West Side Story Analysis

West Side Story, a film directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, is a relatively modern adaptation of William Shakespeare 's Romeo and Juliet. As both, the film and text, explore the perceptions of deep-rooted feud between two parties, it also includes the influence and pressure it has on young love. Although numerous similarities are encountered throughout the play and movie, there are distinguished concepts obtaining great difference. However, the two mediums of this tragic love story have three prominent issues of story, themes and characters instilling both similar and dissimilar concepts.

To begin with, despite the foundation of the two narratives being the same, there are still withstanding variations in the complete story. Predominantly,

As mentioned early on, the embodiment of conflict of the storyline enforces adverse tension upon the characters. Similarly, Maria and Juliet Capulet are both pressured to marry within their own, in a sense, territory. In Juliet 's perspective, the prospect of marriage is mentioned at an early stage as Lady Capulet says, "How stands your disposition to be married... Speak briefly. Can you like of Paris, love?" Despite there being no direct disapproval of Romeo at that current scene, he would have not been considered in the first place as he was the son of a Montague. However, in West Side Story there is no maternal presence, allowing Anita to take initiative. As Anita hears of Maria 's liking towards Tony, a member of the Jets, she warns her, "Forget that boy and find another... Stick to your own kind... A boy like that wants one thing only; And when he 's done, he 'll leave you lonely." By way of illustrations, it is clear that the intentions of Lady Capulet and Anita are significantly different. Lady Capulet 's intent in her attempt of arranging a marriage and between Juliet and Paris is to raise their social and economic status. As Paris was a kinsman to the Prince of Verona, the wed of him and her daughter would give Lady Capulet the extravaganza of boasting her close ties to royalty and even greater wealth. In contrast, Anita 's displeasure over Anita and Tony 's love are over social and moral reasoning. As Tony is an anthology of what is considered "American" in the 1950s, this concerns Anita due to the immoral rape culture of Americans towards Hispanics. Telling Maria that, "A boy like that wants one thing only," it establishes the corruption in the American society at the time which makes young women, such as Maria, vulnerable. Overall, the acts of parental pressure were made, although varying between the two scenarios, are for a sense of purpose and