S01 - E08 - Guy Fawkes night - Talita

In this episode, I speak with my Portuguese teacher Talita about Guy Fawkes night. Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Fireworks Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in the United Kingdom. We talk about the history of this tradition and cover some of the celebrations that are made on this night.

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S01 - E08 - Guy Fawkes night - Talita

Full intermediate level ESL podcast transcript

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lovetolearnenglish)

Rich: Hey Talita, how are you? 

Talita: I'm fine, Richard. How about you? 

Rich: I'm very good too. So welcome to the podcast..

Talita: Thank you.

Rich: ..and it's great to have you here as a guest. 

Talita: Thank you. 

Rich: So for today's episode, we're going to talk about a very special holiday in the UK that happens every year on the 5th of November. This holiday is known as Guy Fawks nights.

Talita: Mhmmm…

Rich: That's Guy Fawks nights or bonfire night. 

Talita: Mhmmm…

Rich: So, it has two names that we use for this night. And I want to introduce this night by saying the traditional rhyme that is said at this time of year and the rhyme goes like this - “Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder treason and plots. Remember, remember the 5th of November? It must never be forgot”. So..Talita, any idea what this rhyme is referring to? 

Talita: Um, if I hadn’t watched a video about it today...I would say that it’s about some heroes in England...that the bad guys were trying to.. start a war or something like that. 

Rich: Mhmmm..

Talita: But uhhh..as I saw...is a...it's a bit different, right? 

Rich:  Yeah. It's actually..it's actually a story which involves an attempt to destroy the government in the UK. So most countries, ahh not most countries, but a lot of countries have an independence day. But unusually in the UK, we don't have an independence day because we are the country… that other countries…

Rich and Talita: (Laughs)

 Rich: ...have become independent from. Talita: … got independence from. Rich: Yeah got independence from… (Together) 

Rich: So,  for this reason, we need another day to… And another reason to make fires...to set off fireworks and other celebrations. But yeah, it actually has its origins in a terrorist plot. A plot... is a plan. Normally a plan for something...something bad.

Talita: Yeah…

Rich: ...like a terrorist attack, and it was an attempt at treason. So, I should just explain what treason is. So, treason is the highest crime. It's when you commit a crime against the State or...

Talita: Mhmm… 

Rich: ...against the government. So, like a terrorist act. So...I want to explain more about the background here. So, Guy Fawkes was a man...his name was actually Guy. So... I think this comes from, um..a Latin origin..there’s an Italian name that's very similar to Guy like Guyo...something like…

(Above is a painting of Guy Fawkes)

Talita: Ah, I suppose it's Guido, or Guiido

Rich: Yes maybe… Mhmm...so there's an..it's an English version of this...of this name. And the story goes something like this. So, in 1605...A group of Roman Catholics arranged the ‘Gunpowder plot’. They tried to assassinate or to kill the Protestant King James the First. If you know anything about British history or know that there have been lots of battles and fights and lots of...you know, lots of violence between Catholics and Protestants…

Talita: Yeah… 

Rich: ...for a long time.

Talita: I'm aware of this…

Rich: You’re aware...Yes. Um, so at the time...King James was a King of Protestant England, but a man called Robert Catesby and his band… Or his group of 12th Catholics. Once he had greater religious tolerance and more freedom to practice their own religion. So…

TIP - In modern English band is unusually used for musical groups. However, it can also mean a group in general. 

Talita: Mhmm… 

Rich: ...again. This was a history of people being oppressed because of their religious background. Um, this is why we still have violence in Ireland, and often today between Protestants and Catholics. So, this still exists today in a..in a way. 

Talita: Mhmm…

Rich: So, they hired a man called Guy Fawkes. 

Talita: Okay...

Rich: And their plan was to get lots of gunpowder and to get it into the House of Lords. So, the House of Lords is a big government building in the center of London. So, it's where our parliament is. It's where all of the politicians are. So..

(Above - The house of Lords, London) 

Talita: Okay...

Rich: ...they got this gun powder, so explosive material…

Talita: Mhmm…

Rich: They got 36 barrels and they actually managed to put it in a cellar underneath...or, below the parliaments.  

(Above is a barrel - they are used to contain things like beer or in this case gunpowder)

Talita: Mhmm.. and no one saw? 

Rich: Nobody saw... I think they paid someone. (Both Laugh) 

Rich: I'm not sure exactly how that happened, but...uh, they..they managed, I think, actually to hire a room, and...yeah. They put explosives under the parliament...under the government. So, the idea was to kill the King… (and) to get more rights for their religion and everyone else in the building. So, the whole government would have been destroyed. It would have been, uhm...An incredible terrorist attack if it did work. Um, because it would have destroyed the whole country. Everyone who was important was going to be killed.. in the country.  

