re not a writer, the heady world of astrology serves as a guidepost for understanding the people in our lives. If you enjoy storytelling in any form (movies, manga, television, novels, etc.), knowledge of the zodiac might even enhance your enjoyment of a story.
Below is a favorite (and hilarious) application of the astrological archetype, from Shakespeare’s comedy, All’s Well That Ends Well.
Astrology Archetypes
Before we get to the Shakespearean dialog (just in case you aren’t deep diving into Valens, Ficino, or Agrippa), it helps to understand the astrological reference in All’s Well That Ends Well, which is to Mars. According to Valens, Mars represents force, fighting, action, battles, and masculinity. These traits are apparent when the planet is moving direct, and are said to be muted or repressed when it is in retrograde.
The terms “direct” and “retrograde” are based on the trajectory of the planets as seen from Earth. When a planet is moving “direct” (as seen from our earthly vantage point), it travels from west to east through the constellations. However, because of the planets’ different speeds and elliptical orbits around the sun, a planet may appear in the sky to move in the opposite direction (east to west), or backwards, which is called “retrograde.”
This is the best graphic I’ve seen to show “direct” (or prograde) vs. retrograde movement.
Obviously, a favorable Mars placement in one’s natal chart would be ideal for a great soldier. Especially in Elizabethan England, where, as we’ve demonstrated, astrology was well understood and acts of valor on the battlefield had the power to bestow immortality in the annals of history.
All’s Well That Ends Well
In All’s Well That Ends Well, a conversation occurs between Helen (a quick-witted and feisty physician’s daughter) and Parolles (a braggadocio poseur whose struggle to appear important gets him into trouble yet endears him to all).
Parolles fancies himself a battle-hardened warrior, who, against better judgment, agrees to hang up his sword and serve as mentor to the young Count of Rossillion. Shakespeare gives us a few hints that Parolles might not be as full of might and mettle as he claims, but the most amusing indication of Parolles’ character comes from Helen.
In this early scene in Act I, Parolles and young Bertram (Count of Rossillion) have been called to Paris to attend the King of France. Parolles’ goodbye with Helen begins with him in pompous condescension, but through Shakespeare’s clever astrological references, the audience sees both characters’ true natures: Helen as an astute observer of human nature and Parolles as a supercilious sham artist.
PAROLLES Little Helen, farewell. If I can remember thee, I will think of thee at court.
HELEN Monsieur Parolles, you were born under a charitable star.
PAROLLES Under Mars, I.
HELEN I especially think under Mars.
PAROLLES Why under Mars?
HELEN The wars hath so kept you under that you must needs be born under Mars.
PAROLLES When he was predominant.
HELEN When he was retrograde, I think rather.
PAROLLES Why think you so?
HELEN You go so much backward when you fight.
PAROLLES That’s for advantage.
HELEN So is running away, when fear proposes the safety. But the composition that your valor and fear makes in you is a virtue of a good wing, and I like the wear well.
PAROLLES I am so full of businesses I cannot answer thee acutely.
The first time I saw this scene performed live (which, as luck would have it, occurred around the same time I was reading the Valens astrology treatise), I laughed out loud. So much for Parolles convincing Helen that he is a great soldier. She sees right through him, and in doing so, allows the audience to do the same.
Shakespeare’s comedic timing is pitch perfect. The dialog is almost like a knock-knock joke, it’s so effortlessly straightforward.
Although Helen is not fooled by Parolles’ facade, it’s clear that she finds his need to appear important as a harmless, even endearing, part of his personality. It’s amazing to me that we get all of this from a few lines of dialog, thanks to the richness of astromancy.
Shakespeare gifts us with gems like these in many of his works. By studying how he does it, I’m learning to use astrology to develop my own fictional characters – giving them a particular birthday, moon, and/or rising sign, and making character sketches based on astrological archetypes that have existed for thousands of years.
If you’re a writer, do you include this in your storytelling? If you’re not a writer, have you found astrology to be helpful in navigating relationships? I’d love to hear your thoughts!