Astrological factors must also be considered, especially what is known as the
relocation horoscope.
A nativity can be projected, transposed to any given geographical position.
The zodiacal signs and aspects remain the same, but the house positions can
change radically according to the number of time zones. In Slothrop’s case
we must examine the relocation charts for London, Nice, Zürich, Berlin, and
“The Zone” (Harz). These locations are between five and six hours
east of his natal time zone and most of the relocation charts will contain
similarities, but each separate chart must also include an
axis significator
(a planet on one of the pivotal positions of the chart) of its own. I have
examined the relocation charts for these specific places from a wide variety of
dates in the sign of Virgo in 1918 and 1919 and have come to a convincing
conclusion which I will present after illustrating how I arrived at the final
date, and time, of Tyrone Slothrop’s nativity.
To ascertain the date of birth I followed the same process of elimination.
First of all the date and time must contain a similar, rare, and seldom stellar
constellation or celestial configuration which corresponds to Slothrop’s
unusual character, fatal flaws, and exceptional destiny. In Virgo,
Slothrop’s sign, these required cosmic configurations were present in the
years 1915, 1918, and 1919, but not in the years 1916 and 1917. Thus I could
ultimately discard the years 1916 and 1917, which did not fit into his
event-cycle anyway. For reasons to be explained later on, I did keep a certain
date in 1915 under consideration even though this year most probably was
too early
for a convincing astrological chronology of Slothrop’s life.
In the process of elimination concerning the plausible birth dates in Virgo, I
began with examining a clear-cut Solar position in the Twelfth House. One of
the most commonly applied subdivisions in astrology is the division of each
sign into three series of ten degrees, these sections termed decans or
decanate.
A rule in astrology states that in order to have a convincing twelfth- or
first-house position, the Sun must be at least six degrees on either side of
the Ascendant. Thus all dates in the third decanate of Virgo, September 11-23
of every given year, can readily be disregarded since it would become
increasingly improbable to have a clear-cut twelfth-house Solar position on any
of these dates. After logically eliminating these dates we must now examine
each day between August 23-September 10 in 1918 and 1919. We know Slothrop is a
double Virgo and not a triple Virgo (meaning the Moon is also placed in Virgo),
thereby further eliminating September 4, 5, 6, 1918 and August 25, 26, 27, 1919.
This was the initial technical, yet logical step, in eliminating over one-third
of the potential birth dates. The next step is literary-symbolic . . . there is
no mention in
Gravity’s Rainbow
referring to Slothrop being born on a Full Moon, on Goethe’s birthday, or
on the date of the start of World War II. We can now eliminate August 28 and
September 1 in both 1918 and 1919 and September 10 in 1919 – in 1918 the
Full Moon occurred on September 20 which is far too late under any
circumstances. There is also no mention in
Gravity’s Rainbow
of Tyrone being born on a Sunday, a
Sunday child.
Of the days remaining this “fact” further eliminates August 25,
September 1, and September 8, 1918 and August 24, 31, and September 7, 1919.
The final process of elimination to determine the most credible date of birth
is basically astrological and must be fitting with the integral background,
characteristics, and destiny of Tyrone Slothrop as described in
Gravity’s Rainbow.
This is the subjective necessity of my comparative deductions as in both 1918
and 1919 there were exceptional constellations,
stelliums
as they are termed. In the narrative there are many references to
Slothrop’s “love life,” his amorous and erotic encounters: real,
imagined, or arranged. Venus is regarded as the planet – the
“Goddess!” – of love and in 1918 there was an appropriate
stellium in Leo involving Venus, Saturn, and Neptune.
However, as in the case of determining a clear-cut twelfth-house position, the
same rule applies: these planets must be within an orb of 6-8 degrees to each
other. Furthermore, Venus, the faster moving planet of these three, preferably
should be placed in the middle – at the
midpoint
– of the constellation. During these dates in 1918 the distance between
Saturn and Neptune was 12 degrees (Neptune at 8 degree Leo and Saturn at 20)
with Venus at the midpoint (13-15 degree Leo) between August 30-September 2.
This position eliminates all dates between August 23-29 and all dates after
September 2, leaving us thereby only with August 30, August 31, and September
2, 1918 as a plausible birth date (September 1, 1918 has already been
eliminated twice)!
