Contrast Of Romeo And Juliet An West Side Story Essays -

Contrast Of Romeo And Juliet An West Side Story Contrast of Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story Essay submitted by Bob Garrard Three Hundred Fifty Years of Blind Love: A Contraposition of Shakespeare and Robbins' Romeo and Juliet Andy Warhol once said, They say that time changes things, but actually you have to change them yourself. Two hundred fifty years passed between the original Romeo and Juliet and the premiere of West Side Story on Broadway in 1957. However, time did not change the message of the story, simply the creators' unique visions evolved. Shakespeare's delivery of the timeless tale of desperate love in his classic Romeo and Juliet proves to only intensify through retelling and modern interpretation. Audiences cherish Romeo and Juliet as one of the most beloved plays of all time from the Elizabethan Age to the present. Romeo and Juliet have attained the role as the quintessential lovers, and the noun, a Romeo, is synonymous with lover. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is closely based on Arthur Brooke's tale, The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet. The language, attitudes, and customs detailed in the play are generally English, in spite of Brooke's original Italian setting. In 1949, choreographer Jerome Robbins decided to retell Brooke and Shakespeare's romantic tragedy using song and dance, elements of racism and nationalism, and a modern vernacular. Robbins called upon the musical talents of composer Leonard Bernstein and the words of Arthur Laurents for the script and book. The love story proved to have universal appeal throughout all artistic forms, as it had already been adjusted for opera and ballet. The contemporary adaptation of this timeless classic alters details and deepens the message of hatred, but maintains Brooke and Shakespeare's vision. The relationships between the characters, plot sequence, and theme of hatred in West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet intertwine resulting in two similar, yet varying versions of the most famous love story of all time. The relationships between the characters of West Side Story and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet are reflective of their respective time periods and the original story. Maria and Juliet represent a slightly practical counterpart to both Tony's and Romeo's idealistic nature. Maria's brother Bernardo and Juliet's cousin Tybalt portray impulsively stubborn and violent characters who both die from wounds inflicted by the male lead. Lieutenant Schrank is similar to Prince Escalus, although Schrank is unfair in his treatment and attitude towards one gang- the Sharks. Anita and Nurse both take on the role as Juliet's confidant and trusted friend, often tampering with their roles as messengers. The mischievously tomboyish Anybodys, who desperately wants to be a Jet, would best fit into the role of Balthasar, since it was she who aided Tony in escaping after the rumble, as well as later informing the other Jets that Tony was being hunted. Finally, the character of Doc appears to fulfill the role of Friar Laurence because both possess somewhat of a peacekeeping nature. Doc attempts to get through to Tony by dramatically pleading, Why do you live like there's a war on? Why do you kill? (2.5). All of the characters are consistent to the heart and soul of the story as well as the slightly differing plots. West Side Story maintains Romeo and Juliet's intricate and exciting plot using appropriate adaptations to accommodate mid-twentieth-century pop culture. For instance, both artistic forms portray mutual disrespect between the parties. At the dawn of Romeo and Juliet, Capulet's cohorts harass Montague's. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it, boasts Sampson (1.1.42-43). In the opening scene of West Side Story, several members of a Puerto Rican gang insult A-rab, a member of the opposing gang. It is here where Lieutenant Schrank becomes aware of the potential rumble. In Romeo and Juliet Escalus, Prince of Verona, threatens, If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace (1.1.103-104). In West Side Story, Schrank mediates in his own way when he declares, I got a hot surprise for you: you hoodlums don't own the streets(1.1). Later, another similarity takes place. Riff convinces Tony to attend the dance at the gym just as Benvolio persuades Romeo to attend the Capulets' masquerade. Tony confesses to Riff that he's reachin' out for something(1.2), just what, he doesn't know. Riff encourages Tony by proposing, Maybe what you're waitin' for'll be twitchin' at the dance! (1.2). Shakespeare and director Jerome Robbins choose to draw

