This is topic Happy Bonfire Night, everybody! in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
 
So tonight it's four hundred years since Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

Since my (current) hometown, York, is where Guy, or Guido Fawkes was born, we're supposed to be having a great big, FREE, firework display tonight. *Does happy dance*

However, last night, at an event for international students, something quite bizarre and worrying struck me. The guy who was giving a talk explaining Fawkes and the conspiracy to the international students was very loathe to describe him as a terrorist.

Despite the fact that he was trying to blow up innocent people, we have made Guy into a cute, child friendly figure, an underdog people tend to feel a bit sorry for. And tonight, his hometown is celebrating him. Okay, so he didn't succeed, but, if things had turned out differently, he would have been a mass murderer.

So what's the difference between Fawkes and the men who attempted to blow up the London Underground for the second time on 21st July?

Four hundred years, campfire songs, roasting marshmallows and some pretty lights in the sky. Very weird.
 

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Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
 
Well, it always struck me that Bonfire Night was celebrating the fact that Guy Fawkes didn't blow up the parliament- that he failed. Hence the burning Guy on a bonfire thing.

I miss Bonfire Night. *sniff*
 

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Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
 
It's that whole terrorists/freedom fighters dichotomy, Bella.
 

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Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
 
I don't think so, actually - Guy, after all, was on the losing side. Granted, most people in Britain today probably could care less about the Protestant Succession, but still.

I think it's more the British thing about underdogs. When you think about it, the Bonnie Prince wasn't exactly a very nice guy, and he was allied to the French at that. He still manages to turn up on everything from radio stations to cookie boxes. King over the water, eh?
 

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Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
 
Or perhaps it's just a good chance to burn a whole bunch of sticks and fire a whole bunch of fireworks before it gets too wet to do anything.

After all, England doesn't really have an "ngland Day", does it?
 

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Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
 
I was going to burn an effigy tonight with my friend, but he is nowhere to be found... oh well! This night is the reason that someday I want to live in England... and I am totally serious.
 

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Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
 
You guys should just celebrate the 4th of July.
 

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Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 
Um....Isn't the whole point of Guy Fawkes Day that you burn Guy Fawkes in effigy? That's not exactly celebrating the guy as a hero.
 

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Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
 
Beren, the fourth of July is not my birthday
 

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Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
 

quote:

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Um....Isn't the whole point of Guy Fawkes Day that you burn Guy Fawkes in effigy? That's not exactly celebrating the guy as a hero.

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