Dan's Papers - October 12, 2007

The Story Behind The Other Halloween That Is Based On History And Fact, Not Ghosts

While having dinner with some friends from England, we were chatting about how much we liked this time of year. I was telling them how much I loved Halloween and I asked them what Halloween was like in England. They told me that it wasn't such a big deal and told me that Halloween was not celebrated as much as Guy Fawkes' Night.

Naturally, I asked them to elaborate. I had never heard of it. What on earth is Guy Fawkes' Night? "Bonfire Night" or "Guy Fawkes' Night" at first glance, seems much like Halloween. It is celebrated with bonfires and mischief, but it is a tradition that is rooted in history and fact, and not myth and superstition, as is Halloween. The origin of Guy Fowkes' Night stems from events that took place in Britain in 1605,after a conspiracy known as the "Gunpowder Plot" was thwarted. The object of the Gunpowder Plot was to blow up English Parliament along with it's ruling monarch, King James I. The hope was that such a disaster would initiate an uprising of English Catholics who were upset about the severe laws against practicing their religion in England.

How was Guy Fawkes involved? Guy Fawkes was born in 1570 and educated as a Catholic. During his childhood the Catholic Church was oppressed by a number of British monarchs, children of Henry VIII, who broke away from the Catholic Church when the Pope refused to grant him a divorce. Stringent laws were in place that made it difficult for Catholics to practice their religion and worship in peace. Thus, Catholics throughout Britain hoped that one day a Catholic monarch would take the throne once again and relax these laws. When it became clear that this was not going to happen, Catholics began to conspire against the King. Somehow, a man named Guy Fawkes became part of a plot to collect 36 barrels of gunpowder and smuggle them into the cellars under the House of Lords which would cause a huge explosion, killing the King and his Parliament. On the night of November 4th, Fawkes, was caught red-handed, entering the cellar with the incriminating evidence. He was arrested and taken to the Tower of London. Other conspirators were also arrested. All of them were hanged, drawn and quartered which was standard punishment for traitors. Whether or not they were set up was never revealed but this event provoked a great deal of hostility towards Catholics in Britain and made things worse for them. Anti-Catholic laws were strictly enforced. Even today, it is the law that no Roman Catholic may hold the office of monarch and the reigning king or queen remains the head of the Church of England. Guy Fawkes' Night has been celebrated every year throughout England since 1606, when the government proclaimed it to be a day of celebration. Also called, "Bonfire Night" it is the most popular of the British secular holidays and seems to have replaced the celebration of Halloween.

What do bonfires have to do with Guy Fawkes? In the weeks leading up to November 5th, children construct effigies to represent "Guys", out of old clothes and other materials. They go around asking people for "a penny for the Guy." These pennies are traditionally used to buy items to use for their celebration. November 4th is Mischief Night (again much like Halloween without the treats) and on the night of November 5th, families and friends get together and light bonfires. The bigger the bonfire the better! During these bonfires, children throw their "Guys" in the fire and watch them burn. Although he was not burned at the stake, these effigies represent his failed attempt to overthrow the King.