The plays Romeo and Juliet and Westside Story have many similarities and differences. One major compare and contrast in the two, are the main characters. Tony, one of the main male characters in Westside Story, is comparable to Romeo; Maria of Westside Story, is comparable to Juliet. Some of the other comparable characters include: Anita to the nurse, Riff to Mercutio, and Bernardo to Tybalt. Tony and Romeo have many similarities, however, there are also some differences. They both fall in love with a girl from a totally different social group. Both of the men are in groups that are rivals of the group hat their lover is in.
When Romeo confides in his friend the Friar, and Tony to the candy store owner, both men have a similar reaction but agree to help in any way possible. When Romeo gets married to Juliet, the Friar marries them. When Tony marries Maria, they say their vows to each other, with nobody else around. Also, in Romeo and Juliet, the Friar works out the plan for them to be together. In Westside Story, it is Maria and Tony the make up the plan. At the end of A Westside Story Tony is killed by Chino, who is compared to Paris. However, in Romeo and Juliet it is Romeo who kills Paris.
Maria, of Westside Story, is also much like Juliet. However, there are more differences between Juliet and Maria, than there are between Romeo and Tony. Maria, instead of having a nurse, has her friend, Anita, who helped her through her youth. In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet fakes her death by drinking a potion given to her by the Friar, and awaits Romeo in the family tomb. In Westside Story, Maria becomes angry, because she is told that Tony was killed by Chino; when in fact, Tony was still alive. When Maria heard the news of Tony s death, she went looking for Chino to kill her, too.
To Maria s surprise, while she is searching the streets for Chino, she finds Tony, who is then shot and killed by Chino. The biggest difference between Maria and Juliet, is that in the end of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet commits suicide when she finds Romeo dead. Whereas, in Westside Story, Maria is never killed. She does, however, plead to be killed also, so she could be with Tony, as well as, threatening to kill all the men that had anything to do with the violence. The other comparable characters were harder to notice the differences because they did not have such large parts.
However, there are still major differences and similarities. Riff, being compared to Mercutio, was sort of the leader. He was also the first to be killed within the gang. Bernardo, being compared to Tybalt, had a hot temper, and became violent easily. Bernardo was Maria s cousin, and Tybalt was Juliet s cousin. Bernardo was killed in the rumble, and so was Tybalt. Finally, there are many comparisons and contrasts between the two plays. Between characters, as well as plot. Although some of them are very small, they make the two very much different.
