Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert, has died. She was by his side when he was shot in 1968 and six months later gave birth to their 11th child. Her life ‘veered between exuberance and tragedy’ and was a mass of contradictions. Both her parents, who were alcoholics, died in one plane crash, her brother in another. Her husband and her brother-in-law, the president, were both assassinated. Of her 11 children, one son died from a drug overdose, another in a skiing accident. A daughter-in-law took her own life. A nephew was convicted of murder.
She was praised for her pious religiosity and ‘lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights’ despite having a reputation for slapping and berating immigrant household workers, cheating them out of money, and screaming at them like a ‘mad woman,’ causing them to flee in tears, or be fired,’ sources recalled. ‘I really don’t think Ethel liked Hispanics or blacks,’ said her one-time secretary, Noelle Fell.
She remained devoted to Robert Kennedy throughout their marriage and to the end of her life despite his many affairs to amongst others Kim Novak, Lee Remick, and his sister-in-law Jackie.
Born 11 April 1928 3.30 am Chicago, Illinois, Ethel was the sixth of seven children in a rags-to-riches family which made millions in the coal industry. She had a pro-active, exuberant and lucky 2nd house Aries Sun conjunct Jupiter trine Saturn in Sagittarius on her Midheaven and trine a Sagittarius Moon trine Neptune in Leo conjunct her Descendant. So much Fire would make her inspirational as well as attention-demanding, rarely doubting the rightness of her views. She had Mars on her Ascendant, a hint of her tendency to throw tantrums despite being in Pisces. Her Sun Jupiter were in a pushily-confident square to a Pluto in the 5th which would add to her sense of entitlement and dominating tendencies.
Neptune conjunct her Descendant and opposition her Sun/Moon midpoint (the marriage significator) point to dissatisfaction and disappointment when it came to close relationships. She may have shrugged off her husband’s dalliances but marriage was never going to bring her fulfilment as a relationship.
Her chart was Fire and Water with no Air or Earth giving her an excitable and impulsive temperament with mood swings, a tendency to being explosively unpredictable. Though also refreshingly straightforward.
Her synastry with Robert Kennedy had one hint of passionate attraction with his Venus opposition her Pluto; and a helpful amount of friendliness. But was not swimming in sentiment or affection. His Chiron was conjunct her Sun and her Chiron opposition his Mars so there was a curious symbiosis of linking in to each other’s sense of woundedness. His Sun Saturn in Scorpio was not an obvious match for her Sun Jupiter in Aries.
Her relationship with Jackie was competitive, covered over by a veneer of faux smiles. And her relationship with JFK was simmering with deep dislike though again covered over with icing sugar for public consumption.
Life in a dynastic family eh??
The post Ethel Kennedy – a mass of contradictions first appeared on Astroinform with Marjorie Orr – Star4cast.
