Instead of using swords, the Jets and Sharks use knives.

             .

             Shakespeare uses dialect to instill his plays with power and passion and West Side Story paints a story with dance, song, and music. In West Side Story, dance conveys much of the action between the dialogue, music, and lyrics. Through the gritty nature of choreography, rage, desire, and desperation adopt the street gang"s expression to the audience. For example, the begging of the movie has almost no words and dancing becomes a figure of assertion used. The audience witnesses a fight between the Jets and the Sharks. Names sound much more Hispanic and American compared to the choice of names used by Shakespeare.

             In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story differentiate. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo assumes Juliet died as Romeo sees Juliet lying, in truth sleeping. Juliet drinks a potion and looks dead, hoping to not marry Paris. Romeo hearing about Juliet"s death assumes that Juliet is dead. Romeo takes a poison and commits suicide in a tomb next to a sleeping wife. Moments later, Juliet awakens to see Romeo"s dead body. Juliet learns what happened from Friar Lawrence who arrived and assessed the scene. With no reason left to live, Juliet kills herself with Romeo"s dagger. West Side Story makes one major departure from Romeo and Juliet. In West Side Story, Maria asks Anita to tell Tony that Maria will see him soon. Before Anita can deliver the message, the Jets interfere by roughing Anita up. In anger, Anita tells the Jets to relay to Tony that Chino, a Puerto Rican gang member, found out about the relationship between Maria and Tony, and that Chino killed Maria. Hearing this, Tony goes out into the streets and calls for Chino to come and kill Tony too. Avenging Bernardo"s death, Chino shoots and kills Tony on sight jus at the moment Tony and Maria are reunited. .

             The audience knows Maria must live the rest of life without Tony.