Jane Eyre - Taurus, April 21st

                                                              
                                                        thevictoriansage.wordpress.com


 Though Charlotte Bronte never gave an exact date of birth to her dear heroine Jane, there is no doubt that Miss Eyre is an Earth sign.

The Earth signs consist of the Virgo, Capricorn and Taurus. All three are firmly grounded individuals who value hard work, diligence, family and stability.
 
Jane's preoccupation with doing as her duty demands reaches nearly insane proportions as she finds the strength to abandon what her heart most ardently desires because possessing it would mean being dishonorable. This is a sure mark of an Earth sign if ever there was one. In addition to the clear Earth tones that leap off the pages of Miss Bronte's novel, there is also documentation that suggests that Jane Eyre was based on Charlotte Bronte herself. Bronte was a Taurus born on April 21st. It seems reasonable to deduce that Miss Eyre is also undoubtedly a Taurus.

The Taurus is symbolized by the Bull. Much like this stubborn animal, the Taurus is known for their hardheadedness and digging in their heels for no better reason than because tradition or duty demands it. This trait in Jane caused Mr. Rochester to exclaim vehemently at times how very stubborn his little vixen was.

Though their inflexibility is often maddening, this trait is also responsible for many positive aspects of the Taureans personality. Because of their dedication to duty and commitment, the Taurus is often among the most trustworthy of people. They think through decisions thoroughly, applying reason and a good dose of common sense.

The Taurus feels things deeply, though may appear cold and detached, as their common sense gives them a "no use crying over spilled milk" mentality when it comes to misfortune.

Jane displays these Taurean characteristics time and again, from her determination to leave Lowood School, to her refusal to marry Mr. Rochester under dishonorable conditions.  Nursing an ailing Mrs. Reed who so mistreated her as a child is further testament to Jane's Taurean sense of duty. The Taurus believes that, when push comes to shove, however else she may feel about it, the call of duty must be obeyed.

Rhett Butler

                                         Rhett Butler - Leo


   The Lion of the Zodiac is strong, vain, ambitious, charismatic, domineering, and stubborn; in other words, Rhett Butler.
   Margaret Mitchell's infamous male lead in her masterpiece Gone With the Wind displays all of the characteristics of a Leo male.
  Rhett Butler is known as a rogue and a cad, yet he still manages to be the main attraction in the drawing room. This is due to the Leo's love of attention and their talent for getting it wherever they go. No Leo, and certainly not Rhett, will waste their charm on an unappreciative audience; the Leo will be the center of attention and their listeners will be admirers.
  Another defining characteristic of the Leo is their need to dominate. We see this demonstrated in Rhett's push-me-pull-you relationship with the fiery Scarlett O'Hara, who also has a need to dominate. The result is a sort of mind game and constant strategy play to gain and maintain the upper hand.
  Although being domineering and greedy for attention often fall into the negative category of personality traits, the Leo is also tremendously generous and even chivalrous when they see fit. Mr. Butler displayed these warm traits of the Leo toward Mrs. Wilkes, whom he admired greatly and showed the utmost courtesy to. Again, once he had finally managed to marry Scarlett, he showered her with anything and everything that she wanted or ever thought of wanting.
  On the other hand, warmth and chivalry can turn sour when the Leo's loyalty turns to jealousy. Mr. Butler carried a jealousy bordering on hatred toward Ashley Wilkes when he repeatedly discovered that Miss O'Hara could never seem to forget him.
  Respect is all- important to a Leo man. Respect him and he will shower you with love, praise, money, and anything else you ask for. As is characteristic of fire signs, Leo's have quite a bad temper. Disrespect a Leo man and he will be quick to show his fiery temper brewing just below the surface.
  In spite of all, the Leo is extremely loyal and will remain faithful throughout his days, provided that he feels loved and respected in return.

