Is west side story completely based on romeo and Juliet?

Question

i don't think it completely is. i think it has to do a lot with the gang warfare at the time.


btw-- facts help more than opinion in this question

Answer 1

Yes, West Side Story is based on Romeo and Juliet with the Jets representing the Montagues, the Sharks ad the Capulets Riff is Mercutio, Bernardo is Tybalt, Chino is Paris and Anita could be Friar Lawrence.

Butit's more than that. It's also about racism, and even more about love, because of Anita's love for Bernardo being placed aside for her love nd understanding of Maria and her love for Tony. And then there is that amazing last scene where Maria doesn't actually die, but it is her living influence, and the compassion they all feel for her that trully unites the Jets and the Sharks, and I think the ending in West Side Story is lmost more powerful, with Chino realizing what he has done and handing the gun meekly to Maria, Maria staring up at them all while crouched over the body of her beloved as if to ask 'Why?' and then threatening them all with a death by hate, before collapsing in tears.

Both of them are inccredible plays.

Answer 2

West Side Story is The, more-or-less, modernized version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
It basically has all the elements of Romeo and Juliet, and runs linear with the storyline, except for the suicide ending part.

Look at it, it has a couple, each from a rival gang, who love each other. The rival gangs are trying to keep them apart, and the rivalry is, more-or-less increasing between the gangs due to the young couples love.

Answer 3

The basic premise is the same. Star crossed lovers from rival families / backgrounds. It was just updated to reflect the times. A rivalry between Caucasians and Puerto Ricans instead of two families of the same heritage. Both were rivals. The stories are exact parallels. Escalating hatred, a chance meeting at a party, forbidden love, the lovers meeting in secret, in R&J they get married and in WSS they plan to run away together until of course the inevitable tradegy happens. I think the stories are virtually identical. The gang warfare and more importantly the race issues were simply the vehicles to bring the story up to date (at the time).

That's just my opinion :-)

Answer 4

Romeo&Jukiet was the basic framework for WWS.The gang wars that were all over the news at the time supplied the rest of the drama,to very great effect.I have a great affection for it,having performed in it in high school&then on Broadway&around the world.it still has something t say after all theses years!

Answer 5

Yes it is based on Romeo and Juliet. There were gangs in there too, weren't there? Pax - C

Answer 6

yeah it is based on romeo and juliet, but instead of the two famalies they have two gangs. i like west side story better though!