Romeo and Juliet Prologue: Enter Chorus Chorus Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. (Prologue 4) From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents’ strife. Prologue 8) The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love, And the continuance of their parents’ rage, Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage; (Prologue 12) The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. (Prologue 14) Romeo and Juliet vs. West Side Story Character Parallels Romeo & Juliet Montagues Capulets Romeo Juliet Nurse Mercutio Tybalt Friar Laurence Paris Prince Balthasar Benvolio
West Side Story The Jets (white) The Sharks (Puerto Rican) Tony Maria Anita Riff Bernardo Doc Chino The Police (i. e. Lieutenant Shrank) Doc (as a messenger) Anybodys (action-wise) Baby John (personality-wise) Scene Parallels Romeo & Juliet 3rd civil brawl party at the Capulet house balcony scene West Side Story confrontation between the Jets and Sharks at the beginning dance at the gym fire escape scene edding at Friar Laurence’s mock wedding at the bridal shop cell duels between Mercutio, Tybalt and Romeo Nurse abandons Juliet by urging her to marry Paris Other Differences Star-Crossed Lovers Why Their Love is Forbidden The Parents Romeo & Juliet Romeo & Juliet West Side Story Tony and Maria rumble underneath the bridge Anita betrays Maria by not delivering her message to Tony families are enemies and have racial tension between the been feuding for a long time two gangs the parents are heavily involved with their children (especially the Capulets) parents are never seen and rarely involved
Law and Justice Lieutenant Shrank is biased the Prince is neutral in his against the Puerto Ricans, decisions and does not favour and is more interested in his a certain side own interests Paris is not a member of either side, though he supports the Capulets Italy, Renaissance/Medieval swords, rapiers, daggers Juliet and Tybalt are cousins Chino belongs to the same side as Maria New York, 1950’s switchblades, guns, fists Maria and Bernardo are siblings The Fiance Setting Weapons Character Relations #1 Character Relations #2 Character Relations #3 Opening Brawl he Nurse is Juliet’s nurse (i. e. Anita is Maria’s best friend a nanny) the Nurse and Tybalt don’t really have much of a relationship (though the Nurse Anita is Bernardo’s girlfriend says that he was “the best friend [she has] ever had”) Sampson, Gregory and Abra fight a bit, Benvolio tries to the Jets and Sharks run around and attack, throw stop the fight, but Tybalt ends paint and garbage, etc. at up fighting him in the end each other “Hands” “If I profane, with my unworthiest hand… sonnet the Nurse tells both Romeo and Juliet that the other is from the rival family Tony and Maria talk about the coldness of each others’ hands Tony finds out that he’s not really supposed to associate with Maria after Bernardo takes her away The Revelation After the Party the infamous balcony scene Romeo sneaks into the Capulet’s orchard and catches Tony meets Maria on her fire Juliet confessing her love for escape, and they sing him. They spout romantic “Tonight” poetry before they make their wedding plans “What’s Montague?… “What’s Maria and Tony ask each in a name? ” other what their names mean Tybalt has been looking for Romeo since the party, but the confrontation and outcome are the results of Fate the rumble is organized by the two gangs, but the eventual outcome is unexpected Maria asks Anita to tell Doc that she will arrive later than expected, but Anita is harassed by the Jets and tells Doc that Maria was killed by Chino instead the Jets physically and verbally harass Anita, eventually simulating a sexual harassment
The Name Game The Double Duel Juliet’s Nurse encourages her Abandonment to marry Paris and commit and Betrayl bigamy, instead of supporting her marriage to Romeo Harassment of the Nurse/Anita Mercutio taunts the Nurse with obscene jokes and such The Ending Tony runs around outside, yelling for Chino to kill him Romeo arrives at the tomb too. Then he sees Maria, and and poisons himself.
Juliet Maria sees him. They run wakes up moments later and towards each other, but commits suicide by stabbing Chino arrives and shoots herself with a dagger. The two Tony. Tony dies in Maria’s families reconcile arms. The two gangs silently reconcile, and members of both help carry Tony’s body large view Script Venn large view Acting Venn large view Content Venn large view Composition Venn
