Guy Fawkes (novel) facts for kids
The novel Guy Fawkes is a famous historical story written by William Harrison Ainsworth. It first appeared in parts, like a TV show series, in a magazine called Bentley's Miscellany from January to November 1840. Later, it was published as a full book in 1841, with illustrations by George Cruikshank.
This book was the first of seven "Lancashire novels" by Ainsworth. The story is based on the real Gunpowder Plot of 1605. This was an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. Ainsworth used many real historical documents about the trial of the people involved, including Guy Fawkes. But he also added his own ideas to the story. For example, he created a character named Viviana Radcliffe, who becomes Fawkes's wife. He also added spooky and magical parts, like an alchemist named John Dee who can talk to ghosts.
The novel was very popular and helped Ainsworth start a 40-year career writing historical romance stories. However, not everyone loved it. The famous writer Edgar Allan Poe thought the writing style was "turgid pretension," which means he thought it was overly fancy and not very clear.
About the Book's Release
When and How Guy Fawkes Was Published
In 1840, William Harrison Ainsworth was very busy! He wrote two novels at the same time: The Tower of London and Guy Fawkes. Both stories first appeared in magazines as serials, meaning they were published in small parts over several months.
Guy Fawkes started in January 1840 in Bentley's Miscellany magazine. It continued until November of that year. Ainsworth later published the story again in his own magazine, Ainsworth's Magazine, in 1849 and 1850.
Besides these magazine versions, the story has been published as a full novel seven times. The first book version came out in July 1841. It was a three-volume set, meaning it came in three separate books. This first edition included the illustrations by George Cruikshank. Two American versions and one French version were also published in the same year. Later, Routledge, another publisher, released three more editions in 1842, 1857, and 1878.
What Happens in the Story
The Start of the Gunpowder Plot Story
The story of Guy Fawkes begins in the summer of 1605. This is when the secret plan to blow up Parliament was already in motion. The first part of the novel starts with a sad scene in Manchester. Catholic priests are being put to death. During this event, a woman named Elizabeth Orton acts strangely and is chased by an officer. To escape, she jumps into the River Irwell.
She is saved from the water by two men: Humphrey Chetham, a Protestant nobleman, and Guy Fawkes, a Catholic. After being rescued, Elizabeth Orton makes a prediction. She says that both men will eventually be put to death before she herself dies.
The Radcliffe Family and Warnings
The novel then moves to Lancashire and introduces the Radcliffe family. William Radcliffe supports the secret plot. His daughter, Viviana Radcliffe, is shown to have feelings for both Chetham and Fawkes. Fawkes visits John Dee, an alchemist. Dee is able to call forth the ghost of Elizabeth Orton. The ghost warns Fawkes again about the danger of the plot.
This is not the only warning Fawkes receives. He also has a vision from God. This vision tells him that the plot will end very badly. During this time, the Radcliffe family is discovered to be hiding two priests. This leads to the British Army destroying their home. Having lost their home, the people involved in the plot travel to London.
The Plot Fails and Arrests Begin
In the second part of the book, Fawkes and Viviana Radcliffe get married. Viviana tries to convince her new husband not to continue with the dangerous plot. However, Fawkes believes he must go through with it. This part of the story ends when the plan to blow up Parliament fails on November 5, 1605. Guy Fawkes is then arrested.
Trial and Ending
The third part of the book focuses on the trial of Fawkes and the other people involved in the plot. They are all held in the Tower of London. Viviana, who is very ill and dying, convinces Fawkes to say he is sorry for his actions. He does so as she passes away. After her death, Fawkes is put to death. The book ends with the death of the last person involved in the plot, Father Garnet.
Main Ideas in Guy Fawkes
History, Mystery, and Magic
Guy Fawkes, like Ainsworth's other novel The Tower of London, explores British politics and history. The story deals with the putting to death of Catholic priests and the famous plot to destroy Parliament. Ainsworth also uses "gothic" elements in the novel. These are spooky or mysterious parts. For example, Chat Moss, a bog (a type of wetland) near Manchester, adds a terrifying feeling to the story.
Another gothic element is a cave used for old pagan worship. This cave appears early in the book. It shows a connection between historical events and ancient beliefs. The use of prophecies, or predictions about the future, is also linked to magic. This is different from earlier writers who used Catholic superstitions in their gothic stories. Ainsworth combines both Christianity and the supernatural world. This suggests that the world back then had a mix of magic, religion, and science, unlike the more logical thinking of Ainsworth's own time. The character John Dee, the alchemist, represents this connection between different ways of understanding the world.
Warnings and Fate
The alchemist John Dee tells Fawkes that the plot will not help the Catholic Church. He warns that it will only lead to the deaths of everyone involved. Fawkes also has a vision of a saint, St Winifred, during a trip to her holy well. This vision also tells him that the plot will fail because Heaven does not approve of it. Both sides, magic and religion, warn Fawkes about his terrible future. This highlights the sad and mysterious themes of the novel.
Religious Tolerance and Society
The novel also touches on the desire of Fawkes and the other plotters to bring back Catholicism as the main religion in England. This topic was important around 1840, when Ainsworth wrote the book. People were worried about similar events happening again. This was because some laws from the late 1600s that limited Catholic rights were changed in 1828 and 1829. These changes allowed Catholics more freedom, especially Irish Catholics. This led to many Irish people moving to English cities.
However, this also caused some people in England to feel anti-Catholic again. In response, Ainsworth's novel promoted the idea of toleration between different faiths. This means accepting and respecting people with different religious beliefs.
Female Characters in the Story
Ainsworth uses his female characters in two main ways. One example is Elizabeth Orton, who is like a "Cassandra." This means she warns Fawkes about his future, but her warnings are not believed. The other example is Viviana Radcliffe, who represents feminine beauty. She sadly dies in the story.
Radcliffe is shown as an ideal woman in the Victorian style. She is very obedient to her father, even to the point of dying for his cause. This is different from the more independent female characters in some of Ainsworth's other novels. Radcliffe is a victim. She can see that the plot is doomed, but she cannot escape because she is bound by her marriage vows.
Ainsworth described his main Catholic characters:
In Viviana Radcliffe I have sought to portray the loyal and devout Catholic, such as I conceive the character to have existed at the period. In Catesby, the unscrupulous and ambitious plotter, masking his designs under the cloak of religion. In Garnet, the subtle, and yet sincere, Jesuit. And in Fawkes, the gloomy and superstitious enthusiast.