Biography of Ruth Handler, Inventor of Barbie Dolls

Biography of Ruth Handler, Inventor of Barbie Dolls Ruth Handler (November 4, 1916–April 27, 2002) was an American inventor who created the iconic Barbie doll in 1959 (the doll was named after Handlers daughter Barbara). Barbie was introduced to the world at the American Toy Fair in New York City. The Ken doll was named after Handlers son and was introduced two years after Barbie debuted. Handler was the co-founder of Mattel, a company that manufactures a variety of popular toys. Fast Facts: Ruth Handler Known For: Handler founded the toy company Mattel and invented the Barbie doll.Born: November 4, 1916 in Denver, ColoradoParents: Jacob and Ida MoskoDied: April 27, 2002 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaSpouse: Elliot Handler (m. 1938-2002)Children: 2 Early Life Handler was born Ruth Marianna Mosko on November 4, 1916, in Denver, Colorado. Her parents were Jacob and Ida Mosko. She married Elliot Handler, her high school boyfriend, in 1938. Mattel With Harold Matt Matson, Elliot created a garage workshop in 1945. Their business name Mattel was a combination of the letters of their last and first names. Matson soon sold his share of the company, so the Handlers, Ruth and Elliot, took full control. Mattels first products were picture frames. However, Elliot eventually started making dollhouse furniture from picture frame scraps. That proved to be such a success that Mattel switched to making nothing but toys. Mattels first big-seller was the Uka-a-doodle, a toy ukulele. It was the first in  the line  of musical toys. In 1948, the Mattel Corporation was formally incorporated in California. In 1955, the company changed toy marketing forever  by acquiring the rights to produce the popular Mickey Mouse Club products. The cross-marketing promotion became common  practice  for future toy companies. In 1955, Mattel released  a  successful patented toy cap gun called the burp gun. Invention of Barbie In 1959, Ruth Handler created  the Barbie doll. Handler would later refer to herself as Barbies mom. Mattell founders Ruth and Elliott Handler with a barbie doll. Courtesy of Mattel   Handler watched her daughter Barbara and friends playing with paper dolls. The children used them to play make-believe, imagining roles as college students,  cheerleaders,  and adults with careers. Handler aspired  to invent a doll that would better facilitate the way young girls were playing with their dolls. Handler and Mattel introduced Barbie, the teenage fashion model, to skeptical toy buyers at the annual Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959. The new doll was very unlike the baby and toddler dolls that were popular at the time. This was a doll with an adult body. What was the inspiration? During a family trip to Switzerland, Handler saw the German-made Bild Lilli doll in a Swiss shop and bought one. The Bild Lilli doll was a collectors item  and  not intended for sale to children; however, Handler used it as the basis for her design for Barbie. The Barbie doll’s first boyfriend, the Ken Doll, debuted two years after Barbie in 1961. Handler said Barbie was a symbol of freedom and possibility for young girls and women: â€Å"Barbie has always represented that a woman has choices. Even in her early years, Barbie did not have to settle for only being Ken’s girlfriend or an inveterate shopper. She had the clothes, for example, to launch a career as a nurse, a stewardess, a nightclub singer. I believe the choices Barbie represents helped the doll catch on initially, not just with daughters- who would one day make up the first major wave of women in management and professionals- but also with mothers.† The Story of Barbie Handler created a personal story for the very first Barbie doll. She was named Barbie Millicent Roberts and she was from Willows, Wisconsin. Barbie was a teenage fashion model. Now, however, the doll has been made in many versions connected to over 125 different careers, including president of the United States. Barbie came as either a brunette or blond, and in 1961, a red-headed Barbie was released. In 1980, the first African-American Barbie and Hispanic Barbie were introduced. The first Barbie was sold for $3. Additional clothing based on the latest runway trends from Paris were sold as well for between $1 and $5. In 1959, the year Barbie was released, 300,000 Barbie dolls were sold. Today, a mint condition #1 Barbie doll can fetch as much as $27,000. To date, more than 70 fashion designers have made clothes for Mattel, using in excess of 105 million yards of fabric. There has been some controversy over Barbies figure ever since it was realized that if the doll were a real person, her measurements would be an impossible 36-18-38. Barbies real measurements are 5 inches (bust), 3 1/4 inches (waist), and 5 3/16 inches (hips). Her weight is 7  ¼ ounces, and her height is 11.5 inches. In 1965, Barbie had bendable legs and eyes that opened and shut. In 1967, a Twist N Turn Barbie was released that had a movable body that twisted at the waist. The best-selling Barbie doll of all time was the Totally Hair Barbie of 1992, which had hair from the top of her head to her toes. Other Inventions After fighting breast cancer and undergoing a mastectomy in 1970, Handler surveyed the market for a suitable prosthetic breast. Disappointed by the options available, she set about designing a replacement breast that was more similar to a natural one. In 1975, Handler received a patent for Nearly Me, a prosthesis made of material close in weight and density to that of natural breasts. Death Handler developed colon cancer in her 80s. She died on April 27, 2002, at the age of 85. Handler was survived by her husband, who died on July 21, 2011. Legacy Handler created one of the worlds most successful toy companies, Mattel. Her Barbie doll is one of the most popular and iconic toys in the world. In 2016, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris had a Barbie show featuring hundreds of dolls alongside artworks inspired by Barbie. Sources Gerber, Robin.  Barbie and Ruth: the Story of the Worlds Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her. Harper, 2010.Stone, Tanya.  The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie: a Dolls History and Her Impact on Us. Paw Prints, 2015.