Norsefire

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The flag of Norsefire as portrayed in the film version V for Vendetta. A black-on-red version is also seen in the film.

Norsefire is the fictional ruling political party in the United Kingdom in Alan Moore and David Lloyd's V for Vendetta comic book series. While neither Moore nor Lloyd have said why they chose "Norsefire" as the name for his ruling party (sometimes simply called "the Party"), it was probably chosen to reference the National Socialist German Workers Party's (Nazi Party) fascination with Odinism, as well as the National Front, who have used the initials "NF" and a flaming torch as their logo. The National Front were particularly strong in the early 1980s when the book was written, and their paper is called The Flame.

1 Overview
2 See also
3 External links

[edit] Overview

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

A Norsefire rally from the graphic novel

Moore predicted that the Labour Party would win the British general election of 1983 and would disarm all of the United Kingdom's nuclear capabilities. The story presents a post-apocalyptic Britain that has narrowly avoided an international nuclear war. As displayed during the story of Evey Hammond, although the United Kingdom did not suffer any nuclear attacks, the effects of full-scale nuclear war on other countries had severe effects on the environment, and thus on agriculture. This in its turn had a knock-on effect on the British economy, and mass riots broke out. As Evey relays to V, the protagonist, the government quickly collapsed and chaos overran the country.

The situation quickly turned. From the madness of the violence came the Norsefire regime, a group of fascists (similar to Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists) that united with the surviving big companies and businesses, giving them the appearance of wealth and stability. However, while the Norsefire regime did indeed bring order back to the country, this order came at a cost: minorities such as Africans, Indians, Chinese, and Pakistanis were rounded up and sent to concentration camps. Other groups such as Jews, Muslims and homosexuals and political leftists were also persecuted. With their potential enemies all removed within a short space of time, Norsefire began consolidating their power over the country. They began to sink their influence into the Church of England, promoting and demoting members of the clergy as they saw fit. They also took over the television companies, creating NTV (Norsefire Television), and implemented the technologies that would allow for a closely-monitored society, including closed-circuit television. It is assumable, however, that they allowed the monarchy to continue their existence (although perhaps they only do so in the role of a figurehead and if they didn't, they have adopted a new national anthem (with the same tune used in the old one). In the novel, the radio in London references a just-turned sixteen year old "Queen Zara" visiting a factory; the reason why she has ascended to the throne rather than Prince Charles, Prince William (who was born around the time V was made) or anyone else in the Royal Family remains unclear, perhaps hinting that the others had been assassinated or relocated. In the film, Sutler's image can be seen on pound notes.

By the time the story of the graphic novel has begun, Norsefire has shut down the concentration camps and are essentially in complete control of society. Although competition exists between the varying branches of the state (consider the rivalry between the SS and the SA in Nazi Germany), by and large Norsefire runs a highly effective fascist government. The head of the party is Leader Adam James Susan, a self-proclaimed fascist who seems to worship Fate, the super-computer surveillance system that oversees the nation. Their control over the state soon faces a threat in the form of V, the anarchist protagonist of the story who seeks to overthrow the regime and allow the people to decide their own fate.

[edit] Film portrayal

Although Norsefire still bear their largely repressive policies in the movie adaptation of V for Vendetta, some differences are worthy of note.

High Chancellor Adam Sutler portrayed by John Hurt as a fanatical fascist leader similar to Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini, at a Norsefire rally, reminiscent of the Nuremberg Rally, in the film V for Vendetta.

The openly-fascist Norsefire comes to power in the film through the ordinary political process, with an excess of 80% of the vote. The mechanism is elaborated in the film to a much greater extent than was ever discussed in the comic. It is worth noting, however, that much of the following explanation comes from Finch's speculation that the biological attacks were a Reichstag fire ploy. His fears are "confirmed" by a discussion with one of the agents involved, but it is later made clear that the agent was 20 years dead and V was manipulating Finch to get to Creedy. However, much of the plan is confirmed by other sources, especially V's own background.

In place of the nuclear war of the novel version, biological weapons are used instead. Alan Moore later states in the foreword to the trade paperback edition of V for Vendetta that scientists now felt that even a "limited" nuclear war was not survivable. Thus biological weapons would today be considered more plausible. In the film, Norsefire had staged a plan that would sweep them into full control of the nation; after they had a firm grip on Parliament, they conducted horrific medical experiments on prisoners in the detention centers to perfect a deadly virus (as well as the cure for it) which they then used to stage a terrorist attack by foreign religious extremists.

