Introduction:
You may have read my article about the Pluto in Cancer generation (a large group comprised of both the Greatest & Silent Generations). If you haven't, you can go read it here. In fact, I would suggest you please do, if/when you can, because the information here is, more or less, a deeper extension of what's already written there (i.e. originally intended as one article before it became too long).
However, this article focuses more on the subtle differences between these two generations (and their sub-groups) by considering the positions of the other two generational planets, Uranus & Neptune, rather than Pluto in Cancer itself. While Pluto represents the will to power and/or the cycle of death & rebirth, Uranus is more about revolutionary rebellion & creative innovation, while Neptune symbolizes escapism & illusion, but also imagination, spirituality, & transcendence. All three planets are slow-moving and more concerned with the collective than the personal.
While the older half of Pluto in Cancer folks ("The Greatest Generation") were born with Uranus in Aquarius or Pisces, the younger group of Pluto in Cancer natives ("The Silent Generation") were born during Uranus's transit through either Aries or Taurus. Similarly, the oldest of this demographic will have Neptune in Cancer or Leo, and the youngest will have Neptune in Virgo.
This article is concerned only with "The Greatest Generation" born while Uranus was in Aquarius or Pisces and Neptune in Cancer or Leo. However, if you're looking to read about "The Silent Generation" please stay tuned, as that article is in the works and coming soon!
Source: Hannah Höch, Cut with the Kitchen Knife Dada Through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, 1919–1920, collage, mixed media, (Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen, Berlin)
Uranus in Aquarius (1912-1920)
From 1912 to 1920, Uranus was in the sign of Aquarius, representing the archetype of the humanitarian or revolutionary. This was the generation born during World War 1, the United States' creation of the Federal Reserve bank in 1913, and radical change throughout the globe. This includes the rise of the Bolsheviks in Russia, the creation of the Soviet Union and the first communist state, as well as the transformation of China into a People's Republic. It also includes the Mexican Revolution and the Easter Rising which led to an Irish Republic. The world said "goodbye" to the German, Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empires and "hello" to countless new nation-states. Meanwhile, the Balfour Declaration established Great Britain's support for the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, giving birth to the rise of Zionist ideology. While Pluto in the sign of Cancer alone may have represented a transformation of international power dynamics (i.e. the death of old nations & the birth of new ones), Uranus in Aquarius certainly helped, by uniting people under a common ideology that inspired them to take action.
In any case, Uranus's transit through Aquarius gave the "Greatest Generation" born under it a commitment to social justice. With Pluto in Cancer, there was already a strong instinct toward protecting their families & loved ones. Uranus in Aquarius extended that definition of "family" out toward their wider communities and possibly even humanity at large. It's important to remember that this group comprised the largest demographic of veterans whose deep commitment to "what's right" inspired them to fight during World War 2. Furthermore, having grown up during the Great Depression, a time of extreme economic hardship, the self-protective instincts (as indicated by Pluto in Cancer) were strong, but so was their acceptance of programs to further social progress (as also consistent with the themes of Uranus in Aquarius).
The Uranus in Aquarius sub-group of the Pluto in Cancer generation can be further divided into smaller groups by looking at their Neptune placements, which we will do now.
Neptune in Cancer (1912-1915)
In addition to Pluto, many of those born before 1916 had Neptune in Cancer, as well. This would have increased their sensitivity to stereotypically Cancerian matters of self-preservation and attachment to the nuclear family. Those born during these years grew up with an active imagination, characteristic of Neptune in Cancer, and an understanding of how one's family, upbringing & heritage affected their psychological development growing up.
Relevant events that occurred while Pluto & Neptune were both in Cancer (and Uranus in Aquarius, a symbol of innovation & progress) include the sinking of the Titanic & many other ocean liners and the creation of the Panama Canal, which is fitting with Cancer being a water sign. These transits also coincided with the introduction of the continental drift theory into the scientific world, as well as Albert Einstein's famous publication about his theory of relativity. Meanwhile, various psychological movements, such as gestalt therapy and Carl Jung's theories, were founded at time, which is consistent with Cancer being ruled by the Moon, a symbol of the subconscious mind that psychologists sought to make conscious. Popular art movements include the experimental cubism, Dada, and expressionism, all of which were Aquarian in their revolutionary character and Cancerian in their emphasis on personal expression.
