Conflict in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story Essay Example

Conflict is never fun. There are many ways to solve a problem that don’t involve violence. The characters in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story obviously didn’t know this. Every problem that came their way in either story was attempted to be solved with violence. When a conflict is not resolved peacefully there can be drastic consequences in the end. 

One example of a problem that is not resolved peacefully is in the beginning of Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. There is a fight between the opposing groups in each story. After the fight in Romeo and Juliet the Prince said, “If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace” (Shakspeare 15). The prince was saying that if they don’t resolve their problems peacefully then they will pay for it with their lives. It happens in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story as well. After the fight Lieutenant Schrank yelled at them saying that they needed to stop fighting like this and that they were going to get evicted. Getting evicted is not the same as dying but it has the same concept. If they don't solve their problems peacefully then they will suffer the consequences.

In Romeo and Juliet Tybalt had a conflict with Romeo because Romeo was at his party and danced with Juliet. When the conflict didn’t get resolved Tybalt came after Romeo. In the fight, Mercutio tried to protect Romeo but at the end of the fight, “Romeo slew him; he slew Mercutio. Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?” (Shakespeare 129). In this instance “he” is Tybalt. So Tybalt killed Mercutio, then Romeo killed Tybalt. The same thing happens in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story. In West Side Story, there was a conflict between the Sharks and the Jets. They had a rumble and Bernardo killed Riff, so Tony killed Bernardo. There are two people from each story dead and a lot of people in emotional pain because a conflict did not get resolved peacefully. They used violence to try to resolve the problem and because of that people died. 

Another example of a conflict that is not resolved peacefully is when Romeo breaks into Juliet's tomb. Paris is already in Juliet’s tomb when Romeo tries to break in. When Paris sees Romeo he says, “Stop thy unhallowed toil, vile Montague. Can vengeance be pursued further than death? Condemnèd villain, I do apprehend thee. Obey and go with me, for thou must die” (Shakespeare 223). Paris is saying that Romeo must die because he thinks it is his fault that Juliet is supposedly dead. In Steven Spielberg's West Side Story something extremely similar happens. Chino comes after Tony because he killed Bernardo. When Chino finds Tony he shoots him right in front of Maria. Paris and Chino both decided to solve their problems by trying to kill someone. Because of this Paris and Tony were left dead. If they had tried to find a better way to deal with their problems then both of them would be alive. 

There can be drastic consequences if a conflict is not solved peacefully. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, they show many different examples of the consequences that can happen if the issue is resolved with violence. Many people in both stories died because of their method of solving problems. There are so many other options of solving conflicts to explore. The world in both stories would be a much more peaceful place if people chose a nonviolent way to solve their problem. The real world today could look at Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story as an example of what could happen if we don’t change our ways and solve problems peacefully.