Leo - July 23rd - August 21st 

Becky Sharp

                                                 Becky Sharp
                                            Gemini

Becky Sharp, witty, intelligent, and a shameless social climber, is undoubtedly a Gemini. Though William Makepeace Thackeray never pinpointed Becky's exact birthday in his novel, Vanity Fair, he did succeed in crafting a picture-perfect snapshot of a female Gemini.
  The Gemini is known as the "Child of the Zodiac" and as such this sign displays a great deal of vivaciousness and energy. Gemini's have the ability to ooze life and light, and often find themselves the center of attention; an arrangement they do not mind in the slightest.
   The Gemini's element is Air, and like all Air signs, this can lead to a tendency to be flighty and unreliable. They can also tend to be remarkably indecisive, as they never feel entirely complete and are always on the lookout for the person or thing that will complete them. We see this trait displayed in Miss Sharp by her ruthless desire to climb the ladder of society.
  Gemini's also tend to be quite chatty and are a social sign that enjoys, and even needs, to connect with other people. Miss Sharp uses her ability for language to charm unwitting people into relationships simply for her own personal advantage.
   The symbol for the Gemini are the Twins, which illustrates the Gemini's split personality, making them a very complex sign. Just when you think you have a Gemini pegged, their Twin will show up and confuse you to no end.
  Known for their wit and intelligence, the Gemini can be the sweetest and most optimistic person you'll ever meet, or they will use their gifts for cunning purposes and have to endure a bitter dose of consequence when their carefully laid plans crash about their ears. However, Gemini's have a remarkable ability to land on their feet, and often will recover from whatever mischief they have been tangled up in no worse for the wear.

Gemini - May 22nd - June 21st 

Bilbo Baggins

           

                                                 Bilbo Baggins
                                  September 22nd - Virgo
 
       Bilbo's birthday celebration is one of the very first events that takes place in the first chapter of J.R.R. Tolkien"s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. We are told that Mr. Baggins celebrates the day of his birth on September the 22nd, which makes the beloved hobbit a Virgo.
   The Virgo has a very strong sense of work and duty, which is characteristic of Earth signs. Bilbo displays this trait in taking in his orphaned nephew, Frodo (who, incidentally, also has a birthday on September 22nd), and by playing his role as the "Burglar", even though he resented being given the title and the position in his adventures with Gandalf and the thirteen dwarfs in Tolkien's, The Hobbit. 
  Virgos also dislike displays of emotion and can become gruff or just plain cold if they feel that unwarranted tender sentiments are being displayed. Bilbo tends to show this Virgoean trait as well, becoming a bit fussy in his old age and tending to grumble when people display gratitude toward him for his efforts.
  It's not that the Virgo is entirely devoid of all emotion, it's just that too much of it makes them uncomfortable. However, Virgos are very gentle, considerate, and seem to have the ability to naturally be helpful in any situation they find themselves in.
  Being an Earth sign, Virgos also display their fair share of stability and common sense, not giving way to daydreaming or fantasizing, and have very little patience for those who do.
  The Virgo is very intelligent and observant and will often pick up on details that others have overlooked. They also have an excellent memory and a knack  for problem solving (this trait served Bilbo well when he was caught in a riddle contest with Gollum). Virgos tend to have a great appreciation for hygiene as well and their outer appearance will be clean and neat.
  The Virgo can be overly critical and harsh, but this is typically born out of an overly analytical mind rather than a malicious desire to tear the object of their scrutiny to ribbons.

Virgo - August 22nd - September 23rd    


(Artwork by: Terry A. Earnest) http://www.elfwood.com/~terry/Bilbo-Baggins.jpg.3517126.html

Alice

                                                    Alice 
                                  May 4th - Taurus

     Few children have grown up without hearing the intriguing tale of Alice and her many adventures in Wonderland. Indeed, the children's story, written by Lewis Carroll, is still referenced in popular culture frequently, from the  Matrix to singer/songwriter Jewel's album entitled, Goodbye Alice in Wonderland.
  Carroll admittedly based his well loved protagonist on a young woman of his acquaintance named Alice Liddell. Carroll gave his character Alice the same birthday as Alice Liddell, thus making the famous Alice of Wonderland a Taurus.
   The Taurus is an Earth sign. This renders those born under the sign of the Taurus to be very practical, solid, stable and reliable people. Though the Taurus shares the element of Earth with the Virgo and the Capricorn, the Taurus is the strongest and most stable of all the Earth signs.
  Perhaps the most striking Taurean trait in Alice is her practicality. Though the adventures she has in Wonderland are of her own making, she spends most of her time trying to talk herself out of what is clearly nonsense, argues with the Caterpillar over the answers to riddles, and tries to convince the Mad Hatter that he is just silly.
  Independence, though not as important to the Taurus as it is to signs such as Aquarius and Aries, is still a trait of the Taurus. Taureans, being very practical, are aware that they are quite capable of taking care of themselves, and will therefore do so without a fuss because to them it simply makes sense. Therefore, their independence is not so much a statement they insist on making, like those born under Aries tend to do, but rather a natural byproduct of their downright common sense.
  The symbol of the Taurus is the bull, which illustrates nicely one of the faults in the Taurus; that of bullheadedness. Though they are practical, a Taurus can stubbornly hold a position for stubbornness sake and not back down for anything. When they decide to dig in their heels, there is no reasoning with a Taurus. The best way to deal with them is simply not to argue or attempt to change their mind. In the end, either they will have come around to your way of thinking by their own matter-of-fact logic, or they will be happy to agree to disagree, still holding their original position.

