Romeo and Juliet versus West Side Story
Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, two timeless dramas that will live
forever. Although both of these stories have many similarities, there are also
many differences. These differences include the differences in sililoquy, the
fact that Maria doesn't die, the fact that we never see Tony or Maria's parents,
as well as the issues of marriage, the importance of gangs and families to each
story. To understand these differences, I have read and/or watched both Romeo
and Juliet, and the similar tragedy, West Side Story.
Above, I named a few of the many differences between William
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Ernest Leaman's screenplay, West Side Story.
One main difference is that in Romeo and Juliet the sililoquy is spoken while in
West Side Story there is sililoquy, but it is in song. While both equally
express the character's feelings at the moment, it is my feeling that West Side
Story's musical style brings the viewer/listener further into the play and makes
the play more effective. An example of this is when, in Act II, Scene II, of
Romeo and Juliet, otherwise known as the balcony scene, Romeo expresses his
thoughts in a sililoquy until Juliet shows up. While in Romeo and Juliet all of
this is spoken, in West Side Story, this is written as music shared between
Maria and Tony.
Another major difference between these two stories is that in Romeo
and Juliet, Juliet sees Romeo dead and decides to kill herself. While, in West
Side Story, Tony (the Romeo of the play) does die - shot by Chino- Maria is not
so stricken and overshelmed that she decides to kill herself. This is very
important because in Romeo and Juliet, neither Romeo or Juliet is allowed to
move on with their lives. In West Side Story, however, I'm sure Maria, although
not shown in the film, moves on and gets over Tony.
My theory on why the above is true, is that Romeo and Juliet are kept
apart by family ties or blood; Juliet a Capulet and Romeo a Montague. Blood
ties are what family is all about and tend to be very strong bonds.
Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is a story that many people are familiar with, even to the point that many mindlessly quote the balcony scene without really even knowing what it means. It is a classic story that students have learned about in school for years now, and still do to this day. Since it has been published in the 1500s, it has become one of the most famous love stories in history, and as the years have progressed, people have created several stories that portray many similar ideas. One of those stories is West Side Story; with the rivalries, the love story, and even the lesson, it follows the concept of Romeo and Juliet more closely than one would think.
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.
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story both tell a story of two lovers who can not be together because of a feud. The characters in Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story are similar in their actions but are different in family background and their attitudes. Two characters that are similar, but different are Tybalt and Bernardo. The two characters had different attitudes and family backgrounds.Tybalt’s attitude was more daring, while Bernardo’s waited for the trouble to come to him first. Even though, Tybalt and Bernardo both come from different backgrounds, they have hatred toward the other side and the actions toward their enemies were the similar, which cost the lives of others and themselves.
In approximately 1594, William Shakespeare began to write one of the most well known tragedies in history, Romeo and Juliet. Arguably, no author to date has matched Shakespeare's skill and beauty in the creation of this work. However, authors have regurgitated and will continue to regurgitate the theme, "star-crossed lovers", for centuries. Martha Duffy remarks in "West Side Glory", "Slang may change and violence escalate, but the theme of star-crossed city kids has never dated, nor has its appeal diminished" (p. 1). The only viable attempt is the work of modern dramatist Arthur Laurents. However, Laurents' West Side Story originally written as an attempt to modernize Romeo and Juliet, actually became a work of skill and beauty in its own right. The emphasis is now removed from simply "modernizing" Romeo and Juliet; the emphasis is the creation of art through a similar theme, yet very differing styles and influences. The similarities abound within Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story; consequently, there are many deviations found in the plots, characters, and authors' influences.
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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.
...ents in such a manner, royalty reigned supreme during Shakespeare’s day and could do and speak as they saw fit. Finally, it is important to understand the historical context for which the characters were written. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was written for an audience that had survived the destructive forces of the Black Death, and shared a different philosophy on death altogether.
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.
... to the idea at the end of the day it was both Romeo and Juliets selfish ways that caused the hurt and pain they both had to endure before being reunited together not on earth but in heaven.
Romeo and Juliet, a story of a tragic romance between two young lovers. And within the story you find that it is different from the book to the movie. While reading the book you notice some differences between it and the movie. While watching the movie you see one difference and it is that instead of swords like the book they have guns and they called them swords. They did this as a result of the movie is in a more modern time than the book. Another difference is when Mercutio is making Romeo go to the party. In the book he talks him into going to the party. In the movie Mercutio made him take a tablet or pill of some kind to make him go. Still the same as the other difference, still in a more modern era.
A Comparison of Scenes From West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet Cinematography The scene before the meeting scene in West Side Story Maria spins. around in her dress the camera then carries on spinning which creates a colourful blur effect on the screen. The effect makes her look like she is almost spinning into the next scene. When Tony and Maria met, all the other characters that were dancing.
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