Delicate Balance - The Astrological Chart of Playwright Tennessee Williams
Taking it from the top, Tennessee William's astrology chart shows Jupiter retrograde, the planet of expansion, luck, and fame, conjunct the Midheaven, point of public reputation, within one degree in the sign of Scorpio. This same Jupiter trines Neptune the planet of dreams, art and fantasy, in Tom's 6th house of work and health. With Jupiter at the top of his chart he was destined for greatness. Linked with Neptune in the sign of Cancer it paved the way for his becoming well known regarding the dreams and nightmares from his family life. This aspect may also have conditioned him towards becoming alcoholic as Neptune is wholeheartedly square to Mercury and his Sun. This square can bring severe sensitivity to the mind. Tom would have been very impressionable and delicate mentally. He would have been subjected to lies and deception inflicted from within and without for his entire life. Neptune is positioned opposite Uranus in Tom's first house in the late degrees of Capricorn. This would have created many meetings with artistic, dreamy, poetic and at times deceptive and cunning folks. Tom may have likely been the one who shocked others with his candid wordsmithing and openly homosexual nature at a time when homo-erotic expressions were virtually illegal. This would fuel self deception, increase health issues related to alcohol or drugs and promote eccentric tastes in life. Uranus in the first house conjunct his Ascendent gave Tennessee a most unique and avant garde appearance. He would come across as completely unpredictable, exciting, and ingenious, as he most certainly did.
The deep pain and longing for love so masterfully depicted in Williams plays and the focal point of his life story, can be seen astrologically by noting his Venus and Saturn conjunct and square to his Mars, Moon conjunction with Uranus. This configuration denotes a debilitated love life, feelings of extreme inadequacy resulting in emotional outbursts of rage, anger and feelings of suffocating futility. The combustion caused by the malfeasance of this planetary combination would give rise to an extraordinary drive for love and reward. What then comes in to help adjust these applicants of destruction? The Sun and Mercury in the sign of Aries in Tom's 3rd house of communication and writing, sextile to his Moon and Mars, bringing divine opportunity for courageous expression.
With Jupiter retrograde we can say that he was reluctant to accept the praise that would be his destiny. Though he wanted it desperately, it would be hard to embody for Williams. He may have felt terribly unsure of whether or not he deserved it. Williams had Pluto in the sign of Gemini in his 5th house of creativity and pleasure inconjunct to Uranus in Capricorn in his first house. Inconjunctions are famous for making us feel like we are in a straight jacket, unable to move towards resolving a conflict or change a situation. Pluto in Gemini amplifies the dichotomy of the light and dark sides of ourselves and could have lent itself to the same sex attractions that Tennessee felt. Gemini being a sign that is ruled by Mercury lends an androgynous and double sided tone to the planets that inhabit it. Pluto in the 5th house often brings licentiousness and Williams had been found to be somewhat inappropriate with members of the same sex and especially young men. Though this would have pained him it was also a contributor to the powerful force behind his moody and irreverent characters. Pluto in the 5th house can make us intense about play. If challenged by hard aspect, it is a self absorbed placement that can grown deeply controlling and masochistic.
The placement of the sign Capricorn on Williams Ascendant is the most telling of the nature of his life and world. With Saturn as his ruling planet, this would bring a punishing childhood littered with delays and disappointments. He would have had a voracious appetite for knowledge and learned the most penetrating lessons with Saturn the great teacher governing his entire chart. Sadly we can see why he would have felt so restricted by a time and place barely ready for his inventive, emotional insights. Yet Saturn, being the great teacher that it is, would have assured the playwright of genius and structured his acclaim, for nothing truly great or enduring can be born from 'easy'. Most importantly, Saturn governing Tennessee's chart would give rise to the overwhelming presence of the imprisoning father. A father who would only bring winter and hardship for Tom. And as we see in all of Tennessee's writing, his wrestling with an unloving father, who would never warm or bring the light of the sun, is present within almost every page he wrote. In addition, his mother symbolized by the Moon with Mars in Aquarius, would have come across to him as militant and perhaps secretly fuming and consumed with an internal struggle. She would have been forlorn, unpredictable and unreachable. Aquarius can tend to isolation and feelings of being far removed. Also, in Tennessee's chart, we have the Moon sitting square to Saturn and Venus this would have meant a mother lost in a deep depression combined with an eternal longing for love. Ones planets are both symbols of the people most important to our life story and the description of our own internal dialogue. Tom's own emotional consequence would have held these same qualities. Our parents wounds, do become our wounds that we are meant or given the opportunity to heal. Tom's way of healing these tragic family heirlooms, was through words and the crafting of poetry and plays.
Williams' chart shows a dignified grace and poise and a perfect balance of the elements, earth, fire, air and water. His ability to remain steady in the midst of such vengeful creativity is a testament to his character, creative presence and to the many works of art he made possible.
Here is a link to Tennessee Williams birth chart:
https://www.astro.com/cgi/chart.cgi?wgid=wgeJw9TrsKwjAU_RpB4Rby0FINd3Jw6...
Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day.
Warmly,
Rebecca Wilder
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