Similarities Between West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet
There are many similarities between West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet. Most importantly, there are similar values to which the movies were based on. Some of these values include: loyalty, “love at first sight”, and race/social classes. On the other hand, the values of suicide is different in each movie, as well as the presumptions.
Loyalty plays a major role in these films. In Romeo and Juliet, the two families were constantly getting into fights. These fights had to be prevented by the Prince, but the fights would just keep happening. This is because they felt loyal to the house from which they came from and wanted to prove their loyalty. In West Side Story, the Jets, which were the New Yorkers, and the Sharks, which were the Puerto Ricans, were constantly getting into fights as well throughout the musical. When the police broke them up, they would be so full of rage towards each other because they felt so loyal to their gang they would stop at nothing to win the fight.
Another value prominent in these productions is “love at first sight.” In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo meets Juliet at a party that the Capulets are holding. They see each other and they instantly fall in love. That very night they even share a kiss. A very similar thing happens to Tony and Maria. They see each other at a school dance and are immediately blinded by each others stunning appearance. They share a kiss that night as well, so obviously they know they like each other a lot to begin with. This value of “love at first sight” is distinguishable in both of these movies and it is very important because it starts of the relationship of both couples.
Additionally, in West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet, teenage love is an obvious central theme. In West Side Story, there is Tony, who is a local New Yorker, and there is Maria, who is a Puerto Rican that just moved to New York. These two lovers find it very difficult to be together