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differences between west side story and romeo and juliet in literary terms
views of love in romeo and juliet
differences in west side story and romeo juliet
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Differences are what make people who they are. If everyone was the same, life would be boring. People have been saying this for as long as anyone can remember. However, differences can oftentimes be fatal. The ways in which diversity and divisions affect people and their relationships can be shown in Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, as well as the film West Side Story, directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise. Romeo and Juliet takes place in the 1500s in the city of Verona. This tragic play tells the story of two teenagers from opposing families, the Capulets and the Montagues, who fall in love with each other against all odds. Eventually, the tensions between their families are too intense for them to bear, and the lead lovers of the …show more content…
In order to do so, one must be informed of the relationships being affected in Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. To clarify, one is able to compare the ways in which race can affect relationships in both the play and the film because race divides. Even though race is not the issue in Romeo and Juliet, it is similar to the actual issue, which is bloodline, or the family one comes from. It is a pattern in world history that people want to feel superior. One can find it wherever they go, even in present-day High School. The problem of superiority comes in the form of the Capulets and Montagues fighting over who the richer family is in Romeo and Juliet whereas in West Side Story, it is the Jets believing they are superior to the Sharks simply because they are white. All in all, these dividing factors, no matter what they are, create the same hatred that will cause problems for the love that follows. In Romeo and Juliet, the young lovers that the play revolves around are obviously Romeo and Juliet. Romeo is a Montague, a few years older than the newfound love of his life, Juliet, who, incidentally, is a Capulet. The two meet at a party hosted by the Capulets that Romeo is not supposed to be at. However, the two fall in love anyway despite their bickering families. They soon are wed by a Friar, in secret of course, since they know their families will not approve of them being together. In the end , Romeo …show more content…
Romeo would be the same person if he was a Montague or a Capulet or anything else. One could say the same about ethnicity. A person is not what they look like, or what a name on paper says about them. A person is their soul, their brain and their heart working together to create a personality that is the only thing that can ever define them. Juliet supposedly loves Romeo for who he is on the inside. She could care less what family he comes from. The same goes for Tony and Maria in West Side Story. In this film, the brawl occurs between rival gangs in New York City, the Jets and the Sharks. The reason for their argument, race, has been previously discussed. Now one must focus on the relationship that blooms from these two battling posses. Tony, a modern day version of Romeo, belongs to the Jets gang, which would clearly translate to be the Montagues. Maria is a Puerto Rican who comes from the Sharks, or the contemporary Capulets. Obviously, she would be playing the role of Juliet. Similar to the way in which Romeo and Juliet meet, Tony and Maria meet at a school dance and instantly fall in love. However, unlike Shakespeare’s protagonists, most everyone is aware of Tony and Maria’s feelings for each other, and openly disapprove. This is clearly a problem for anyone who wants to start a relationship with someone. Tony and Maria cannot start their lives together without approval from both of
West Side Story is the story of two lovers from rival gangs who cannot be together. This musical was heavily inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The music was a combination of jazz, pop, and classical which was influenced by Aaron Copland, which was Leonard Bernstein's friend. This
The romantic tension between Romeo and Juliet and Tony and Maria in Shakespears original play and its modern day remake, Westside Story, is what makes them have such passionate and entrancing scenes. The main reason for romantic tension in these two plays is because the two couples can’t be together like they want to be. There are many different aspects that create different quality of romantic tension in these two scenes. Although the two plays have similar plots, the romantic tension between the two lovers is very different because of the setting, the language and the circumstances in which the lovers face.
West Side Story, a film directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, is a relatively modern adaptation of William Shakespeare 's Romeo and Juliet. As both, the film and text, explore the perceptions of deep-rooted feud between two parties, it also includes the influence and pressure it has on young love. Although numerous similarities are encountered throughout the play and movie, there are distinguished concepts obtaining great difference. However, the two mediums of this tragic love story have three prominent issues of story, themes and characters instilling both similar and dissimilar concepts.
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Director Robert Wise's West Side Story share common characteristics in their plot and the characters themselves. Both characters Riff from West Side Story and Mercutio from Romeo and Juliet share many of the same traits. While comparing the two, we agree that Riff and Mercutio are both loyal to their friends. On the other hand, it seems that they both have different approaches when defending each other's friend.
Romeo and Juliet is a play about two lovers who have to risk their lives in order to demonstrate their love and will to stay together, regardless the feud between their families. By the end, the death of Romeo and Juliet finally bring the reconciliation to these two families. It is fate that the two most shall-not meet people fall in love and it love that eventually won against hatred. Since then, there have been many different versions of Romeo and Juliet, whether it was for film, stage, musicals. These different recontextualised adaptions change the original play by many ways, some modernise the language, environment, props as well as changing the original characteristics of some characters. Out of all the different adaptions of Romeo and Juliet, two stood out the most. One was the Romeo and Juliet (1996) and directed by Baz Luhrmann and the other one was Romeo and Juliet Broadway (2013) play version,
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Language of Literature. Ed. Arthur N. Applebee. Evanston: McDougal Littell, 2002. Print.
Romeo and Juliet is a play about two young lovers, whose love was destined for destruction from the beginning because of the hatred between the two families, Montagues and Capulets. Shakespeare juxtaposes the themes of love and hatred. He continuously puts them side by side, and even though they are opposites, when seen together you realise that they are driven from the same thing; passion. Shakespeare uses many different language and dramatic techniques to convey this idea.
Musical theatre is a type of theatrical performance combining music, dance, acting and spoken dialogue. Written by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, ‘West Side Story’ is a classic American musical based on William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. The through-composed score and lyrics are used to portray different characters and their cultures, the rivalry between the Jets and Sharks, and the emotions felt as the story progresses. This essay will be exploring the music and how effective the score is in realising the world and characters of the musical. Furthermore, it will discuss how Bernstein and Sondheim relate characters’ diverse ethnicities to particular musical ideas and motifs.
The play West Side Story, by Arthur Laurents, is based upon the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare. Despite a few differences, both works, in essence, have the same plot. The source of violence in Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story is the ever-present hatred between families and between gangs, although, because of the "star-cross’d lovers" motif in Romeo and Juliet, the hatred plays a larger role in producing the ending of West Side Story than it does the ending of Romeo and Juliet.
Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story share many similar themes. Romeo and Juliet both chronicle a story of overcoming prejudice and hatred, forbidden love, and defying stereotypes that nobody thought could be broken. The two stories are similar in a multitude of ways, even though their settings are centuries apart- Romeo and Juliet set in the 1500’s, and West Side Story set in the 1950’s. Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story both teach a lesson of how prejudice can teach you how to hate, and how one of your rivals may be the one who helps you remember how to love.
Romeo and Juliet’s love story was miserable but captivating in Shakespeare’s play, while in West Side Story it was musical and lively. In shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet fall in love, but their families hate each other because of bad history. In West Side Story Tony and Maria fall in love but they are in different groups. Jets are American’s, and the Sharks are Puerto Ricans, both of the groups hate each other because they are of different cultures and they can 't accept each other. Also because they are fighting over the territory. I 'm going to be proving how the play and musical are different, even though they are based on each other.
The love that Maria and Tony have shows their willingness to sacrifice for each other no matter the circumstances. Despite being from two different gangs, Tony and Maria go through great lengths to see their relationship blossom. In the musical, there are several instances when Tony and Maria meet secretly without their friends or families knowing. Understanding the consequences of being caught, they still felt a profound love for each other that could not keep them apart. Maria sacrificed her entire life with her family and friends to run away with Tony. Her love was the priority and nothing else mattered except Tony. Tony was also willing to sacrifice for Maria as he puts her before his family, friendships, and values. Love brought these two together made their relationship strong against the will of others in their lives. In the musical West Side Story, and play Romeo and Juliet, Tony and Romeo display many similar
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy of an ancient feud where the children of two families at war fall deeply in love with each other. Set in the 16th century William Shakespeare’s play has many different themes running throughout it, which include love, hate, death and conflict. The play opens with a fight but ends with suicide that creates peace between both families who unite from their losses. The conflict, violence and aggression in the play happen from revenge and an ancient family grudge. An audience from the 16th century would have enjoyed Romeo and Juliet because of the real life drama and tragedy the play goes through. The patriarchal society gave women absolutely no rights and they had to obey their man’s ordering a patriarchal system. The theme of conflict is revealed as the characters argue over Juliet’s disobedience.
The feud between the Montagues and the Capulets causes the young couple to have to sneak around to one another. Broken family relationships in both families add stress since there are less people Romeo and Juliet can trust, and feel comfortable talking too. Miscommunication not only between Romeo and Juliet, but almost all the characters, affect the couple in a poor way because they are constantly being misinformed about one another. Romeo and Juliet may not like that they have been greatly impacted by all these factors but these actions are ultimately what shaped their lives, and affected how they lived them. This demonstrates how the influences around you can change the way you feel about certain things. If they had better family conditions, and ways to communicate, it is possible they could have lived their lives longer and
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet centres on the relationship between two young protagonists, but much of what occurs during the play is as a result of the inequality between men and women. Juliet’s arranged marriage with Paris, as well as the ancient feud between Capulets and Montagues eventually contributes to the deaths of their children.