Much Ado About Edward

One more application of Astrology

By Boris Izraitel

© Boris Izraitel - published by The Astrological Journal, 2012 / The Astrological Association of Great Britain / 03.11.2025

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Since 1920, it has been suggested that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was the real author of the works attributed to William Shakespeare of Stratford on Avon. The case for Oxford's authorship (1) derives its primary support from contemporary records of his activities as a courtier poet and patron of a troupe of players, as well as from the manner in which his life is seemingly reflected in the dramatic and poetic works of Shakespeare.

Though the solution of the Shakespeare conundrum is not easy a task, we will try our best armed with the entire technical and theoretical arsenal of modern astrologer as well as intuition and common sense. The "Shakespeare claim" of Oxford will be our prime focus. To assess the validity of this claim first of all we need to reconstruct the horoscope of Edward de Vere.

Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was born on April 12, 1550, probably in a nunnery near the seat of the Oxford earldom at Hedingham Castle. The exact time of birth is unknown.

However, we have at our disposal a great deal of information about the Earl, at least, enough for good detective work. This should inspire an astrologer to embark on the risky path of rectification.

Oxford’s most detailed biography (2) begins with the following:

The mathematicians that calculated the nativity of this Earl Edward told the Earl, his father, that the earldom would fall in the son’s time.

This looks like a powerful clue, doesn’t it?

After all, if we succeed in restoring the logic of the court astrologers, we will have serious support in reconstructing the Earl’s natal chart.

Examining his cosmogram , we note the Sun square Saturn. This is the only aspect of the chart having a direct bearing on the prediction (an earldom, real estate is related to Saturn). However, by itself, the Sun’s affliction by Saturn with such a big orb (i.e. fairly inexact) is unlikely to urge astrologers to arrive at such a gloomy forecast (even given the misanthropic and fatalistic overtones of 16th-century astrology) Certainly, they ought to have had stronger reasoning to dare assail a father with such a truth about his son and only heir.

To figure out what might impress our mid-16th century colleagues to that extent, our gaze quite naturally falls on the 8th house. One cannot but observe that the 8th house is interpreted quite negatively by old masters (3).

Traditional astrology relates the eighth house to everything very negative, to crisis, death, decay, loss, poison and deadly fears. Such treatment of the 8th house is quite logical if we consider it in terms of a person representing an agricultural civilization. What good can the house, which has nothing to do with earth fertility and even in fact opposes it, yield?

Taking into account that Edward's father died early (the boy was only 12 years old), we can assume that one of the elements of the Sun - Saturn configuration fall in the 8th house.

Now let's leave our 16th-century colleagues for a while and try to formulate a hypothesis concerning a possible rising sign. Once we are talking about the Ascendant, we need to analyze the name, appearance, manners and circumstances of birth.

It is known that the newborn was named in honor of King Edward, who attended the christening. King Edward had the Libra Sun (the Ascendant in Libra?).

Curiously, the name Edward was unusual for the Oxfords and broke with family tradition.

(Uranus near the Ascendant?)

The pregnant mother of Edward de Vere was shocked by the bloody unrest in the vicinity of Oxford Manor which occurred just before his delivery (Uranus in the 12th house near the Ascendant?)

Contemporaries noted the good looks and fine manners of the Earl (the Ascendant in Libra?) combined occasionally with erratic behaviour (Uranus near Ascendant?)

All these features, considered in the aggregate, make a hypothesis about the Ascendant in Libra next to Uranus very consistent.

Let’s check whether other features of character and destiny of Edward de Vere are in accord with our hypothesis.

Throughout his life the idea of honest partnership (hereafter words from the vocabulary of Libra are italicised) was central to Edward de Vere. Further, the Earl was a diplomat, who led matrimonial negotiations with the continental powers on behalf of Queen Elizabeth. It is noteworthy that de Vere always supported the party which advocated the marriage of the Queen; the case of the French heir being alone in this.

Enormous sums were spent on interiors, jewelry, fine clothing (4).

