The Emperor, by imputation the spouse of the former. He is occasionally represented as wearing, in addition to his personal insignia, the stars or ribbons of some order of chivalry. I mention this to shew that the cards are a medley of old and new emblems. Those who insist upon the evidence of the one may deal, if they can, with the other. No effectual argument for the antiquity of a particular design can be drawn from the fact that it incorporates old material; but there is also none which can be based on sporadic novelties, the intervention of which may signify only the unintelligent hand of an editor or of a late draughtsman.
4
Major Arcana
The Father
The Emperor
You build, you protect, you rule. Strength and structure are your foundation, and through discipline, you carve out order from chaos.
Standard: Exercising authority. Defining limits. Directing the flow of work. Communicating clear guidelines. Being in control of yourself and others. Tempering aggressive masculinity with wisdom and experience.
Reversed: Micromanaging. Crushing the creativity of others with a rigid, iron-fisted approach. Insisting on getting your own way. Assuming a dictatorial mindset. Using overt force to achieve your goals and maintain order.
Keywords
Authority
Regulation
Direction
Structure
Questions to Ask
- How does the issue of control or regulation impact this situation?
- What would a compassionate but strict father do?
- What needs more control?
A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot