Romeo &amp Essay Example

Abraham by taunting them with gestures ("I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it," boasts Sampson).In the opening scene of West Side Story, the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang led by Bernardo, harass A-rab, a white Jet who is considered an enemy of the immigrants. Soon after, Riff, the leader of the Jets, and other Jets join A-rab. There is no verbal communication between the gangs as it is a musical, but they energetically jump around. However, similar to the opening of Romeo and Juliet, this scene sets the tone for the rest of the production.

It is at this point where Lt. Schrank and his loyal comrade, Officer Krupke, come across the situation to prevent a potential fight, similar to how Escalus, the Prince of Verona, intervened in Romeo and Juliet: "If you disturb our streets again, you will pay with your lives for disturbing the peace" (I.i.103-4). Schrank would put it as, "I have an unexpected surprise for you: delinquents like you do not control the streets" (Laurents 6).

After the altercation between the gangs, Riff decides that it is time to deal with the Puerto Ricans once and for all. He plans to have a final fight against them at the dance at the gym later that night and wants his old friend Tony to join him as his Lieutenant. Tony, who has been trying to leave the gang life behind by working at Doc's candy store, is convinced by Riff to attend the dance, similar to how Benvolio convinces Romeo to go to the ball at the Capulets.

Before the dance, a seventeen-year-old girl with

a sweet face, who recently arrived from Puerto Rico, is getting ready for her first major social event in America. Interestingly, the specific act and scene (I/iii) in which this happens are the same as in Romeo and Juliet, when Lady Capulet and the Nurse discuss Juliet's potential marriage to Paris.

The first encounter between Tony and Maria at the dance can be compared to the Capulets' ball, where Romeo and Juliet first meet. In both cases, it is love at first sight. While it is Romeo who falls in love first upon seeing Juliet, Tony and Maria notice each other simultaneously and quickly fall in love. However, there are some differences. Juliet doesn't reveal her feelings until the balcony scene, whereas Maria immediately admits her love for Tony. Additionally, Bernardo interrupts their moment and reveals that Maria is his sister, causing tension. This revelation reminds us of Juliet's poetic exclamation about her love for Romeo, despite his being an enemy. After Bernardo orders Maria to go home, he approaches Tony who is still captivated by his new love. Riff suggests a rumble, and they agree to meet at Doc's candy store for a war council at midnight.

In West Side Story, Act One, Scene Five, also known as the fire escape scene, mirrors the famous balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, Act Two, Scene Two. Romeo's comparison of Juliet to "the sun" (II.ii.3) and his plea for her to outshine and vanquish the jealous moon (II.ii.4) find their parallel in Tony and Maria's song "Tonight":

Tonight, tonight,

The world is full of light,

With suns and moons all over the place.

Tonight, tonight,
the world is wild

and bright,
going mad, shooting sparks into space (Laurents 42).
This moment demonstrates the Shakespearean influence in West Side Story, as even the Bard's imagery is used in the song. Not only that, but before parting, Romeo and Juliet agree to meet the following day "at the hour of nine" (II.ii.169), while Tony and Maria agree to meet "at sundown" (Laurents 44).
In scene seven of Act One, Tony meets Maria at the bridal shop, where Anita catches them together. Maria asks Anita not to tell, to which Anita replies, "Tell what? How can I hear what goes on twelve feet over my head?" (Laurents 76). Anita supports their love, much like Juliet's nurse acts as a mediator between the young lovers. After Anita leaves, Tony and Maria go through a mock wedding ceremony similar to the real one Romeo and Juliet plan with the help of Friar Laurence. These instances all occur before true tragedy strikes.
The beginning of Act Three in Romeo and Juliet sees the death of Mercutio at the hands of Tybalt, who is then killed by Romeo. Similarly, the rumble under the highway in West Side Story ends with the deaths of Riff and Bernardo (Laurents 94). In both cases, the main characters try to prevent violence. Tony, at Maria's request, attempts to stop the fighting but is provoked by Bernardo."It doesn't require courage when you possess a battle. However, 'Nardo, we are lacking one," Tony grins (Laurents 91). The teasing intensifies even though Tony tries bravely, and soon Riff engages in a fight with Bernardo, just like Mercutio had provoked Tybalt. Both incidents lead to fatal consequences:

Mercutio and Tybalt; Riff and Bernardo.

After the fight, the parallels between West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet become less pronounced. However, there is one similarity: The Nurse's sorrow for Tybalt (III.ii.61-63) mirrors Anita's grief for Bernardo (Laurents 127). Yet, the most intriguing aspect is how Romeo and Tony find out about the deaths of Juliet and Maria, respectively.

In Romeo and Juliet, Balthasar informs Romeo about Juliet's death stating, "Her body sleeps in Capel's monument, and her immortal part with angels lives" (V.i.18-19). After receiving the news, Romeo goes to the Apothecary and requests poison that will quickly spread through his veins, causing him to die (V.i.59-62). Similarly, Doc provides poison to Tony upon learning about Maria's death and Chino's actions. Doc reveals that the recent visitor was Anita, who informed him about Maria's death. He adds, "Chino found out about you and her and shot her" (Laurents 138). Romeo says to himself, "Come, cordial and not poison, go with me to Juliet's grave; for there must I use thee" (V.i.85-6). Tony takes a similar approach, calling out to Chino and expressing his readiness to face the consequences, saying, "Chino? Chino? Come and get me, too, Chino" (Laurents 139).

Tony finds Maria when he is searching for Chino. They are about to hug when a gunshot rings out. Chino shoots Tony, but Maria catches him as he falls (Laurents 141). Unlike Juliet, who kills herself with Romeo's dagger after finding him dead (V.iii.169), Maria doesn't end her life despite her anguish. She has Chino's gun and talks about killing others, asking how many she can kill before having one bullet left for herself (Laurents 143).

Both Romeo

and Juliet's love and Tony and Maria's love have different outcomes. Romeo and Juliet's love transcended mortality, reaching a spiritual realm through their deaths, whereas Tony and Maria's love was confined to the material world, ultimately ending with Tony's death, never to be regained. Despite these differences, both plays explore themes of intolerance, misunderstanding, and mistrust that are all too common in human society. These themes resonate with our modern world, which is characterized by commercialism, technology, and some degree of segregation. As a result, the themes of love and fear found in both plays are relatable and accessible to today's audience.

In West Side Story, a story that is four centuries old is retold in a relatively modern setting. Street gangs, which are more prevalent than ever before, serve as the backdrop for this retelling. Over the past four decades, West Side Story has gained its own widespread audience appeal. This highlights the enduring power of certain stories to withstand the test of time, as long as their content and context effectively reflect the world in which they take place.