Guy Fawkes Day

Happy Guy Fawkes Day! Oh, what's that? You don't know what that is? Really?! You should educate yourself. Dive into a book and read about it. Or if you prefer to broaden your horizons in a more entertaining manner, try watching V for Vendetta. Lovely film!

For those of you who have seen the film or are at least familiar with Guy Fawkes, here is the poem that recalls that November the 5th in 1605.

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

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent

To blow up the King and Parliament.

Three-score barrels of powder below

To prove old England’s overthrow;

By God’s providence he was catch’d

With a dark lantern and burning match.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

Lovely sentiment, is it not? If you do your research, you will find an even more touching sentiment! After being captured, the conspirators in the Gunpowder Treason were hanged, drawn, and quartered. Uh...I will leave that to you to look up. It is not pretty!

Well, Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated to remember that night when the plot to kill King James I and blow up the Houses of Parliament was foiled. This is quite a different perspective than what we get of ol' Guy in V for Vendetta.

And now, mostly because I LOVE that film, my favorite speech of the title character's:

Evey: Who are you?
V : Who? Who is but the form following the function of what and what I am is a man in a mask.
Evey: Well I can see that.
V : Of course you can, I’m not questioning your powers of observation, I’m merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.
Evey: Oh, right.
V : But on this most auspicious of nights, permit me then, in lieu of the more commonplace soubriquet, to suggest the character of this dramatis persona.
Voila! In view a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the “vox populi” now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin, van guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition.
The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous.
Verily this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it’s my very good honour to meet you and you may call me V.
Evey: Are you like a crazy person?
V : I’m quite sure they will say so.

Oh, that makes me smile! You should really see this film! Another of V's quotes:

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

This sticks in my mind pretty strongly. The people have the power in our democracy. We entrust our elected government with making decisions, maintaining order, and keeping the nation safe. Yet ultimately we have a collective say in our government. I am proud to say that I spoke up this election year and I truly believe that America spoke up as well. We would not tolerate a government that continued to take us down the wrong path. America spoke up and demanded that the government answer!

The film proposes many interesting ideas and I have often had lengthy discussions over it. But let us not cast aside its other value: some tantalizing and exciting action sequences! Quite fun!

Some shots from Halloween 2006. Viva la revolution!