V for Vendetta

In Book 1 Chapter 1, titled “The Villain,” Evey asks V who he is after he saves her, and he replies, “I’m the king of the twentieth century. I’m the bogeyman. The villain” (13). Why do you think he introduces himself this way? Is he the villain?

Do some research on the philosophy of anarchy. It might be helpful to see how anarchists define themselves and their principles in their own words, such as in The Anarchist Library. Does V succeed in carrying out the tenets of anarchy? Are there any places where he fails?

V for Vendetta is set in a dystopian version of Britain, ruled by a fascist government called Norsefire. Do some research on real-world fascist governments. You might begin by researching the regimes of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Josef Stalin, who appear behind V during his broadcast in Book 2, Chapter 4. What resonances of historical fascist regimes do you see in Norsefire?