Taurus - April 21st - May 21st                                      

Jo March

                                            Jo March

( November 29th - Sagittarius)

      Though Louisa May Alcott (pictured above) never specified the birthday of Jo March besides mentioning that she was born in November, Alcott stated that "Little Women" was a semi-autobiographical work and Jo March was largely based on herself. Considering that Alcott was also born in November, it seems safe to attribute Jo's birthday to the 29th of November, the same day that Alcott was born.

   Being born on the 29th of November would make Jo March a Sagittarius. The Sagittarius is ruled by the planet Jupiter, which is jovial, optimistic, and idealistic. People born under this sign also display a quick wit and a large dose of humor, which can lead them into scrapes when they are younger. The Sagittarius can also be blunt and somewhat tactless, making people uncomfortable in their presence. 

  Though the Sagittarius loves fun and laughter, nothing about them is shallow. As they get older and more mature, a heavy sense of responsibility falls on them which can lead to an over abundance of worry.

  Sagittarius women are also very independent and love their freedom. While they may desire a man in their lives, they are very clear that they do not need a man to complete them or make them happy.

  Jo March displays all of these characteristics throughout Alcott's novel. By far the most vivacious of her sisters, Jo drags them all into taking part in the "Pickwick Society" where the girls display their various talents.          

  Jo's relationship with Laurie is also marked by fun and frivolity until Laurie's untimely proposal, which tosses Jo into the beginnings of her adult life. Refusing Laurie's proposal, Jo becomes a governess, meets a German Professor, witnesses the birth of twins to her oldest sister, Meg and grieves the loss of her younger sister, Beth. The trials and experiences of life temper the love for fun in Jo, but do not destroy it. Her Sagittarius charisma shines through the darker times of her life and makes her all the more charming for it.

Sagittarius - November 23rd - December 21st

Dorian Gray

                                                 Dorian Gray
                                 November 10th - Scorpio
 
 Oscar Wilde (who was a Libra himself, born on October 16th) tells us that his beloved character Dorian Gray was born on November 10th, thus making the young hedonist a Scorpio.
   This discovery was not at all surprising to me, seeing how prone to passions of all sorts Mr. Gray is. From his feverish claims of never ending love for the unfortunate Sybil Vane, to the sudden murder of his friend Basil Hallward, Dorian Gray displays all of the passion and charm that  is characteristic of Scorpios. Even the secret of his dreaded portrait is consistent with the sign of the Scorpio, as they are known to be secretive and possessive.
  The Scorpio, much like their compatibility partner the Pisces, tends to deal in extremes. As the old nursery rhyme quips, "when he is good, he is very, very good, but when he is bad, he is horrid." The Scorpio's charm, sensitivity, and passion for everything they do can easily become the less desirable personality traits of possessiveness, manipulation, and domination.
  Scorpios also display an inquisitive streak into things of a  philosophical nature. We see this displayed by Mr. Gray in his fascination with, not only his own beauty, but the beauty of things such as instruments, silks and precious stones. His love for beauty and his consistent questions about the meaning of life put Dorian on a path toward indulging in carnal pleasures of all kinds. Under the influence of his friend, Lord Henry Wooton (played with impeccable brillance by Colin Firth in the 2009 adaption of Wilde's book) what once was a boyish love for all things beautiful turned into a twisted idolatry that ended quite tragically for Dorian Gray and those who came into contact with him.
  Dorian Gray is a fascinating study into the human psyche, and especially into the mind of the Scorpio. Those born under this sign would do well to take heed of Dorian Gray's story and harbor their passions for their own growth and for the benefit of those around them, so that they may rule their own passions and not let their passion rule them.
                                                 Scorpio - October 23rd - November 21st.