"Romeo and Juliet" and "West Side Story" Comparison

A comparison between William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet" and Leonard Bernstein's musical "West Side Story"

There is a lot in common between the two plays Romeo And Juliet and West Side Story. The main male characters have many things in common. In fact, Toni and Romeo both miss the beginning fight at the beginning of the plays, they both fall in love and end up getting killed. The difference between the two is that Toni takes place in the 1950s'', while Romeo happens in Elizabethan times (the late 1500s).

The two main female characters also have many things in common. Juliet and Maria both come from families that hate each other's boyfriend's families. Something that makes Juliet different from Maria is that Juliet dies and Maria lives. In both of these plays the main male character kills a relative of their lover. In Romeo And Juliet, Romeo kills Tybalta, Juliet's cousin. In West Side Story, Toni kills Bernardo, Maria's brother.

Get quality help now

Doctor Jennifer

Verified writer

Proficient in: Comparison

5 (893)

“ Thank you so much for accepting my assignment the night before it was due. I look forward to working with you moving forward ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

There was a person in both play's that tried to make peace. These people were the Prince and the Lieutenant.

The Prince, from Romeo And Juliet, had told Romeo and Juliet's families that if there was another riot that the heads of each family will be killed. The Lieutenant, from West Side Story, had told the Puerto Rican's and the American's that if they get into another fight they all will have to go to jail. The difference between the two peace-makers is that the Prince has more power than the Lieutenant.

In the story of Romeo and Juliet, Paris wants to marry Juliet against her wishes. Her father wants Paris West Side Story to marry Juliet. Juliet goes off and marries Romeo without telling anyone. In Chino wants to marry Maria against her wishes, just like Paris in Romeo and Juliet. Maria and Toni do not get married, which is in contrast to Romeo and Juliet. Marcucio in Romeo and Juliet, is killed while battling Tybalta.

In West Side Story Riff is killed in a knife fight with Bernardo. Both deaths are accidental and cause the hero's ( Romeo and Toni) to kill the close relative of their lovers (Tybalta and Bernardo). Both stories conclude in the sad reconciliation of two fighting factions at the cost of the lives of the two young lovers. After comparing and contrasting the two plays I've come the conclusion that Romeo and Juliet is better than West Side Story. It is better because the language and the story moves in a more interesting manner. "A grooming peace this morning with it brings. The Sun for sorrow will not show his head. For never was there a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo"