West Side Story, a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, follows the story of two young lovers, Tony and Maria, who are caught in the midst of a bitter rivalry between two rival street gangs: the Jets and the Sharks. Like the original Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is a tale of forbidden love and the tragic consequences that can arise when two people try to defy the expectations and prejudices of their respective communities.
One of the main differences between the characters in West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet is their social status. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is a member of the noble Montague family, while Juliet is a member of the Capulet family, another noble family. In contrast, Tony and Maria are both poor and working class. Tony is a member of the Jets, a gang of white working-class boys from the neighborhood, while Maria is a member of the Sharks, a gang of Puerto Rican immigrants.
Another key difference between the characters in West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet is their level of agency. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Juliet are both relatively passive characters who are driven by their passions and emotions, and who are ultimately powerless to change their fate. In contrast, Tony and Maria are more proactive and take more control over their own lives. They actively pursue their relationship and try to find ways to be together, even in the face of overwhelming obstacles and opposition.
Despite these differences, there are also many similarities between the characters in West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet. Both pairs of lovers are deeply in love and willing to risk everything for their relationship. They both face intense opposition from their respective communities and families, who see their relationship as a threat to the social order. And ultimately, both pairs of lovers are doomed to tragic endings, as their love is unable to overcome the forces arrayed against them.
In conclusion, while the characters in West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet have some notable differences, they are ultimately united by their deep love for one another and their willingness to fight for their relationship against all odds. Both stories serve as poignant reminders of the power of love and the dangers of intolerance and prejudice.
Free Essay: Romeo And Juliet/ West Side Story Compare And Contrast
Romeo is dead-set on marrying Juliet, to the point where he'd do anything for her. When Mercutio and Tybalt fight, Tybalt kills Mercutio, and then Romeo kills Tybalt. F Looking for death after believing that their true love has died, and not wanting to live any more. Written by Stephen Sondheim, it made its Hollywood debut in 1961 under directors Jerome Robbins and Robert Romeo And Parita Comparison discovered. It is the tragic tale of two star crossed lovers; Romeo of the house of Montague and Juliet of the house of Capulet. The star-crossed lovers of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, a drama by William Shakespeare, and West Side Story are equally affected by their friends and others close to them, but are influenced in starkly dissimilar ways.
Free Essay: Comparison of West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet
West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet are both extremely similar in characters, scenes, loves, and deaths. The differences in some plot elements make each tragedy its own, but the similarities make them one. Get your paper price 124 experts online The story of Romeo and Juliet takes us to palaces and mansions, while the story of Tony and Mari take us to back allies and broken down buildings. Mercutio's realistic mindset highlights Romeo's dreamy, romantic thinking. Overall, Riff is about the same as Mercutio and Bernardo is about the same as Tybalt.
Romeo and Juliet, west side story, compare and contrast Essay Example
By comparison, Chino kills Tony instead of the other way around. The Lieutenant, from West Side Story, had told the Puerto Rican's and the American's that if they get into another fight they all will have to go to jail. One such interpretation is West Side Story. Manhattan West Side, between two warring street gangs; the White European Ethnic American Jets, and the newly arrived Puerto Rican Sharks, both of whom are vying for the small piece of turf, or the crumbs left to them by United States society at large. There is also the symbolism of a name or the power of a name, which remains consistent in both pieces of literature. West Side Story was a close variation of the play Romeo and Juliet, but the author of West Side Story changed characteristics of Tony to differ from his Romeo and Juliet equivalent, Romeo.
