Hey everyone, so here are our implications expanded and with examples and what we think the play is about based on our analysis. feel free to add on with comments or additional posts. if you think i should change anything just say the word.
Implications:
After having done our plot analysis both backwards and forwards, we have come up with a few discrepancies or differences between the two ways of plotting the action. First, we noticed that, in doing the plot backwards, it permitted us to focus a lot more on the details of how the story moves forward. There are many different story lines in Merchant of Venice and by going backwards we got a better understanding of how the relationships relate to one another and how they are ultimately connected. We were able to notice more highlighted relationships (Portia and Bassanio and their relationship with Antonio) versus less forwarding relationships in the play (Lorenzo and Jessica). The story line of Antonio and Bassanio constructing this entire plan to get money and in turn Portia really moves the story forward; where as Jessica and Lorenzo add to Shylock's character and why he is so angry, they do not forward the story as much.
Another difference we found working both directions was how the focus of the plot shifted based on the direction we were plotting. When we plotted forwards our plot focused more on the relationship between Portia and Bassanio, how their love fuels the other actions and we did not have Antonio being a character with many forwards. However, plotting backwards we noticed that the story more intimately follows Antonio and his promise to help Bassanio get Portia, which forwards the action of getting the money loaned in the first place. Instead of it being Portia and Bassanio forwarding most of the action, when we did it in reverse Antonio's relationship to the loan and his need for his ships to arrive so he can pay it back without Shylock killing him forwards the action more.
Lastly, one more thing we noticed that stuck out to us when doing the plot backwards was the complexity of the splits and returns in the plot branches. When doing it forward it was much easier to follow, all the sub plots broke apart and defined themselves throughout the play and came back together at the end nice and neat. In plotting backwards we did not get the same clean results. All the plots come together at the end still, but when they broke apart we found many ways in which they slightly connected to other sub-plots instead of being their own complete stories that simply collide at the end. For example, backwards the meeting and agreement of the loan forces four different forwards to occur which reconnect before the trial over the loan even begins and during the trial we find a few branches off the unison story line, but when we did it forwards they do not connect until the trial is over. Plotting backwards is much more of a web than the defined linear progressions of the forwards.
What the play is about based on our analysis:
Based on our analysis of the forwards and backwards plot we believe the play is meant to highlight the good outcomes of playing by the rules or strictly following the law. Portia gets exactly what she wants: Bassanio, by not waving the rules her father intended for her to find a suitor. She did not cheat or lie with any of her suitors, and love found her just as she wanted it. Also, we discovered that Antonio lives solely because Portia follows the law as literally and strictly as possible. Shylock could have gotten away with killing Antonio over the loan by taking a pound of flesh, but it is Portia who notes that if he bleeds, the law is no longer in Shylock's favor and he will then be in trouble with the law. Portia defines the details of the law to help Antonio survive. With that being said through these actions we can say that Shakespeare was trying to focus on the difference between greediness versus generosity. Shylock is a greedy man who only wants what is best for him (money) and will take down anyone in his way (Antonio and his own daughter Jessica and her lover Lorenzo). However, Antonio, Bassanio and Portia in the play are all working together and generously helping one another to find what they each desire. It is their generosity that wins over Shylock's greediness in the end.