Every year on the 5th of November England celebrates Bonfire Night, the failure of the assassination of King James I. Nowadays this is celebrated in local communities with bonfires and fireworks.
Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated on 5 November. It commemorates a failed attempt by a group of thirteen Catholics to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill the King, James I. The group rented a cellar under the Houses of Parliament and stored 36 barrels of gunpowder. Guy Fawkes was in charge of the gunpowder. An anonymous letter warning of the plot reached the authorities. They searched the building, found Guy Fawkes and arrested him. He was tortured and later executed. That very same night, bonfires were lit to celebrate that the King was safe and the tradition has continued ever since. Traditionally, English children used to make Guys to burn on the bonfire. A Guy was a life-sized model of Guy Fawkes made from paper, straw, old clothes… Before they burnt it, the children would ask passers-by for ‘A penny for the Guy’. With the money, they bought sweets or fireworks.
Now children under 18 are not allowed to buy fireworks so the custom is dying out, though some people still make Guys for charity.
Now children under 18 are not allowed to buy fireworks so the custom is dying out, though some people still make Guys for charity.
Bonfire Night in Britain
Guy Fawkes
Listening about the festival
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