This article contains spoilers!
One of the most renowned love stories of all time, William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet follows the doomed love story of two young adults from rivaling families that fall madly in love. Set in Verona, Italy, Romeo and Juliet’s love knows no limits, expanding despite the hatred running between their two families. The couple serve as a pop culture symbol for love itself, as many believe their ending to be the ultimate act of love. However, as seen in both the original Broadway play as well as the subsequent 1961 and 2021 film renditions, West Side Story’s unique storyline allows their relationship to take on a new and arguably more profound form.
Set in 1950’s New York City, West Side Story follows two lovers, Tony and Maria, who are each associated with rival gangs from the Upper West Side of Manhattan: the Sharks and the Jets. The Sharks are made up of recent migrants from Puerto Rico who came in search of better opportunities. The Jets, however, are all white men who fight for control over the neighborhood, which they consider to be their rightful territory. Closely intertwined with the Jets is Tony, a former member of the gang who is best friends with their current leader, Riff. Maria’s brother Bernardo, on the other hand, leads the Jets. The Sharks and Jets parallel Shakespeare’s Montagues and Capulets, which Romeo and Juliet respectively belong to.
In Romeo and Juliet, the two share their mutual feelings of love and devotion in what is famously referred to as the “balcony scene,” where Romeo sneaks into the Capulet orchard to find Juliet and profess his love. West Side Story shares an almost identical scene: Tony climbs up to Maria’s balcony in the disguise of the night and expresses his love in song form through a rendition of “Maria.”
Many of the most pivotal moments in Shakespeare’s work are portrayed in West Side Story through song: “Tonight,” “I Feel Pretty,” and “A Boy Like That/I Have a Love” all showcase Maria’s love and adoration for Tony, in spite of the societal expectations against their relationship. In this way, we gain more insight into both characters’ emotions and passion for one another.
Due to the racial tensions between their two groups, Tony and Maria must hide from their family and friends. As time passes and their relationship grows stronger, however, so too does the tension between the Sharks and the Jets. Riff and Bernardo’s discovery of the two’s hidden relationship serves as the final push they need in their hunger for violence. The two gangs plan for a rumble to decide who will be in control of the neighborhood once and for all; in this fight, both Riff and Bernardo are killed. In the same manner, both Romeo’s best friend, Mercutio, and Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt, are killed in the original work, serving as representatives for the larger family feud.
West Side Story uses a more contemporary setting to paint a story based on the themes of love, hatred, and revenge. We see two opposite ends of the spectrum of humanity through the tender love and intimacy between Tony and Maria, as well as the loathing that flows between the Sharks and Jets. This portrayal does justice to the original play’s tensions between the Montagues and Capulets, although the musical notably uses racism and xenophobia as central themes for the story as a whole.
Unlike Romeo and Juliet, where each protagonist ultimately commits suicide in the belief that that the other is dead, West Side Story’s ending is arguably even more tragic. Maria, at seeing Tony’s dead body and the gun that caused his death, claims in a fit of rage that she will kill not only the members of both gangs but also herself. However, overwhelmed by grief and longing, she finds herself unable to fire the gun. Unlike in Shakespeare’s work, where Romeo and Juliet hope to find one another in death, Maria is forced to go through life alone. Together, the Sharks and Jets silently carry Tony’s body to be buried, signaling an end to their feud.
The musical places more emphasis on the reconciliation between the two groups at the sight of Maria’s immense loss. Seeing firsthand how two individuals from such vastly different backgrounds could care for and love one another, the gangs are pushed to reexamine the prejudices and biases they hold. The hatred they once had for one another now seems meaningless in the face of such love. In this way, West Side Story serves as a tale not only of romance, but also one of understanding, empathy, and even forgiveness.