Passion for the arts, especially poetry, permeates the entire life of the Earl. At one point he was even recognized as the leading court poet. Samples of his work indicate heavy Libra overtones:

When wert thou born, Desire?
In pomp and prime of May.
By whom, sweet boy, wert thou begot?
By good conceit, men say.
Tell me, who was thy nurse?
Fresh youth in sugared joy.
What was thy meat and daily food?
Sad sighs with great annoy.
What hadst thou then to drink?
Unfeigned lovers' tears.
What cradle wert thou rocked in?
In hope devoid of fears.
What brought thee then asleep?
Sweet speech, that liked me best.
And where is now thy dwelling-place?
In gentle hearts I rest.

The subject (love) as well as the form (the dialogue) are very typical of Libra. Air signs are inclined to tell a story in the form of Questions and Answers. It is curious that in the second part of the verse the Moon in the Earl’s birth chart is described. The Moon indicates how we meet basic needs - food, drink, sleep. Clearly, if the food is - sadness, drink - the tears, the bed - dreams, the moon is in Pisces.

Artificial behavior, and therefore deceptive appearances are very characteristic traits of Libra:

I am not as I seem to be,
Nor when I smile I am not glad,
A thrall although you count me free
I, most in mirth, most pensive-sad;
I smile to shade my bitter spite,
As Hannibal, that saw in sight
His country soil, with Carthage town,
By Roman force defaced down

Note that the final lines depict the position of an observer – this is very Librian, too.

Were I a king I might command content;
Were I obscure unknown should be my cares,
And were I dead no thoughts should me torment,
Nor words, nor wrongs, nor love, nor hate, nor fears
A doubtful choice for me of three things one to crave,
A kingdom or a cottage or a grave.

The problem of choice is one of the Libra’s main problems, even when the difficulty of choosing is definitely exaggerated.

If we analyze all the available lyrics by Edward de Vere, we see that they are very smoothly rhymed and rhythmically organized (Libra!). Reading these poems, however, we feel that, in contrast to, say, Shakespeare's sonnets, rhyme here predominates over meaning. For the sake of a brilliant form the Earl felt free to sacrifice depth of thought, even if it somehow appeared. All this, of course, speaks in favor of our hypothesis about rising Libra.

Libra rising in Oxford’s natal chart is confirmed even by such details as the following: his first wife, Anne Cecil got Mars in Libra (born on 15.12. 1556 New Style), and at the time of their marriage (26.12. 1571 New Style) Mars was also in Libra.

Now it's time to return to the prediction of the court astrologers and the Sun – Saturn configuration. It turns out that if we put early Libra on the Asc the Sun falls into the 8th house and Saturn in the 4th.

Thus, we have succeeded in creating a version of a chart that employs all the important points of the biography and character. And only now, when we have principal features justified and explained by one consistent version of a birthchart, we can go further to the rectification of events. The full list of events analyzed astrologically could hardly fit in an article of this size. Here are few illustrative points.

• Marriage –December 26 1571(New Style)
• Solar Arc Descendant conjunct Mercury the only planet in the 7th house, dispositor of Venus
• Solar Arc Moon conjunct Descendant
• Secondary progressed Mars enters the 7th house
• Secondary progressed Moon enters the 4th house
• Big trip abroad, meeting King of France – March 6th, 1575
• Solar arc MC sextile Jupiter
• Secondary progressed Sun enters the 9th house
• Secondary progressed Moon enters the 5th house
• Death - July 4th, 1604
• Solar arc MC opposes Pluto
• Solar arc Moon conjunct Neptune in the 8th house
• Directed Saturn opposes Ascendant

Let’s check the resulting chart against all biographical data of our Earl. We obtained the emphasized 9th house containing Venus, the strongest planet of the chart and the 9th house significator - Jupiter. Does such a strong 9th house correspond to reality?

Yes, it does.

