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Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story are two timeless dramas that will live forever. Although, both of these stories have many similarities, there are also many differences. These differences include the differences in soliloquy, the fact that Maria doesn't die, the fact that we never see Tony or Maria's parents, as well as the issues of marriage, the importance of gangs and families to each story. To understand these differences, I have read and/or watched both Romeo and Juliet, and the similar tragedy, West Side Story. Above, I named a few of the many differences between William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Ernest Leaman's screenplay, West Side Story. One main difference is that in Romeo and Juliet the soliloquy is spoken while in West Side Story there is soliloquy, but it is in song. While both equally express the character's feelings at the moment, it is my feeling that West Side Story's musical style brings the viewer or listener. Further into the play and makes the play more effective.