Famous people born during this time include African-American singer, Billie Holiday (whose Aquarius Rising placed Uranus into her first house, while her many Pisces planets made trines to Pluto & Neptune in Cancer) and Indian-born British actress, Vivien Leigh (who had Uranus conjunct her Midheaven and the Moon in Aquarius).
or: Neptune in Leo (1915-1920)
From 1915 to 1929, Neptune transited the sign of Leo, the lion, opposite Uranus in Aquarius by sign until about 1919-1920. Those born during this period may have grown up with a grandiose, idealistic vision of their own generation's importance, hence being known as the "greatest" of them all. It only makes sense that so many people of this sub-generation grew up to be leaders during World War 2 or in the entertainment industry. Individualistic impulses retained an influence on artistic movements, and on religious movements as well with an increase in liberal & progressive interpretations of Islam & other Abrahamic religions.
Some famous people born during this period include Italian-American singer, Frank Sinatra (whose Moon in Pisces trine to Pluto in Cancer, perhaps, allowed him to tap into the generational psyche) and South African anti-apartheid leader, Nelson Mandela (a Cancer Sun & Sagittarius Rising, with chart ruler, Jupiter, conjunct Pluto in Cancer, again suggesting identification with the broader generational spirit).
Uranus in Pisces with Neptune in Leo (1919-1927)
Neptune remained in the sunny sign of Leo, the lion, until 1927, while in 1919 (& again, in 1920, due to a retrograde), Uranus entered Pisces, a sign ruled by Neptune in modern astrology. Traditionally, the fish constellation is ruled by Jupiter, planet of abundance & excess, but also, freedom & philosophy, while Venus, planet of art & beauty, is exalted there. It should come as no shock that these folks were born during the roaring twenties. "Roaring"- get it? Like a lion? They were the babies of the jazz age, a genre whose musicians were fittingly known as "cats."
The vivid imagination of Uranus in Pisces combined with the vivaciously fun and dramatic self-expressive powers of Leo basically led to an era of great social, cultural, and artistic dynamism. Silent films, a genre somehow consistent with both the "stardom" of Leo's attention-seeking ways and Pisces' traditional status as a "mute" sign, were popular in the cinema, with the "movie" itself still being an emergent form of storytelling at the time. Meanwhile, the first commercial radio stations went on air, appeasing those who preferred more auditory entertainment. The "conventional reality" - defying nature of Uranus in Pisces is evidently seen in artistic movements such as surrealism, while the daring bold geometry of the Art Deco style could, perhaps, be attributed to Neptune in Leo. Similarly, in the world of literature, modernist writers like Franz Kafka in Czechoslovakia and James Joyce in Ireland broke boundaries with their stream-of-conscious style, transcendence of genres, exploration of individual identity through the inclusion of the interior monologue and/or social criticism, and the fusion of the real with the fantastic. The world of fashion transformed, as well, becoming less restrictive for women, who could now cut their hair into a bob and wear dresses/skirts shorter than their knees, mirroring the world of politics where various suffrage movements throughout the world gave women the right to vote. True to Pluto's transit through Cancer, nationalism remained in vogue, and in the United States, this can clearly be seen through the popularization of a new national sport, baseball, also characteristic of Neptune in Leo's more playful nature.
Of course, the nationalism of Pluto in Cancer retained a dark tone in other ways. While some civil wars thankfully gave way to free and/or independent nations (i.e. Ireland, Egypt, etc.), others led to the dominance of totalitarian figures, a theme suggested by Neptune in Leo, a sign associated with kings & queens. This can be seen in Italy, for example, where Benito Mussolini established the first fascist government. In some cases, including this one, considering Mussolini's relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, religion was used to uphold the power of the oppressors. In other cases, such as the still-fringe Nazi Party in Germany led by Adolf Hitler, imprisoned at the time for starting a coup, politic figures were idealized like religious messiahs. Either case is consistent with the transit of Uranus through Pisces, a spiritual sign, especially with its modern ruler, Neptune, transiting a sign more associated with fierce worldly royalty, with the two together representing a megalomaniacal cult of personality.
