YENTL – “YENTL”

“Learning is my whole life!”

Yentl is a young Jewish woman, who lives in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, and who pretends to be a man in order to be able to expand her religious education by attending an all-male congregation. By doing so, she gets involved in a strange love triangle.

Her Sun is in Sagittarius, the Moon is in Libra, and the Ascendant is in Aquarius.

The Sun in Sagittarius (“What more do you want? . . . More!”) reflects an opinionated, confident, and mentally explorative idealist; one who wants to understand the mysteries of the universe through reading, studying, and sharing her knowledge with others. Yentl’s extreme passion for religion and philosophy, two of Sagittarius’ major interests in life, is a dominant feature in her personality. However, it must be noted that there is so much more Sagittarian energy in this horoscope that only adds to the sign position of the Sun and contributes to the characteristics above. (More on that later.)

The Moon in Libra emphasizes the native’s need for another, a partner in life, whether romantic, educational (her father, Hadass), business, or friendly (Avigdor); one through whom she can experience her individuality. The Moon in the 9th house emphasizes one’s need for knowledge and expansion of the mind through travel and/or constant study. Also, one was possibly born overseas and/or makes a home abroad at some point in the life. (Yentl eventually emigrates to America. This is also expressed by Moon sextile Jupiter.)

Aquarius Rising points to an extremely independent spirit (additionally shown by the Sun in Sagittarius), a rebellious nature, and an unusual, nonconformist approach to life. It also highlights orientation to groups and friendships with like-minded people. Uranus, the ruler of the chart, as well as Saturn, the traditional ruler of Aquarius – both in the 12th house – reflect a connection to hidden and unseen elements in the life.

In addition, there are four standouts in this chart that must be addressed:

1. Neptune – The Most Elevated Planet
2. Jupiter – The Apex of a Kite
3. Mars – The Handle of a Bucket Pattern
4. Venus – her sign position, house placement, and aspects

Neptune in the 10th house is the most elevated planet in this horoscope. Any planetary placement in this domicile is usually the most visible upon one’s first glance at a chart, and rightfully so, as it emphasizes one’s highest place in society, her profession, and reputation. Neptune represents illusion, dreams, fantasies (as in film, advertising, fashion), inspiration, healing (as in counseling, the helping professions, volunteer work, charities, rescues), and creativity and artistry (as in filmmaking, dance, photography, painting) on the public and professional levels. But it also reflects deceit, lies, and over-idealization. Therefore, Neptune in the 10th house can be expressed through one or more of the careers mentioned above, but may also point to public scandals, disillusionment, betrayal, and disappearance from the public eye.

Neptune is not only the most elevated planet in Yentl’s nativity – conjunct the MC – but it is also semi square the Sun – urging her to put a veil on her true identity, conceal who she really is, withdraw from the world, and ignore boundaries – and square the ASC, which is manifested in the woman’s false personal portrayal and camouflaging her true persona, as well as in an evasive behavior toward her immediate environment. Neptune’s prominence in this chart emphasizes the 12th house Stellium (Neptune is the ruler of the 12th in the natural wheel), as well as Uranus and Saturn, the rulers of the chart in the 12th, and Saturn, the ruler of the 12th in the 12th.

The formation of a Grand Trine exists in this horoscope between the Moon, Saturn, and Mars. This configuration is regarded as a highly harmonious and benevolent influence in the life of the native, but one that is also dormant: Although the energy is flowing, it is not really motivated to act, creating a passive individual, who is happy with what life has given her without any desire to improve upon that harmonious energy. The three separate trines of which this configuration consists simply offer a relaxed inner state through their element and take away any struggles or friction in this regard. A Grand Trine in any element in its most simplistic form offers great potential, but not much drive to execute it.

An Air Grand Trine represents an individual whose mental faculties work at full force. One is curious, extremely eager to learn, constantly gathers information and exchanges her knowledge, and is mentally insightful, open-minded and objective. One’s reality is simply created in and perceived through the mind. Yentl’s Grand Trine (Moon in Libra in the 9th trine Saturn in Aquarius in the 12th trine Mars in Gemini in the 5th) expresses, in one of its manifestations, flowing (trines) communication (Gemini), through a hidden (12th house) partnership (Libra) with her father (Saturn); one that had been ongoing throughout the woman’s life until his passing. When (at least) one of the planets in this pattern is in opposition with another planet, friction is created and forces the potentials within the Grand Trine to activate themselves in the world. When this occurs through a Transit and/or Progression, this effect is rather temporary. However, when this opposition is existent in the actual natal chart, the activation keeps recurring throughout one’s lifetime. This opposition creates the Kite Configuration, and in Yentl’s horoscope it is shown through Jupiter’s opposition to Mars: Jupiter is the Apex of this Kite and as such, holds extreme power within it.

