Friday, November 5, 2010

Guy Fawkes Night.

Today is the 5th of November, Guy Fawkes Night, which has been popularized in America amongst tea party members, nerds, and silly fan boys by V for Vendetta. Now I'll admit that it was not a bad film, but these nerds/silly fan boys love to quote the following passage from the film:

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

What these nerds don't realize is that this poem has more verses.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, 'twas his intent
To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence [or By God's mercy] he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Hulloa boys, Hulloa boys, let the bells ring.
Hulloa boys, hulloa boys, God save the King!

A penny loaf to feed the Pope.
A farthing o' cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to rinse it down.
A faggot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar.
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head.
Then we'll say ol' Pope is dead.
Hip hip hoorah!
Hip hip hoorah!

Yes. People on this side of the Atlantic are remembering the Gunpowder Plot all wrong. Guy Fawkes was not some anti-authoritarian hero. Mr. Fawkes was an anti-majoritarian, anti-Parliament, religious bigot who wanted to blow up a bunch of people to restore the Roman Pope's authority over England and Scotland.

He's the 1600s version of Timothy McVeigh. So yes, please, do celebrate his plot.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think they're more idolizing V from the movie and not the man who the mask was sculpted from. The movie and the idea I think is what theyre looking towards. When they see the mask they remember the movie and the revolutionary fictional character known as V. Guy fawkes himself is less then a shadow, its just a mask. Lol.