Guy Fawkes (novel)
The first of William Harrison Ainsworth's seven "Lancashire novels", the story is based on the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, an unsuccessful attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament.
Ainsworth relied heavily on historical documents describing the trial and execution of the conspirators, of whom Fawkes was one, but he also embellished the known facts.
[1] During 1840, Ainsworth simultaneously wrote The Tower of London and Guy Fawkes, both initially published as serials.
The stories began their publication in January 1840; Guy Fawkes was published in instalments in Bentley's Miscellany until November 1840.
During this time, the Radcliffe family is exposed as hiding two priests, which provokes the destruction of the home by the British Army.
Ainsworth also employs gothic elements such as Chat Moss, a bog near Manchester, to add a terrifying component to the novel.
The use of prophecy in the work is related to the act of necromancy, which distinguishes Ainsworth from earlier authors, who incorporated Catholic superstitions in their use of the gothic.
This reflects a view that the contemporary rationalism is lacking the same character as the world had when both magic, religion, and science were within one system.
[6] The alchemist John Dee tells Fawkes that the plot will not help the Catholic Church, and will only result in the death of the plotters.
Fawkes's vision of St Winifred on his trip to her well, a Catholic shrine, also tells him that the plot will fail, because Heaven does not approve of it.
[7] In terms of Fawkes and the plotters' desires to restore Catholicism as the dominant religion in England, this issue came up again during the time surrounding 1840 as there were fears about such events happening after moves to repeal various legislation.
[8] Ainsworth uses his female characters in two ways, exemplified by the Cassandra-like Elizabeth Orton, who warns Fawkes of his future, and Viviana Radcliffe, a figure of feminine beauty that dies.
She was brought back to life, and the spot where she had lost her head instantly became a fountain that could cure people.
[11] The novel's background deals with the Gunpowder Plot, a major historical event in English history.
Public opinion afterward was manipulated to further anti-Catholic sentiment, and many of the details are unknown, especially of who warned the government that the plot was taking place a week before Fawkes was to blow up Parliament.
"[16] Writing in 2003, Stephen Carver claimed that "Although critics are often scathing of this author, Guy Fawkes Book the Second is a reasonable history lesson".
