Contrast Of Romeo And Juliet and West Side Story Essay

Works Cited Missing Three Hundred Fifty Years of Blind Love: A Contraposition of Shakespeare and Robbins’ Romeo and Juliet Andy Warhol once said, They say that time changes things, but actually you have to change them yourself. Two hundred fifty years passed between the original Romeo and Juliet and the premiere of West Side Story on Broadway in 1957. However, time did not change the message of the story, simply the creators’ unique visions evolved. Shakespeare’s delivery of the timeless tale of desperate love in his classic Romeo and Juliet proves to only intensify through retelling and modern interpretation. Audiences cherish Romeo and Juliet as one of the most beloved plays of all time from the Elizabethan Age to the present.†¦show more content†¦The mischievously tomboyish Anybodys, who desperately wants to be a Jet, would best fit into the role of Balthasar, since it was she who aided Tony in escaping after the rumble, as well as later informing the other Jets that Ton y was being hunted. Finally, the character of Doc appears to fulfill the role of Friar Laurence because both possess somewhat of a peacekeeping nature. Doc attempts to get through to Tony by dramatically pleading, Why do you live like there’s a war on? Why do you kill? (2.5). All of the characters are consistent to the heart and soul of the story as well as the slightly differing plots. West Side Story maintains Romeo and Juliet’s intricate and exciting plot using appropriate adaptations to accommodate mid-twentieth-century pop culture. For instance, both artistic forms portray mutual disrespect between the parties. At the dawn of Romeo and Juliet, Capulet’s cohorts harass Montague’s. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it, boasts Sampson (1.1.42-43). In the opening scene of West Side Story, several members of a Puerto Rican gang insult A-rab, a member of the opposing gang. It is here where Lieutenant Schrank becomes aware of the potential rumble. In Romeo and Juliet Escalus, Prince of Verona, threatens, If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay theShow MoreRelated Romeo and Juliet / West Side Story - A Comparison / Contrast1008 Words   |  5 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story both have a lot in common as well as major differences that set them apart. Although West Side Story is a direct rendition of Shakespeares original play, many of the themes and symbols are altered to fit the modern perspective. The characters have a direct correlation to each other, yet racial issues give them a new light. Many of the events also reflect each other, yet small differences give them uniqueness. West Side Story differs from Romeo and JulietRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Romeo And Juliet And West Side Story1025 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeares Romeo and Juliet and Arthur Laurents West Side Story both have a lot in common as well as major differences that set t hem apart. Although West Side Story is a direct rendition of Shakespeares original play, many of the themes such as love, and conflict are altered to fit the modern perspective. The idea that blinded love and sheer hatred can lead to rash decisions is very present in both storylines. Romeo Juliet and West Side Story both portray love and conflict throughout theirRead MoreA Comparison Of Beyond The Love Story And West Side Story1483 Words   |  6 Pagesthe love story People are always rewriting other people’s stories - consciously or unconsciously - cutting and trimming, pasting, rearranging, and adjusting to new times and circumstances, sometimes adding truly creative elements and occasionally actually improving on the original. The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet which was a narrative poem by Arthur Brooke is considered to be William Shakespeares base source for his famous play Romeo and Juliet (Mabillard). West Side Story (1961) isRead MoreRomeo and Juliets Love1469 Words   |  6 PagesRomeo and Juliet’s love was doomed from the start. Juliet’s lust for power ( Thats a very interesting idea. I only thought she had the boy-girl kind of lust. ) was destined to destroy her relations with Romeo.   Capulet forces (betroths) Juliet to marry Count Paris, a man she does not love.   When she refuses to marry him, Capulet threatens his daughter and says, â€Å"†¦get thee to church o Thursday, or never after look me in the face†. This causes Juliet to take her own actions against his (her?)   father’sRead MoreWest Side Story Compared to Romeo and Juliet3084 Words   |  13 PagesWest Side Story written by Arthur Laurents is actually a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The West Side Story is set in Upper West Side Manhattan. It is about rivalry between two teenage gangs of different backgrounds. Anton, a member of the white gang, fell in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang. Romeo and Juliet is undoubtedly the most popular romantic love story to ever hit the literary world. It talks about intense passion between theRead MoreEssay on Consequences of Love and Hate Explored in Romeo and Juliet1075 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare, the play Romeo and Juliet is written in a poetic disquisition that distinguishes many timeless themes. These themes transcend the boundaries of this perennial classic into the foundation of many prevailing modern-day literary workings. Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in the late fifteen hundreds in the riveting city of Verona, Italy, where it has since been revered as one of the most preeminent and recognized play’s in history. Romeo and Juliet explores the extents of humanRead MoreComparison Between Act 3 Scene 1 in Franco Zeferellis Romeo and Juliet and in Baz Luhrmans Romeo and Juliet621 Words   |  3 PagesZeferellis Romeo and Juliet and in Baz Luhrmans Romeo and Juliet I am going to compare the two pieces of Romeo and Juliet, Act 3 Scene 1 that I have been studying for the past few weeks. I have been looking at; Camera shots, setting, special effects, moods, costumes, characters, etc. These things are severely thought of by the director before and during the making of the film. I have been looking at Baz Luhrmans Romeo and Juliet and Franco Zeferellis Romeo and JulietRead MoreThe Ways that Shakespeare Makes Act 1 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet Dramatically Effective1936 Words   |  8 PagesThe Ways that Shakespeare Makes Act 1 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet Dramatically Effective The play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was written by a well-known person called Shakespeare in 1595. In the play Shakespeare has dramatically presented the tragic story of two family’s enemies. The whole play revolves around the two major themes of the play which are love and hate. Both themes have an astonishing effect on the play. If we put these two themes together it develops in to a tragedyRead MoreTo Explore and Examine the Different Forms of Love Within Romeo and Juliet1908 Words   |  8 PagesRomeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare as a play for the theatre. William Shakespeare took his idea from an Italian folk story and is heavily influenced by sonnets which where developed by Francesco Petrarch an Italian poet. Shakespeare took most of his inspiration for Petrarch for demonstrating love with in the poem. William Shakespeare wrote most his plays with three main themes. These themes are gang warfare, Young love and a moral in the tale. William Shakespeare is now widelyRead MoreAppropriation of Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare and Romeo+Juliet by Baz Luhrmann2533 Words   |  11 PagesDiscuss the appropriation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare and ‘Romeo+Juliet’ by Baz Luhrmann Texts and ideas from texts are appropriated and transformed into other text forms and other compositions in a different context. An appropriation is a text that is appropriated or taken over by another composer and presented in a new way. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is a well-known high culture text that is a tragedy about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families