Bonfire Night
Guy Fawkes Day
Every November 5, a huge glow of fire brightens up the public space in Great Britain. It is the Guy Fawkes Day (or Night), though it also bears the name of Bonfire or Firework Night, which is probably more appropriate nowadays.
The figure of Fawkes has been highly mythologized over the years, as he became the anti-hero of all Protestants. Fundamentally, he was only a pawn in the great Gunpowder Plot of 1605, lead by Robert Catesby; the conspiracy aimed to kill King James I and the Members of Parliament on the basis that they were reluctant to withdraw the harsh repressions on Catholics that Queen Elizabeth I introduced. Four centuries later, Fawkes is the name by which the United Kingdom remembers that day, creating giant bonfires and impressive firework displays. It used to be as resentfully treated by the Catholic part of the UK as Orangemen’s Day, but the nature of the holiday has changed throughout the years.
The Gunpowder Plot was unsuccessful, because Guy Fawkes was found guarding the explosives beneath the House of Lords the night before the plan was to be put into motion. As a result, he was tried, tortured and executed, as were his comrades. Once the people heard about the prevention of the Gunpowder catastrophe, they began joyful celebrations in the Streets of London. This was the first festivity on Guy Fawkes Day.
In January the following year, the English Parliament proclaimed the Gunpowder Treason Day in the “Thanksgiving Act”, known as such because November 5 from now on ought to be observed as a day to give thanks for the King’s survival. The Puritan Member of Parliament Edward Montagu suggested the idea, adding to it the countrywide grant of a day off. The first celebrations involved gun salutes for the monarch, and burnings of pope and Fawkes effigies. In the 1850s, the polarization of Protestants and Catholics in Great Britain decreased, and as a result, in 1859 the Observance of 5th November Act was withdrawn. The violence that once was typical for Guy Fawkes Day festivities has diminished since.
Some scholars compare the holiday to the ancient pagan festival of Samhain, a custom adopted by the church as All Souls’ Day. Nowadays, Guy Fawkes Day is often merged with Halloween, since the two occasions occur close to each other. The celebrants light big, organized fires and take part in costume parties, burning the effigies of not only Guy Fawkes, but also famous figures, such as celebrities. During usual November 5 celebrations, bonfires are lit in the private and public space. The most popular foods are bonfire toffee, toffee apples and potatoes cooked in embers. The fireworks are a symbolic representation of unrealized explosive assassination, and the Parliament guards annually perform the ritual of checking the basements of the House of Lords. The leading rhyme repeated during the holiday is “Remember, remember, the 5th of November”.
The date today is less of an historical issue than it used to be. That is why Guy Fawkes Day is no longer observed as bank holiday, and all employees and schools work according to their regular schedules. Although the voices of disappointed Catholics are still being heard, the yearly festivities go on. Guy Fawkes’ status has improved due to the emancipation of Catholic religion in the United Kingdom and the movie “V for Vendetta”, in which the main hero wears a Fawkes mask (it became very popular within the youth community). Nevertheless, the existence of this holiday is still a subject of dispute today.