Jupiter in Sagittarius is Dignified in its own sign and hence extremely strong in its effects, in positive ways (jovial, enthusiastic, optimistic), or not so much (overly confident, idealistic, and excessive). Jupiter in the 11th house has high ideals, feels comfortable in group situations and contributes its beliefs on a large scale and/or to society. Associations with a religious congregation, as it is expressed here, could be one of Jupiter’s manifestations in the life when in this domain. As it is part of a Sagittarius Stellium, Jupiter highly emphasizes the expressions of this sign and adds to the Sagittarius Sun’s core being. (Jupiter would have taken away from the Sun’s expression or add its own energy to it if the Sun were posited in another sign altogether. But here it simply feeds the Sun and exaggerates the expressions of its sign.)

The top part of this horoscope – the Southern Hemisphere – contains all but one planet within 126°. Mars in Gemini in the 5th house is totally separated from this grouping and acts as its handle. It is also in exact opposition to its midpoint, at 6° Sagittarius, very close to Jupiter. This singleton planet – Mars – is activating the wedge.

Mars represents masculinity, independent action, assertiveness, and courage, but also impulsiveness, conflicts, and aggression. Mars in Gemini is very sharp, alert, and quick-tongued. It is interested in many subjects and stores a lot of information within it. Gemini is a very cerebral sign position for the planet of action, and one tends to act on her thoughts and ideas without thinking too much of the end results, while possibly even losing focus at some point and not finishing what was started. (In the end, Yentl abandons everything and relocates.) As the Handle of a Bucket Pattern (all planets but one are very close together, while the singleton planet is in opposition to the others), Mars obviously points to Yentl’s impulsive decision to change her feminine looks in secret and join an all-male religious congregation. Mars is the driver of this chart, and its expressions will always lead the native in her life path to satisfy the needs expressed by this pattern. The native’s life period shown in the movie presents but only one manifestation of this Planet’s behavior.

While analyzing a female’s chart, I, personally, always make a point to check the status of her Venus, the planet that represents her femininity. Here, Venus is placed in Yentl’s 12th house, which in this case, reflects a possible hidden and/or blocked expression of her feminine energy. Venus is also locked between Pluto and Uranus, not an easy Venusian state, to say the least, no matter the house or sign placements. Uranus’ energy is unusual, genius, eccentric, and unpredictable. Pluto’s energy is intense, complicated, jealous, and transformative (through the process of emotional, psychological, and/or physical deaths and rebirths). This conjunction is manifested in Yentl’s unusual (at the day) marriage to a woman (Venus-Uranus), as well her involvement in a complex love triangle (Venus-Pluto); two examples that are a perfect reflection of this intense triple conjunction. And the Moon’s square to these three planets adds emotional complications that are related to this Stellium’s expressions.

A hard aspect between the Moon and Venus in a female’s chart points to issues between her emotional needs vs. the way she relates to her femininity and expresses herself as a woman, among other things: Having a strong need to expand her education (Moon in the 9th) and doing whatever is necessary in order to be able to express this need in the restrictive environment in which she lives – like concealing her femininity – is quite a good example of Venus’ hard aspect with the Moon, in combination with the two outer planets mentioned above. 

It must be noted that Yentl’s expression of her feelings is quite undeveloped, as Neptune in Scorpio (a generational planet) is the only one placed in the Water element in this horoscope. The Moon in squares to the 12th house planets in Capricorn (reserved) and especially to Pluto (controlled) only add challenges to the woman’s difficulties in showing her true emotions. And even though she feels (she is human after all), the expressions of these feelings are set aside and not revealed easily by the individual. The scene in which Yentl exposes her true identity to Avigdor and verbalizes her love to him perfectly reflects these emotional difficulties. (Moon trine Saturn holds back and even adds an air of coldness to the expressions of one’s emotions. Moon sextile Jupiter adds inner optimism and inspiration, but here it also fuels Yentl’s need for knowledge. She is expressive and enthusiastic, but toward her studies, not people.)

Venus’ other hard aspect in Yentl’s chart is the quincunx (150°) to Mars, which among other things, is manifested here in the woman’s sacrifice, adjustment, and compromise of her femininity. (The quincunx is described by Astrologer Steve Judd as “an itch that can’t be scratched.”) Also, too much independence within love relationships can be manifested; a complex between assertion and cooperation – Yentl eventually leaves the man she loves behind, in order to satisfy her educational needs at the end of this unusual ordeal.

Yentl’s horoscope is extremely dynamic. Had an individual with this chart come to a reading, I would know to expect a very talkative person (Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra, Grand Air Trine), but one who may also have a secret or two that would certainly satisfy my own Mars in Gemini’s curious bone. 🙂 (‘Those people’ tend to take over the reading, so the astrologer must have control and interject in order to give his/her professional point of views once in a while.)

Bibliography:

“Aspect Patterns” – Stephanie Jean Clement Ph.D

“The Combination of Stellar Influences” – Reinhold Ebertin