Talita: Yeah...and they were going to put another queen in place. Right? A Catholic queen. 

Rich: Yes. So that's so, yeah. So that's the other detail. They wanted to have someone who represented the Catholic religion more, and who would...give them more rights and freedoms and everything else. Yeah. 

Talita: Mhmm…

Rich: But it was not to be, it did not happen. So, unfortunately, or fortunately..(Laughs) (Inaudible)

Rich: He was caught. He was then sent to the Tower of London, which is now a tourist attraction..you can go to the Tower of London and he was tortured. And he was given the names of his co-conspires or co-conspirators...following this, he was then executed for high treason. High treason again being like the most serious crime. Okay. 

Talita: Mhmm…

Rich: After this, the British people decided always to celebrate this day because this was the day that our government...almost ended..(was) almost was destroyed.  

Talita: Mhmm...

Rich: So, that's why we celebrate and we'll talk in a moment about the types of things we do. 

Talita: Mhmm...

Rich: What do you think about this story so far..so?

Talita: Oh, I said...earlier, that it’s kind of disturbing. 

Rich: Yeah…

Talita: Um, especially because...uh..some years or some centuries…I don't remember. We had...you have guys marry the blood, the Catholic queen…

Rich: Mhmm

Talita: and she didn't want Protestant (people) to practice their faith. Well, she'll be friends with these, these 12 Catholic people, I suppose.

Rich: Yeah 

Talita: Okay...it's all a question...a matter of who is in power. 

Rich: Yeah. Yeah. So.. actually, there is a very common joke in the UK, and that is that Guy Fawkes was the last man to walk into parliament with honest intentions. 

Talita: Whoa. Yeah. 

Rich: So, what they mean is that politicians are all...terrible people…(laughs) and he actually was honest because he wanted to destroy the whole thing.

Talita: Yeah...actually.

Rich: I'm not sure I agree with this...but it’s a common joke here.

Talita: I believe the real intentions of Guy Fawkes perhaps was to have money because he worked…

Rich: Yeah…

Talita: ...with Oliver ??? and of course he would have... get a huge amount of money. And also we don't know the real intention of this, uh ??? Right? 

Rich: Yeah

Talita: Um, but the disturbing fact about this story... in my opinion..is that people celebrate, uh, a day of torture and that...and that's the disturbing thing 

Rich: Yeah…

Talita: … because why not just celebrate like The world and family…(Laughs) and friends. Yeah. Soo..yeah that’s disturbing. 

Rich: Well we're going to get into the celebrations in a moment because it does get weirder. Um, but I think the main reason we celebrate it is because the government was not destroyed. We're gonna…I'm going to go now and just talk to you a bit about his death, cause I think that's also quite an interesting story.  So, here we go... 

Talita: Okay. 

Rich: So, Guy Fawkes and the other people involved were sentenced to be hung.. drawn..and quartered. Now, this is a historical term. You really don't need to know this for the 21st century because we don't do this anymore. 

(Above - a painting of someone being hung, drawn and quartered)

Talita: Oh, Thank God,

Rich: So, what does it mean? So, to be hung, drawn, and quartered means that first, they hang you. Okay, so they put a rope around your neck. Next, they open up your insides. So, they might put a knife in your stomach, it might open up your heart, and then they attach you to a horse with a rope. And...Hang on. What did I say first...so you're hung. Yes. Drawn

Talita: And quartered?

Rich: Quartered yeah. And then so, and then finally you're cut into four pieces, so you are quartered.

Talita: Oh, lovely. Lovely. 

Rich: Yeah. So it's quite, uh, quite a horrible thing to happen actually. In Guy Fawkes' case, he was very intelligent. With Guy Fawkes..they even planned to cut… to hang him. So, he almost died. Then.. to cut his genitals off and to burn out his eyes before removing his stomach and everything else. So, he was going to have a really bad punishment. 

Talita: Oh no…

Rich: So, quite intelligently when he was waiting to be hanged... When the executioner was looking the other way. He jumped. (Laughs) So, he avoided all of the torture because he just jumped. 

Talita: Yeah…

Rich: So, he hangs himself. So..before they could torture him like they wanted to..he killed himself…

Talita: Ohhh...

Rich: ...when they were not looking, which is kind of smart, I think.

Talita: Yeah...Kind of smart.  Especially because he had this suffered quite a torture…

Rich: ...already 

Talita: ...before already before. Yeah. 

Rich: Yeah, but they would, like I say, they were going to remove his genitals and his eyes and he thought, you know…

Talita: Yeah…Yeah…

Rich: This is history though. History's pretty bad...but actually though, interestingly..they did still cut him into four pieces. And they sent one of those pieces to every part... every corner of the country. 

Talita: Mhmmm…Okay.

