Originally Posted by Karen 7th November 2005

Why did the Wits smash the sundial? What did they accomplish? Why does Rochester always have to push the envelope?

"I must always go too far, you see, it is my genius to go too far."

Lufirel


On the surface level I think Rochester and the wits smashed the sun dial because they were drunk and things got out of hand. Given that Rochester was (as usual) leading the action, however, I don't think that we can dismiss his reasons as being so simple and straight forward. Even drunk I'd say that Rochester realized perfectly well that he was destroying one of the king's prized possessions. This action was, in essence, an attack on Charles just as his poem insulting Charles's, uh, "ability to perform" was.

I think that the reason he always has to go too far is twofold, and both parts concern his relationship to the king. The first reason is one I have discussed in some of my earlier posts, Rochester seems to be trying to force the king into dealing with him. Banishment is all well and good but it is essentially nothing more than a smack on the wrist. Rochester, in my assessment, wants to force the king to deal with him seriously. He realizes that he can get away with minor offenses and so he feels the need to go over the top in order to get any reaction at all. In a way he is searching for the consequences he sees at work in the playhouse that are absent from the real world.

Rochester's other reason, in my opinion, is connected with the first, and it is that he essentially feels like the king's jester. He mentions this feeling later on in the play in a scene between himself and Charles (the one after all the Dr. Bendo stuff). I think Rochester resents the idea that he is only there to amuse the king, and so he does things like smash the sundial or write Sodom as a monument to Charles's reign in order to try and establish himself as something other than a diversion. Rochester often seems to want to be taken seriously, but he is not. He has basically been typecast as the the "witty entertainment." Therefore, I'd say that many of his more extreme actions are also a form of rebellion against this image.

JDFan


Lufirel again hits to the heart of it, I think. By striking out at the king, he's also striking out at himself. The king may treat him like a sort of court jester but he has entreated him to be more. He has said that it is easy to be against something but much harder to be for something. Of course he wants Rochester to stand up for the king, something that Rochester can't stomach doing.

Keeping in mind that his alcoholism impedes his ability to find positive direction, Rochester keeps trying to make someone stop him. Barry seems to be the only one who can influence him but she is inconsistent and ultimately all about herself. That he is a natural and charismatic leader is apparent in how his comrades, even the relatively sensible ones like Etherege, follow his lead. The smashing of the sundial accomplishes many things, among them:

- It destroys a sophisticated scientific instrument created by someone who put energy into creating rather than destroying.

- It smashes a phallic symbol which can stand for the shambles Rochester feels the King has made of his reign and for Rochester's own inability to make a difference in the grand scheme, his own self-loathing.

- It makes a political statement about how Rochester feels Charles is wasting the country's money on frivolous but hugely expensive things like a sundial while he ignores the plight of the people who supported him in war and now need help.

MerryK


Hey.. I can finally get an answer in here.. I finally made a good dent into the play today after work.

Now.. my answer is not nearly as deep as the others.. basically I just feel it was Rochester leading the others on. It was his way of acting out against authority.. and once they started.. and with being under the influence the destruction of the sundial continued.

Captainjacksparrow


WHY?

I think that Rochester was jealous of the king....with the quote "He calls himself King!! the greatest patron of the arts and sciences in Europe. The nimble mind, bounding with ease from subject to subject."

then a piece snaps off of the sundial

and then the quote "I hate this thing. I hate the way it stands here.......*********......Isn't it enough that you're the King? Must there be nothing left for anyone else?"

and then they smash the sundial

sounds like a green monster to me

what did they accomplish...vented up frustration was let loose

why? some people seem to just try and see how far they can go and how far they can push....like a child trying the patience of their parent.....

Hibblette

To me the smashing of the sundial is a total political statement.

And he does it knowing that it will look like jealousy and drunkenness and he goes with that because that's excusable.

But back in this day and age-if the King had thought that it was an outright political statement he very well could have sent him up for treason.

Truly the days of Edward the Confessor and Henry the Eighth were not that far back in reality.

Treason was a very baaaaad thing to be accused of. You could actually get away with murder of a common citizen before you could get away with treason.

Deppraved


Yes they're all three sheets to the wind here and that makes them bold and reckless, but aside from Politics......

I can't help believing that Rochester is extremely envious of the King's member and his able use of it because his is on the fritz already (sorry about my vernacular) and the phallic sundial is a reminder, so he takes his wrath on IT where he cannot take it out on the King----yet.