Oxford received a contemporary higher education, was well-traveled, knew several languages and played an important role in the cultural life of Elizabethan England. A flow of dedications attests to Oxford's intellectual reputation and his lifelong patronage of writers, musicians and actors. His surname (Vere), by the way, means truthful (quality of Jupiter, 9th house).

Neptune is emphasized in the 8th house (in conjunction with the Sun, dispositor of the Moon). If, as written in medieval books on astrology, Pisces on the cusp of the 8th house means danger from pirates, this danger is even higher with Neptune in the 8th house.

Indeed, on Oxford's return from his first major trip, his ship was hijacked by pirates, who took his possessions, stripped him to his shirt, and might have murdered him had not one of them recognized him. In addition, the financial affairs of Edward de Vere were always in a very confused state.

Another important point is Mars in the 6th house. Edward de Vere was pursued by troubles with servants (Mars rules the 8th house). In one of his fencing-training sessions, he killed a cook. Servants often deceived him, causing significant economic damage: one time, on the streets of London , due to a quarrel, his three servants were killed.

Even Pluto in the 5th house of Oxford’s birth chart made itself felt. Edward de Vere refused to recognize his first child, suspecting that he was not the biological father of the girl.

Now that we have obtained a fairly accurate birth chart of Edward de Vere, we are able to test the validity of the “Shakespeare = Edward de Vere” statement.

If we can find in Oxford’s horoscope indications of: A) literary and dramatic talent, B) tendency to self-denial and secrecy, C) features resembling the characters of Shakespeare's plays, D) resonance with the Great Age of English theater, we confirm the validity of the claim.

A) Literary and Dramatic Talent

First, let’s try to estimate the typicality of the Earl’s horoscope for the birth charts of famous writers. This will, at the least, indirectly show how important writing was for Edward de Vere. For example, one of the key points in the chart of any writer is Mercury. Previous studies (5) have shown that the writer's Mercury is likely to have inherent “Yin” characteristics: a negative sign and house, and which in the case of Mercury is essential, aspects with the planets of "Yin" nature – e.g. the Moon.

Thus, we cannot regard the Earl of Oxford’s birth chart as a typical literary horoscope: Mercury is in the male sign and house, having no major aspects with Venus, the Moon or Neptune ...

The MC of Oxford’s birth chart is in Cancer, and the ruler of the MC – the Moon – is in the 6th house in Pisces. This is not consistent with the dramatist’s and playwright’s activity which requires a strong positive (fire, air) component and in no way can be associated with an emphasized water element. Such a man could, of course, write plays, but it could not be his main activity or vocation.

B) Self-Denial and Secrecy

Now we should estimate the Earl’s inclination to long-term and total secrecy.

Was the Earl a secretive man? Without a doubt: Venus and Neptune are stronger than Mars and Mercury. However, to remain behind the scene for over 20 years of one’s life (not to mention three centuries of history), watching another man reap the fruits of one’s creative work, a simple secretiveness is not enough. A more specific state of mind, is necessary, for example: a clear understanding that this sacrifice will be appreciated by subsequent generations, that physical death is nothing compared with posthumous fame, that the vanity of earthly life is inconsequential when confronting the eternal values, etc.

All of the above, in varying degrees corresponds to a very prominent 12th house.

But in the birth chart of Edward de Vere there is no such 12th house. The 6th house - the house of everyday problems of life - looks much stronger. Moreover, Uranus in the 12th house usually very quickly reveals all the secrets. That is what we can see in the case of the Earl of Oxford: a few times he tried to negotiate deals without the knowledge of Elizabeth I, and each time he was caught out.

Surely, there remains considerations of self-preservation. In this case we must assume that writing plays in 16th-century England was the most terrible crime for an aristocrat. But this is not true. The Earl of Oxford wrote several comedies, which were known to everyone and he was not even punished with a monetary fine.

