“Remember, remember, the fifth of November; the gunpowder, treason, and plot.
I know of no reason why gunpowder treason, should ever be forgot.”
If you’ve ever seen the cult classic V for Vendetta, then you’ll recognize this quote and the mask that accompanies it. The film itself takes place in a future fascist Britain, where a masked vigilante is bent on inciting revolution. The ideas however, though controversial, are not entirely original to the photoplay. The concept of blowing up Parliament in an attempt to free the citizens of England from oppressive rule is taken from true events that transpired in eras past, and so, for that matter, is the infamous disguisement.
You see, on November 5th of 1605, a revolutionary by the name of Guy Fawkes gathered with his co-conspirators with the intent of blowing up the House of Lords, thus assassinating the majority of Parliament, including the current king, James I. Whilst in the process of setting their plan in motion, the treasonous troop was found out and arrested. Following a quick and high profile trial, all who had been captured were put to death, with Fawkes being one of the last to expire. The popular mask so often associated with uprising, is actually a design based on the visage of Fawkes, and was originally used along with bonfires and fireworks, to celebrate the failing of the Gunpowder Plot.
That’s why this day, the fifth of November, is known as Guy Fawkes Day, a holiday celebrated throughout the UK. Due to the popularity in the United States of the aforementioned V for Vendetta however, the mask has more recently become associated with the Occupy movement, as well as other anti-government establishments. Alternatively, the combination of red and black, versions of the circle V, and the anarchy symbol are also used to represent many of these causes.
