The
Guy Fawkes mask is something most people have probably seen, but don’t really
understand the significance of. If shown a picture of the mask most people
probably know that it is a thing that exists, and if they are more in touch
with comic book subculture they might even make some sort of remark about the
mask being worn by the titular character in Allan Moore’s classic graphic novel
V for Vendetta or the cult classic
movie of the same title it inspired. Few make a connection to Guy Fawkes and
what it stands for. The mask actually means more than just making someone look
like a renaissance era Joker. In fact, the mask has made a complete one eighty
degree turn from its original meaning to what it stands for today.
The
Guy Fawkes mask was originally a piece of pro-British government propaganda,
created after the failed Gun Powder Plot of 1604. The plot was intended to kill
the protestant dominated parliament and king, and replace it with a catholic
government. Gut Fawkes, one of the conspirators, was tasked with guarding the
gunpowder charges placed under the British Parliament until the time came to
detonate them. He was discovered, caught, tortured, and then executed.
Afterwards, Guy Fawkes Day, celebrated every year on November fifth, became a
celebration dedicated to supporting the Monarchy by burning effigies of
Fawkes and wearing masks resembling his face. This practice eventually fell out
of practice and Guy Fawkes Day became Bonfire Day. The original masks were meant to demonize those who would rebel against the government through its garish depiction of Fawkes
The evolution
of the symbol came with the movie adaptation of V for Vendetta. The main character, an anarchist terrorist opposing
a fascist British government in the near future wears a Guy Fawkes mask to
disguise himself. As a promotion for the movie, thousands of free masks were
given away and eventually came to reside in dumpsters across the United States.
A popular meme on message board website 4Chan called fail guy, featuring a
stick figure who fails at everything, comes to wear on of these masks, most likely
as a reference to the failure of the Gunpowder Plot. An online, hacking
activist group known as Anonymous that frequented the 4Chan message boards is
suspected to have seen this and decided to use it as their image during their protests
against the Church of Scientology. During this month long protest period,
Anonymous members disguised themselves in public by wearing Guy Fawkes masks.
The
mask now is seen to be a symbol of anarchy and protest. From protesting the
authority of the government to shady business practices, the Guy Fawkes mask
has appeared in thousands of protests in many different countries. It is pretty hard to find a major protest without one Guy Fawkes mask in it; even the Occupy
Wall Street movement featured many participants wearing the mask. Guy Fawkes’
image now harkens back to the actions of the Gun Powder Plot Conspirators, as
an image of defiance to authority, and as silent threat of revolution when the
people are not listened to by the government, while also ignoring the
incredibly ludicrous and violent motivations of the original Guy Fawkes. It is
sort of weird that the face of revolution and protest in the post 9/11 world the face of a Protestant
hating terrorist.
Yes! This is super interesting! Where did you come up with the idea? It is quite ironic--especially in light of the pro Protestant/Evangelical rhetoric propagated by conservatives during thhis time--that these protestors would were a mask that is literally the face of the very type of person whom they condemn.
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