Compare and contrast "West Side Story" and "Romeo and Juliet"

[HOBBIT]

For a small end of year project in English class, I have to compare the West Side Story play to the Romeo and Juliet play. I already have a lot of similiarities and differences, but can you help me out by posting a few?

[HOBBIT]

that post was made quickly from school so that if any of you wanted to post your thoughts, you could. Now if you wish to do this it has to be witin the next 3 hours.

Let me be more clear: In my english class, we read Romeo and Juliet. We were assigned projects which are do Thursady - tommorow. We were given a sheet that listed really stupid projects so I picked the one "read a related work and compare it" (or something like that). Since West Side Story was actually intended to be a modern Romeo and Juliet, I picked that. There are many many comparisons that you can make.

I know that almost everyone has to have read Romeo and Juliet at some point in their life, and West Side story was a good play. :p

Here are some of my thoughts so far :
Doc = Friar Laurence
Officer Krupke = Prince Escalus
Tony = Romeo
Maria = Juliet.
Chino=Paris
Anita= Nurse
Benardo= Tybalt
Riff= Mercutio.
Sharks = Capulets
Jets = Montagues

And besides characters being similiar, you can compare plot twists. For the most part, West Side story follows the out line of Romeo and Juliet until the last couple scenes in Act II.

Obviously Bernardo killing Riff and then Tony killing Bernardo to avenge him = when Tybalt kills Mercutio and then Romeo kills Tybalt to avenge him.

I have a few more, but those and other ideas that I left out here can be shared.

If no one posts something in time to give me some ideas, this topic should still continue; as it is an iteresting topic to discuss.

[Comic Book Guy]

Eh, Tristan aren't you on shaky ground here?

[HOBBIT]

CBG, why is that? I am merely asking for ideas. I do not plagerize. I already have enough ideas at that. Its just that this is a great discussion topic in which no one wants to participate.
:( oh well. How am I on "shaky ground?" People always ask for help on projects and such; that has always been allowed.

For example, a year or two ago Tater had to write and essay comparing Star Wars and Lotr. Many people gave him ideas for it and with some help he wrote it; using his own words. This is the same thing but a comparison between West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet. Ah well, Ill just write it myself. :p

Why doesn't anyone like this topic?


edit : i wrote it myself. you guys are loads of help ;)

[IronParrot]

The biggest difference is that West Side Story is better.

You've got the character-to-character influences pretty down pat. Now, you've mostly got comparisons so far - look at contrasts, now. Here are two ideas I thought of:

- Feudal rivalry in R&J versus racial rivalry in WSS
- Suicidal pessimism of the lovers in R&J versus shattered optimism of those in WSS (look at how the characters die, or in Maria's case, don't)

[Mercutio]

[i]
Riff= Mercutio.
Obviously Bernardo killing Riff and then Tony killing Bernardo to avenge him = when Tybalt kills Mercutio and then Romeo kills Tybalt to avenge him.[/B]

tear tear :(

I've heard West Side Story numerous times (have the cd) and read Romeo and Juliet (and watched the movie), but I have yet to see West Side Story.

[IronParrot]

Do yourself a favour and get a hold of it. It's an incredible work of film, and it's recently seen re-release in a big two-disc collector's DVD set. It's also done by the same writer-director team (Ernest Lehman and Robert Wise) that later went on to create The Sound of Music, in case you're not convinced.

[Mercutio]

I was at this week long program at the local university for sophomores (high school) and Friday night we had karaoke. I convinced a group of guys to sing "I Feel Pretty." Wow that was hilarious.

[Mercutio]

Yippeee!!!!

We are doing West Side Story this year for the musical. :D (and I did watch the movie a few months ago).

Now just to dig up some decent players for pit orchestra :eek:

[HOBBIT]

woah - old topic here.

I made this for some ideas and discussion for a project that I did in the 8th grade. :P

Now i'm nearly halfway through the 11th grade.


Ages ago indeed. :D :P

I think I got an A+ on this project, FYI. This was over 2 years ago, wow.

[Nurvingiel]

Nice work. And nice bump. ;)

Was West Side Story not a tribute (or borrowing heavily from, or whatever it called) to Romeo and Juliet? I mean, I think all those quite accurate comparisons you made were put there on purpose.