Twinn Swan

The Emperor archetype represents someone whom we most likely never knew and will probably never know. Not personally, anyway. The Emperor often represents a famous person, a world leader or even a legendary figure. We all have a few such people in our life from whose stories we have drawn great inspiration. Even though we may never get the chance to know them personally, they have inspired us with their stories, their teachings and their life journeys.

Each culture, each country and each institution likes to tell stories of such individuals, even long after they have passed. The role that the Emperor archetype plays in your life will be one that no one will ever be able to replace. When you are unsure of what to do and you haven’t a friend in the world, perhaps it is his voice that you will find immortalised in the pages of a book or archived in some dusty corner of the internet. When all seems lost, he will be your guide.

For many people, the Emperor is a figure that is seen as cold, detached and unemotional: a traditional patriarchal figure. That, is, indeed, one attribute of the Emperor, but it is a one-dimensional one. When it comes to public figures, it is important to remember that the persona is not the person and that once we do meet this larger-than-life person, they will, in many ways, be no different to you and me.

Authority

In democratic societies, individualism tends to runs high but in traditional societies, groupthink tends to prevail. In my experience, the Emperor archetype is a bit passé in more democratic societies. We tend not to see as many of them in societies where individualism, egalitarianism and populism are valued more than structure, hierarchy and order. It all comes down to what works in a particular cultural context.

The Emperor is the kind of leader that we tend to see more in traditional and hierarchical societies. Authority is one of the keywords that tends to come up with the archetype. This is the kind of individual who has, not only the final say, but also the power to veto any decision that is made by anyone who is junior to him.

In a more democratic style of decision-making: one man, one vote. In a traditional society, this is not an ideal. Rather, the ideal is to allow the man at the top to make decisions that will benefit the group as a whole. People who do not and cannot fall into line will find it very difficult to live in such societies for they often find themselves either ostracised or completely ignored.

A Powerful Spouse

Generally speaking, the Emperor signifies a powerful male. When the Emperor appears, it usually necessitates that an individual has–or will soon–come forward to shoulder a great burden that will benefit the lives of others.

The Emperor can appear when someone who was once in a position of authority offers to help you in some capacity. He is someone who is protective over those whom he considers ‘his people’ and whose spirit will be sensed when one is going through a crisis that needs a firm and decisive hand.

The Emperor is the archetypal father figure. He is the leader and the authority figure. He will want what is best for his children and will do everything that it takes to protect them. A partner to the Emperor can expect a loving husband and a devoted friend. Underneath his tough exterior, there does lay a generous, compassionate and kind soul who will not reveal this other side of himself to just anybody. If you have been privy to this side of him, know that he trusts you.

If his partner were to pursue a career or a business, the Emperor archetype would not try to stop his partner from doing so. At the same time, he would be perfectly fine if his partner decided to be a stay-at-home mum. He would adjust himself accordingly for to him the stability and strength of the relationship is more important who is playing what role for he knows that these roles will, indeed, change over time.

WORK, WORK, WORK

The Emperor represents a disciplined and responsible person who will do whatever it takes to succeed in what they set out to do. They will find it hard to work under the leadership of someone else because they will see all the individual’s shortcomings. The Emperor is an individual who will insist on nothing short of immaculate work and will not work with you or even delegate to you if your work no longer meets their standards.

When the Emperor works towards his goals, he gives his full concentration and focus to the tasks that have been handed to him. He does not let anyone or anything distract him from his vision and his goals. Due to this, he is almost always given the responsibility to lead. If he has teammates who do not agree with his decisions and ideas, he will listen to see if their arguments have merit. At the same time, he knows that the best decision is the most difficult and unpopular one.

The Emperor is excellent at dealing with a crisis or a chaotic situation. They will begin by not panicking when there is a problem, regardless of how terrible the problem is. Their first instinct is to take it upon themselves to start putting everything in order.

They can be intolerant towards people who hinder their plans. When it comes to dealing with obstructions, they can be ruthless in getting rid of them. Do not go against them for they will not forget it and you can be rest assured that they will enact their version of justice when the time comes.

DECLINE

But as we all know, no one can ever stay in power forever. If you have become famous and are used to be being looked up to, remember that not everyone may feel the same way about you, especially people who did not benefit from your way of going about doing things. In a hierarchical system, too much pressure is present to work with the system and follow all the rules. Not everyone can or will be able to fall into line all of the time.

Another reason why someone with a long streak of success can suddenly fail is due to the presence of severe distractions that has led them to perform badly in their recent projects. Are you struggling or have you been struggling to concentrate on your work properly? Is a mental or physical ailment the issue? If so, do consider taking some time out to heal and get better before you return to work.

This card can also indicate the presence of an overbearing boss who is making your life miserable. They will try to control your every move and will not give you the credit that you deserve for a job well done. If this is your life, do look around for there may be alternative options present that you have not yet considered.

FAMILY MAN

When it comes to love, the Emperor will most likely commit to one person and be content with the decision he has made. As he is more career-focused, his partner should respect and be tremendously proud of the career that he has chosen for himself. He may even choose to be married to his work till the right person comes around. At the same time, once he is married, he will not want to get a divorce. When problems do arise in the relationship, he will do what it takes to ensure that the family continues to function as a unit.

As a spouse, the Emperor represents someone stable and dependable. He can be an anchor in your life both emotionally and financially. While in some situations, it can represent an older male coming into your life, in most cases, it is symbolic of a mature man who knows what he is looking for and will not be interested in playing the field.

All in all, the Emperor represents a strong spouse, a committed leader and a hard worker. If that’s what you like, there will never be a dull day with the Emperor archetype.