C) Author Identification

There is a special astrological method of author identification (6). As the entire method could hardly fit in this article, we restrict ourselves to only one element: the position of the planets in the birth chart of the author is directly related to the nature of archetypal personages in his works. Take for instance female characters of Frank Baum. He usually depicts women engaged in high risk, action-heavy activities (“Mary Louise in the Country”). Dorothy (“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”) is a forthright and take-charge character, exhibiting no fear when she organises the rescue mission of her friends. All this corresponds to The Moon conjunct Mars and Venus conjunct Pluto in Baum’s birthchart. (7)

Leo Tolstoy in his novel "Anna Karenina" presented Alexei Karenin (the archetype of Saturn) as concerned with respectability, looking for social approval , which reflected the position of Saturn in the birth chart of Tolstoy in the 7th house in Leo.

Shakespeare is notable for the fact that in his plays the gods (planetary archetypes) themselves interfere with human activities. For instance, Jupiter descends from the sky in “Cymbeline”:

Jupiter:
No more, you petty spirits of region low,
Offend our hearing; hush! How dare you ghosts
Accuse the thunderer, whose bolt, you know,
Sky-planted batters all rebelling coasts?
Poor shadows of Elysium, hence, and rest
Upon your never-withering banks of flowers:
Be not with mortal accidents opprest;
No care of yours it is; you know 'tis ours.
Whom best I love I cross; to make my gift,
The more delay'd, delighted. Be content;
Your low-laid son our godhead will uplift:
His comforts thrive, his trials well are spent.
Our Jovial star reign'd at his birth, and in
Our temple was he married. Rise, and fade.
He shall be lord of lady Imogen,
And happier much by his affliction made.
This tablet lay upon his breast, wherein
Our pleasure his full fortune doth confine:
and so, away: no further with your din
Express impatience, lest you stir up mine.
Mount, eagle, to my palace crystalline.
 
Sicilius Leonatus : He came in thunder; his celestial breath
Was sulphurous to smell:
(Words from the vocabulary of Saturn are in bold.)

This episode demonstrates Saturn influence on Jupiter. Qualities of Jupiter and Saturn are closely intertwined. Nothing like that can be seen in the chart of the Earl of Oxford. Jupiter is strong and has nothing in common with Saturn.

It is very characteristic of Shakespeare's texts that in the gallery of characters there are neither holy men, nor conquerors of the unknown and new territories, though he lived in the century of great geographical discoveries. In Shakespeare there are no demigods and supermen. Shakespeare’s heroes are real people rather than fabulous giants. For Shakespeare, it is absolutely clear that human powers have certain boundaries, that available energy is limited in all its stances, including the spiritual one. As King Lear proclaims: “Nothing will come of nothing.”

This is difficult to match with a strong Jupiter in the natal chart of Edward de Vere.

D) The Soul of an Age

Let’s consider what does it mean to be a soul of the age…

Basically this means to be in resonance with the fundamental energies of the time. In the language of astrology there is a pretty accurate description of such a phenonenon: resonance occurs when the prevailing planetary constellations overlap with one’s natal chart configurations.

English Renaissance drama’s flourishing phase can be identified with the period of about 30 years from 1593 to 1625. In 1593 theatrical performances were resumed after the plague and the ban on mass spectacle, and in1625 a great theatre lover, King James I, died.

The period witnessed the major milestones of Shakespeare’s creativity: 1593 saw the publication of his first poem "Venus and Adonis" - the beginning of his popularity. In 1623, 7 years after his death, the First Folio (the canon of Shakespeare's plays) was published - for the first time all his dramatic works were collected under one cover. It turns out that the period is fully covered by the unfolding of 2 major constellations:

1. Uranus-Pluto wide orb conjunction 1593-1602 in Aries
2. Great Mutation in Fire – Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Sagittarius in December of 1603

The next phase of the cycle began in the year of publication of Shakespeare's canon - Jupiter conjoined Saturn in Leo in July 1623.

At the same period (1594 -96), Saturn and Neptune joined in Leo and Jupiter joined Pluto in Aries.

