A work that I am quite familiar with that reflects Shakespeare is West Side Story. In West Side Story, we see two rivaling gangs, who are battling for control of the upper west side of New York, begin to hit unforeseen complications in their plans to gain control of the turf. The situation then begins to progress and worsen from here as Tony, a former Jet, falls in love with Maria, a sister to the leader of the Sharks. As the story continues and odds win out, Maria and Tony pursue their relationship together despite the differences in opinion and ideals that they have grown up with. Much like Romeo and Juliet, Maria and Tony defy all odds and refuse to take no for an answer and will do anything to be with each other, including die. Like a …show more content…
In Romeo and Juliet, we see a passionate love that wins out over familial discretion and disapproval. Likewise with West Side Story, Maria and Tony refuse to allow anyone to tell them who they are allowed to love and be with because only they know their true feelings. Despite protests from their families and rivaling gangs, Tony and Maria refuse to conform to the ideals and views that they are being pressured with by family, friends, and the world itself because love is love and it triumphs over all. As well, Romeo and Juliet encounter the theme of violence more than once, as does West Side Story. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo kills Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, after he believes that he should have battled him in the place of Mercutio, whom Tybalt had slain. Also, Romeo kills Paris, one of Juliet’s suitors whom was grieving at “her tomb” after he refused him entrance under the basis of him being a Montague. We see similarities between this and West Side Story in that Tony kills Bernardo, Maria’s brother and leader of the sharks, after she sends him out to stop the gang war that was about to ensue between the Jets and the Sharks. As well, Chino, one of Maria’s suitors, kills Tony after he hears Tony is wishing to die to be with Maria, whom he thinks is dead at this time due to false information. These two themes are the most important to both of …show more content…
In Beastly, we see common characteristics and elements that coincide with the classic story of Beauty and The Beast. Like Beauty and The Beast, Beastly takes a rich young boy named Kyle, who feels entitled to everything, and turns him into a hideous creature after he begins mocking someone who appears to be an outcast in the high school hierarchy. Very similar to Beauty and The Beast, Kyle must now find someone who can love him for who he truly is if he wishes to break the curse. He only has two years to do so or he will be stuck as this “monster” forever, and so after one year passes with no luck, he not only changes his name to help and reflect on the change that solidarity has had on him but he realizes that he does not have a lot of time left. One night, Kyle, or Adrian as he now goes by, stumbles upon a robber breaking into his house. Offering up an ultimatum that he will not give him up to the cops if he gives him his daughter, Linda, Adrian proposes a trade to the robber who ultimately agrees to sacrifice his daughter for his own freedom. Much like in Beauty and The Beast, the story continues with only minor differences. After Linda is ‘taken’ by Adrian he locks her in a room in his house and gives her books and other things to do, like the Beast had given Belle. As the story continues, Linda much like Belle, soon begins to fall in love with Adrian. Towards the end, though, Linda’s father gets