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Romeo and Juliet vs. West Side Story Romeo and Juliet and the West Side Story are two very popular, well-studied works of art. William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, along with many other fine plays, poems, and stories. The West Side Story has two creators. The lyrics were by Stephen Sondheim and the music was by Leonard Bernstein. This paper was written to compare the two stories, their settings, characters, plot, and theme. The settings for the two plays are totally different. The clothes, the characters’ attitudes, and the places where events happen throughout the play are a few examples of how the audience or reader can tell when and where the play transpires. Romeo and Juliet takes place in the Renaissance time period, during the 14th century. The entire story takes us through a full year of events. Romeo and Juliet mainly occurs place in two different towns. Verona, where both families live, and Mantua where Romeo is sent for his banishment. The characters are found in the town and Town Square, in Juliet’s house, in the church, and at the Capulet burial place. Compare this to the West Side Story, which takes place in the 1950’s, and the whole play happens within a few days. All of the events happen with