Each country has its own unique traditions and celebrations. One celebration that is unique to the UK is Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night.
On 5th November crowds of small and large huddle around crackling bonfires and marvel at stunning firework displays. It’s a popular and well-loved affair in the community calendar. But how did this annual blowout actually come about? What’s the meaning behind it all?
Since we are approaching that time of year, I figured it’s a timely opportunity to talk about the dramatic origins of Bonfire Night and the influence it’s had on popular culture.
Why do we celebrate Bonfire Night?
The reason we celebrate Bonfire Night is actually to mark the anniversary of a foiled attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. It’s a funny thing to celebrate, but we do.
The conspiracy was called the Gunpowder Plot. And like so many other attacks throughout history, it was devised by a clandestine group of men in the age-old name of religion.
About half a century earlier, England had become a Protestant country and the plotters were still Catholic. They didn’t like the change. To put it bluntly, they were pretty mad about it. They wanted England to be Catholic again and went about hatching a plan.
Stupidly, and rather niavely, they thought Catholicism would be reinstated if they killed King James I and his ministers. Clearly, they hadn’t thought things through properly.
How did the Gunpowder Plot unfold?
The leader of the plot was Robert Catesby, who was said to be a charismatic and well-educated Catholic on a crusade to reinstate Catholicism as the religion of England. To help execute his plan, he recruited a small group of men. One of these men was Guy Fawkes (by now, you probably already recognise his name).
The group of conspirators leased a house in the heart of Westminster, close to Parliament House. This house enabled the group to smuggle 36 barrels of gunpowder into a ground-floor cellar which they had leased. Conveniently, it lay directly underneath the House of Lords, ready to set off a massive explosion.
Fawkes was made caretaker of the property. He was in charge of the hidden gunpower. Everything seemed to be coming together – or so they thought.
Before the plan could be implement with fatal effect, the authorities were prompted by an anonymous letter. The letter urged authorities to search Westminster Palace during the early hours of 5th November and the plot was rumbled!
They found Fawkes guarding the explosives in the cellar. He was questioned and tortured over the next few days. Eventually he confessed the names of his co-conspirators and their scheme to blow up the House of Lords. All of the men were arrested and executed.
No one knows for sure who sent the letter. It’s believed that one member of Fawkes’ group sent a letter to his friend who worked in Parliament, warning him to stay away on 5th November.
An annual celebration
Every year since, the date has been celebrated as Guy Fawkes Night, or Bonfire Night. The firework displays are a symbol of the explosives that were never set off. Sometimes you’ll even spot stuffed effigies of Guy Fawkes on the bonfire.
Taking it one step further is the town of Lewes in South England which holds the country’s largest and most famous Bonfire Night festivities. The town is transformed with parades of people holding flame torches, barrel rolling and giant models of political characters. In 2016 a giant effigy of Trump was thrown into a blazing fire.
In a tongue-in-cheek kind of way, you have to wonder whether folk are celebrating Fawkes’ execution or honouring his attempt to do away with the government.
Politics aside, the majority of people going to Guy Fawkes Night do so for a memorable evening spent with friends and family.
Jacket potato, anyone?
3 responses
Re: the influence it’s had on pop culture, this even extends to the novel / film V For Vendetta (for those who are fans of Alan Moore / the Wachowskis)…another instance of how such a dramatic conspiracy has been reused and reinterpreted over time.
Hi Thomas. You make an interesting observation. Your comment also made me think of the Occupy Wall Street movement which I might add into the post! I’ve not read or seen V is for Vendetta – would you recommend one over the other?
Good question – usually book > film for me, but this is one of those rare instances I think the Wachowskis actually elevated the original work…so I’d recommend the film (and watching won’t take as long as reading so it’s got that going for it too 😉. And good point on OWS – funnily enough I personally experienced some of the movement years back, which come to think of it could be one of the many reasons I enjoyed V For Vendetta.