From the foregoing it is clear that the bubbling energy of the Fire element is the main characteristic of this Age. Individuals freed from the caste and religious conventions came into the spotlight and began to claim their rights. No wonder that the writer's work was cast in the form of direct action - splashed out on stage. Isn’t it surprising that after writing two staggeringly popular poems, Shakespeare completely switched to drama? Observing the ways the theatre operated in this period leaves no doubt as to the dominance of the fire element:

1. performances mostly were given on sunny days;
2. the action of a play seems to have been completed in two hours; there were no long waits, the rapidity of action hastened by the lack of scenery or furniture;
3. the stage was a platform projecting into the pit, open on three sides, and without any front curtain: all attention was focused on the actor!
4. and last but not least there were no women actors; female parts were taken by boys, and there were rarely more than two female characters in a play.

William Shakespeare’s work manifested vivid fiery overtones:

1. According to a legend Shakespeare wrote his plays at top speed ("nothing ever crossed out and wrote at once utterly")
2. in most plays passions run high, with an overt erotic component
3. the phenomenal productivity of Shakespeare (a play approximately every five months)
4. the speed of bringing the play to the audience was incredibly high – Shakespeare was actually co-owner of the theater which staged all his plays.

The Earl of Oxford has only one planet in the fire element - Mercury in Aries. Neither Uranus and Pluto, nor Jupiter and Saturn aspected each other in the birth chart of Oxford. The key transits of the time failed to make aspects to the sensitive points of his birth chart as well. Thus, the Earl of Oxford cannot be regarded the soul of the Great Age of English Theatre.

It is also essential to note that the type of energy visible in the age did not promote conspiracy. The fire element could take part in a short-term deception, but it just did not have enough patience to carry out a complex and long-term pattern of secrecy. The fire, as we all know, is characterized by spontaneity and openness.

In addition, we must believe that for a long time Edward de Vere had been writing in total secrecy, since de Vere died in 1604 and nine major plays by Shakespeare appeared on the scene afterwards. Such a temporal distance between the writing of a play and its staging is absolutely not in the spirit of the time.

Thus, none of the four points are in favour of the Earl of Oxford.

Conclusion

From the astrological point of view the version “Edward de Vere = Shakespeare” looks implausible.

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Endnotes

1. See, for instance: http://www.oxford-shakespeare.com/
2. Alan H. Nelson “Monstrous adversary: the life of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford”; Liverpool, University Press, 2003
3. This is what one can read in “Matheseos” by Firmicus Maternus: “if the 8th house falls in a feminine sign and if Venus is located on any angle, degenerates are born but their vice is hidden. But if it is located as we said and the Moon is in the first degrees of Pisces, Capricorn, or Leo, the natives will be involved in all vices”.
4. Oxford’s tailor's bills alone, from the age of 13 to 16, totalled some £600 – a huge sum, given the price of a good house rarely exceeded £100
5. See B. Izraitel “The Russian book of charts”; Moscow, 1998
6. In fact the Method is under construction. The work will hopefully be over in a couple of months
7. Remarkably, the Woodman from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” is made of tin, not iron, because F. Baum’s Mars is in Libra, not in Aries

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Images

• William Shakespeare: Cobbe Portrait, Hatchlands Park, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
• Edward de Vere in 1575: Unidentified painter, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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Author: Boris Izraitel

Boris Izraitel was born in Moscow, May 7th, 1960. A graduate of the Moscow Telecommunication College with a Master's degree in Telemechanics , Boris since 1982 was engaged in designing of signal sorting equipment for Medical Industry. In 1977 he became interested in esoterics and later on began to study astrology. Boris is well-known in Russia and other countries of former USSR as the founder of ‘Russian Astrology’ Journal - the first publication for professional astrologers in Russian. A full-time counselling astrologer since 1986, lecturer at Moscow Astrological Academy since 1990 and the author of bestsellers ‘The Complete Guide to Rectification’ and ‘The Russian Book of Charts’ he is also known as the best expert on Shakespeare among (Russian) astrologers and the best astrologer among (Russian) experts on Shakespeare! Boris would be grateful for any comments to: borisizraitel@hotmail.com