In the United States, the darkness of Pluto in Cancer's nationalism & divisive "group-think" mentality can be seen through the increase in racist and xenophobic sentiment with the 1924 Immigration, which very clearly favored some ethnicities over others, and a peak in membership to the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan organization (also known as the KKK). The negative side of Uranus in Pisces and Neptune in Leo can be seen here too, with the combination of planets sparking a delusional egocentricity. Another way to put it might be to say Uranus "broke free" from the oneness associated with Pisces with Neptune deluding itself into forming a fiercer, more narcissistic attachment to the bodily identity, characteristic of Leo's shadow side (although obviously, no astrology can justify any of this).
Meanwhile, much of the culture that we associate with the roaring twenties in modern times is actually rooted in a reaction to U.S. alcohol-prohibition laws. These laws had their roots in protestant-Christian religion, and characteristic of Pluto in Cancer, this included the belief that a ban on alcohol would protect women, children & families. In reality, it inspired an increase in organized crime with gangsters like Al Capone (himself, a Pisces Rising) smuggling liquor into places called "speakeasys." With Uranus in Pisces and Neptune in Leo, you weren't going to stop people from having fun! Alcohol is associated with the rebellious-escapism of Uranus in Pisces and Neptune in Leo took it to "roaring" extremes.
In any case, many of the people born during this crazy sub-period of Pluto in Cancer were children/teens during the great depression and the older ones grew up to become leaders during World War 2. The patriotic, family-orientated and security-seeking nature of Pluto in Cancer was modified by both the fierce but very idealized heroism of Neptune in Leo and the equally idealized, self-sacrificing nature of Uranus in Pisces. Uranus in Pisces & Neptune in Leo are associated with being part of a "bigger purpose" and many individuals born during this sub-period tend to be religious and/or spiritual in their outlook. These folks are/were often sensitive to the needs of the collective and ready to take a stand for them. Many of them are/were also creative and/or artistic in some way, with a very deep need for self-expression inside their soul.
The famous people born during this period are mostly those who we think of as having "legendary" status. This ranges from figures as diverse as actress, Marilyn Monroe (a Leo Rising with Neptune in the first house) and beat poet, Allen Ginsberg (a Pisces Rising and stellium with Uranus on the Ascendant), a good representation of the younger half of Uranus Pisces / Neptune Leo generation, known for their rebellious mindset and exploration of eastern religions & psychedelic drugs. Some other famous people born during this sub-period include former leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope John Paul the second (whose Midheaven & Jupiter in Leo were conjunct Neptune his Gemini Moon squared Uranus in Pisces), the famous pin-up girl, Bettie Page (a Pisces Rising conjunct Uranus & Venus, with the Moon exactly conjunct Pluto in Cancer) and the late monarch of England, Queen Elizabeth the second (who had Moon in Leo conjunct Neptune, but the list goes on..
Conclusion
While I hope you find this information interesting or enlightening in some way, it is by no means a comprehensive analysis. I am aware that there are probably plenty of other things I've forgotten to include, as I am not a historian, and I do sincerely apologize for this. Of course, if you can think of anything yourself, please feel free to mention it in the "comments" section below
If you have any of these placements yourself, you can schedule a reading with me here to learn more about how they affect you personally. While I emphasize that Uranus, Neptune & Pluto are "generational" planets, their house placement in your birth chart, along with any aspects these planets make, will influence you in their own unique ways, showing how and/or to what extent you, as an individual, actually relate to the characteristics considered "typical" of your generation. For those wanting to learn more about their relationship with someone else of this generation (whether a family member, friend, partner or colleague, anybody really, anybody who you're looking to get along with or understand better), these planets (which definitely play a role in the "generational divide") can also be looked at in a synastry reading, which you can schedule with me here.
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