Реферат: West Side Story With Romeo And Juliet

love, as is Juliet’s nurse, who acts as an intermediary between the young

lovers. Following Anita’s departure, Tony and Maria go through a mock wedding

ceremony, mirroring the real one Romeo and Juliet prepare to undertake, aided by

Friar Laurence. Both these instances occur before true tragedy strikes. The

beginning of act three in Romeo and Juliet features the death of Mercutio by the

hand of Tybalt, who, in turn, is slain by Romeo. Likewise, the rumble under the

highway in West Side Story culminates with the deaths of Riff and Bernardo (Laurents

94). In both instances, the young romantic lead tries to talk the others out of

harming one another. Tony, at the entreaty of Maria, tries to stop the violent

proceedings, only to be taunted by Bernardo. "It doesn’t take guts if you

have a battle. But we haven’t got one, ‘Nardo," Tony smiles (Laurents 91).

The taunting escalates, despite Tony’s valiant efforts, and Riff soon hauls off

against Bernardo, just as Mercutio had drawn against Tybalt. Both episodes

result in deaths: Mercutio and Tybalt; Riff and Bernardo. Following the rumble,

the similarities between West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet dwindle. One

similarity would be the Nurse’s grief for Tybalt (III.ii.61-63) paralleling that

of Anita’s for Bernardo (Laurents 127), but most interesting of all would be the

manner in which Romeo and Tony learn of the deaths of Juliet and Maria,

respectively. In Romeo and Juliet, Balthasar delivers the news to Romeo

regarding the death of Juliet: "Her body sleeps in Capel’s monument, and

her immortal part with angels lives" (V.i.18-19). Romeo then approaches the

Apothecary: ". . . let me have a dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear as

will disperse itself through all the veins that the life-weary taker may fall

dead . . ." (V.i.59-62). Doc, likewise, is the provider of poison to Tony,

for it is he who delivers the news (falsified by Anita) of Maria’s death, along

with the money Tony and Maria were going to use to flee the city (Laurents 138).

"That was no customer upstairs, just now," Doc tells him. "That

was Anita. (Pause) Maria is dead. Chino found out about you and her and shot

her". "Come, cordial and not poison, go with me to Juliet’s grave; for