To maximize its effect, the virus was released in a water treatment plant called Three Waters, a London Underground station, and the St. Mary's Elementary School. The "St. Mary's virus" quickly killed almost 100,000 people in Great Britain, and the populace was gripped by fear. Several "terrorist" scapegoats were tried and executed. Norsefire then promised to bring back security against the new "terrorist threat". Party leaders had bought stock in the pharmaceutical companies that would later mass produce the cure, becoming very rich in the process. Not long after the biological attack and their ascension to power, the public was informed that a cure was miraculously discovered and distributed throughout the country. Adam Sutler (the film version of Adam Susan) was then elected to the new office of High Chancellor.

Chancellor Sutler address his cabinet in the Downing Street Cabinet Room. From left to right (seated): Brian Etheridge, Eric Finch, Peter Creedy, Roger Dascombe, and Conrad Heyer.

Norsefire still has the primary government divisions of the graphic novel: the Finger (the secret police), the Eye (the visual surveillance division), the Ear (the audio surveillance division), the Nose (the police department), and the Mouth (the propaganda division, which runs the BTN), though these anatomical names are rarely used in the film.

The rest of the world is only passingly mentioned, although it is stated in several news reports that at least the United States (referred to as the "former United States," not unlike "the former Soviet Union") has fallen upon desperate times. Early in the movie it is mentioned that the U.S. has become so desperate for medical supplies that it has sent Britain a tremendous amount of grain and tobacco in a bid for aid, and at least by the end of the movie has broken out into its second civil war, perhaps a consequence of the war the United States led in the Middle East; however, it should be taken into account that the Voice of London is a propaganda tool. It is also unclear whether or not Norsefire controls only England, the UK or even the British Isles. However, the film's references to England may be to simplify things for American audiences who frequently confuse the terms Britain with England. Norsefire's propaganda seems to suggest English or Norse superiority (Storm Saxon, "England Prevails") as well as the way Eric Finch is mocked by Creedy for having an Irish mother.

Many black people are seen when the march takes place a year after V's broadcast, although this is probably because of the symbolic nature of the scene; several characters appear who are known to be dead. Jews are not mentioned in the film when Pakistanis, Muslims and homosexuals are mentioned. Perhaps this implies that the people being ethnically cleansed have all immigrated within the last century or so.

The name of the government party, Norsefire, is only used passingly in the film. It is stated in the film that Sutler originally came to power in the Conservative Party, but a chart of election results show that Sutler broke away and formed his own party ("Labour", "Conservative" and "Norsefire" are shown). The computer system "Fate", which played an important role in the graphic novel, is also absent. However, there is talk and use of a new computer network called the InterLink throughout the film.

Sutler is also given visual similarities with Oswald Mosley and Adolf Hitler, having a similar hairstyle, figure, moustache and style of military dress Mosley wore (the "blackshirt"). The way Sutler has broken off from the Conservative Party is similar to Oswald Mosley's New Party which developed into the British Union of Fascists. Adam Susan in comparison, however, is extremely different and is more similar in appearance to Benito Mussolini and the archetypal British fascist that existed during the National Front era of the 80s.

[edit] Symbol

The symbol of the Norsefire party resembles the Croix de Lorraine, the heraldic symbol of the province of Lorraine in France, which was adopted as the official symbol of General Charles de Gaulle's Free French Forces between 1940 and 1944. It was later used for various Gaullist political parties in France, notably the RPR (Rally for the Republic).

In the context of the film's fascist Britain, it could be seen as a combination of the St. George's Cross and the Nordic Cross flag. Its colours are similar to those of the flag of the Northern English city of Durham. In the movie, the symbol is shown in flags, police badges, coat of arms, tanks, and army beret badges.

It is also, literally, a double cross. A double cross of a different type can be seen in The Great Dictator, which satirises Nazism. The cross also forms an "H" on its side.

In the book, this logo is not used. A simple "NF" (similar to that of of the British National Front) or "N" (reminiscent of a sig rune or the logo of the British Union of Fascists) appear on their flags.

[edit] Motto

Another logo used in Norsefire's propaganda is the winged cross rising out of the flames

A common recurring motto is "Strength Through Unity, Unity Through Faith" (or in the graphic novel, "Strength Through Purity, Purity Through Faith".) This could well have been inspired by the Motto of Ingsoc in George Orwell's dystopian novel "Nineteen Eighty-four", "War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength". It may also be related to the Strength through Joy (Kraft durch Freude) slogan/organisation of Nazi Germany. Another maxim would be "England Prevails," which could be a take on Nazi greeting, "Sieg Heil", which literally means "Hail Victory". The British Union of Fascists also used a similar slogan that may have been the inspiration of Norsefire's slogan, called: "Action within unity."