Rich: So, one of his pieces in the North, one in the South. I imagine in my mind, somebody on a horseback with...one of Guy Fawkes’ legs... walking for miles until Scotland. It must be a very strange delivery job...nowadays we just have pizzas and burgers and things. But yeah, somebody would have had to have, um...delivered his body parts to the various corners. 

Talita: What a pleasant journey...

Rich: Yeah.(Laughs) So, let's get into the celebrations. Um, so what do we do on this day? Well, we like to set off fireworks. 

Talita: Hmm...

Rich: We only have two days in the UK (that) you can use fireworks. One is new years, and the second is this bonfire night. Or…

Talita: Really..? You are not allowed to have fireworks (on) other different days?

Rich: No, not officially. Some...sometimes people do, but it's actually considered noise pollution. So, you can be fined for setting off fireworks, uh, but not on these two days. 

Talita: Ohh okay... because here in Brazil every day is a reason to..to celebrate. 

Rich: Yeah... The football. 

Talita: Yeah…

Rich: Let's set up some fireworks. 

Talita: Yeah...that’s it.

Rich: So, I want now to talk about..maybe the strangest part of this holiday.

Talita: Yeah. Ohhh...Even stranger? 

Rich: Yeah.. even stranger. I know we're going very dark today. So, the very strange thing about this holiday is the tradition (that is) known as ‘Penny for the guy’. Did you find anything about this online? Do you know about this? 

Talita: No. I Googled really quick, but I haven't found (anything).

Rich: Well, let me just explain to you, um..what happens, uh...with this tradition. So, kids create a fake man, so they make, uh...they make a man normally out of...straw or some very cheap material.

Talita: Ohhh..kind of like Judas...Like Judas right Richard?

Rich: What do you mean? I don't know what you mean. Like Judas…?

Talita: Like they do with Judas is ???  with Jesus Christ.

Rich: Hmm. I'm not sure...about that one. 

Talita: Sorry. Sorry. Uh, is this like a Brazilian thing that you guys do?

Talita: No… it's a Catholic thing that, uh, we make like...uh, a huge...uh, no...a huge doll. 

Rich: Yeah

Talita: Like Judas….the...the friend of Jesus Christ...

Rich: Yeah

Talita: ...who committed high treason…

Rich: Yeah

Talita: ...and then we started beating the...this huge doll. 

Rich: I don't know this tradition. Maybe we can talk about this in another episode. 

Talita: Okay, I’m sorry 

Rich: But, maybe

Talita: I’m sorry…

Rich: That’s alright. No problem. Maybe quite interesting to..to see, um...see later if that's the case. Um, but yeah, they make a fake man. They will use old clothes and they will sit in the streets and ask “Penny for the guy”. So, people then will give them one penny, which is the smallest amount of money here. 

(Above - some kids with a penny for the guy)

Talita: Oh yeah…

Rich: And the kids sit all day collecting money for this, and later we build a big fire. In the middle of a garden or somewhere or a field. And then on top of this fire, we put this fake man. 

Talita: Ohhh… 

Rich: So, we burn an effigy. The name of this is an effigy..

Talita: Hmmhmm.. 

Rich: ...Like the doll that we make

Talita: Hmmhmm..  

Rich: ...and we burn it on the fire. So, it's quite interesting that hundreds of years later. We are still so angry about this. 

Both: (Laugh) 

Rich: Kids burn this man alive. That's how much of an impact he had on history. That hundreds of years later, people still make a fake version of him and throw him on a fire. 

Talita: All in the name of tradition and for sure and most of...most of kids, uh, they don't know the real meaning. They are just having fun. 

Rich: Yeah. Just one. Quick correction there though. Not ‘most of kids’.. it’s just ‘most kids’. 

Talita: Oh, most kids. Thank you. 

Rich: Yeah. So it's either most of the something. Most of the somethings. So...most of the time or most, and then a noun. So, like most kids...most children. 

Talita: Most kids or...Most of the children. Okay…thank you. 

Rich: Yeah. So…there’s one final thing I want to tell you about this holiday that's really cool. If you get to come here, and that's, so we have toffee apples or candy apples. So, you get a real apple and then they put a sugar coating, a sugar layer on top of the apple, and it's really..really good. So if you come here on this holiday, you have to get a toffee apple.

(Above - toffee apples) 

Talita: Ah, okay. Okay. It could be like a ??? in Brazil.

Rich: Something like that. Yeah. It's really sweet. The sugar coating or the sugar layer is actually red. 

Talita: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. 

Rich: All right. So, do you have any questions..?

Talita: Uh, not for now. Thank you. 

Rich: Nope. All right. So, thank you so much Talita for joining me on this episode and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Talita: All right, thank you Richard. 

Rich: All right. Thanks Talita. Bye now. Take care. 

Talita: Bye. 

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