Tomorrow may be a big day in the U.S., but here in England the real cause for celebration comes this Wednesday. The 5th of November is Guy Fawkes Night, a.k.a Bonfire Night, or The Night Guy Fawkes Failed to Blow Up the Houses of Parliament.
In 1605, a man named Guy Fawkes and a bunch of his fellow Catholics devised to detonate the Houses of Parliament, thereby killing the Protestant King James. He came really close to pulling it off -- he managed to set up the gunpowder under the building and everything -- but someone caught wind of his plan at the last minute and put a stop to it. Fawkes and the other conspirators were tried, tortured and executed.
So now, to celebrate the fact that Fawkes and friends weren't able to eliminate the royal family, every November 5 people set off fireworks and burn effigies of the Catholic traitor. Awesome holiday if I ever heard of one!
12 years ago
3 comments:
depending on how the election turns out, my friends are going to protest classes on the 5th and watch V for Vendetta... which is very closely linked to Guy Fawkes Day. i strongly recommend it!!
Omg I've heard bonfire night is such a fun night! You are going to have a blast (ha, get it! gunpowder plot, bonfires, anything explosive, ha!), so go and enjoy yourself. Miss ya!
Bonfire Night is awesome!
Coincidentally, old Fawkesy and I live in the same city...
Spooky, eh?
Ez
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