Spring Awakening and the Wedding Singer, Essay Example

Spring awakening and the Wedding Singer have several things in common and yet have several differences. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast Spring Awakening and the Wedding Singer. Spring Awakening is a modern adaptation of the late 19th century play by Frank Wedekind. It deals with controversial, real issues such as teen sexuality, illegal abortions, and the discovery of sexual orientation. Because of its mature themes and its controversial topics the original play was banned. However, over 100 years later this intriguing play was brought to life in the form of a rock musical. The musical consists of two acts.

In Act I, the viewer learns of the struggles that each character is going through. The characters personalities begin to surface and the leaders of the story become recognizable. This play is so realistic that it is easy to relate with each and every character and their personal struggles regardless of their gender or the choices that they made. Each character in the story is dealing with the same struggle that everyone deals with when they are a teenager, a strange fascination with sex and yet the inability to obtain truthful information based upon cultural taboos or timid parents. This musical does not shy away from the problems that teenagers face on a daily basis everywhere in the world and is as true today as it was over 100 years ago when it was originally written by Wedekind.

The story begins with Wendla, a teenager and 19th century Germany dealing with the harsh realities of becoming an adult. This coming-of-age story highlights the difficulties of a culture and a time that many teenagers ignorant of the functions of their own bodies. Rather than when the list mother sitting her down and giving her the talk, one who takes it upon herself and asked someone where babies come from (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Her mother, too timid to speak of such mature subjects and desiring to keep her daughter innocent for just a little longer, simply says that children come from two people who love each other (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind).

The story continues with two teenage boys at school; Moritz Stiefel and Melchoir Gabor (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Moritz is being chastised for falling asleep in class and reciting the wrong lines (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Melchoir quickly comes to his defense and is equally chastised (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Angry, Melchoirvows that he will do something about the unfairness of school and society (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Later, Moritz describes a dream to Melchoir that has been keeping him awake at night (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Melchoir explains that such dreams are normal for boys their age and Moritz asks him to write him an essay with pectoral illustrations included (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Melchoir agrees to do so. Melchoir is a character with a lot of dynamics. He is intelligent, witty, and attractive (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). His rebellious personality also helps widen his appeal with the female characters (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). He only knows as much as he does because he has a thirst for knowledge and reads a variety of books on several different subjects. Wendla runs into Melchoir on her way to find flowers for her mother (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). She sees him writing in his journal and decides to sit with him and reflect upon a simpler time. They consider what it would be like to give into personal desires but decide not to. As the story progresses, Martha admits to her friends that her father abuses her physically and sexually and that her mother and does absolutely nothing to stop it (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). She makes her friends promise not to tell anyone because she is afraid of the repercussions, particularly being thrown out of the only home that she’s ever had. Wendell it tells Melchoir about Martha’s abuse and he is disgusted upon hearing this (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). However, Wendla urges him to hit her with a switch so that she may understand what her friend is going through. (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind) Reluctantly, he agrees although much to his dismay as he becomes carried away and runs off in disgust with himself (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind).

Meanwhile, Moritz has failed his examination this father is extremely upset with him(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Moritz writes to Melchoir’s mother and asks if she can send him money so that he can go to America(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). She respectfully declined his request but encourages him to stick it out and explains that she will speak with his father about treating him so harshly(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Maritza’s plans with thoughts of suicide but does not carried out at that point(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind).

Later still, Melchoir experiences the frustration of coming-of-age and Wendell finds him offering to return his journal(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). The two share intimacy and Wendell learns that there’s far more to making a baby than simply two people loving each other as she later we’ll find out that she is pregnant with his child(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind).Maritza’s been thrown out of his home and his wandering the streets with a pistol(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Ilse offers to bring him to the artist colony where she resides but he refuses and she runs away with hurt feelings(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). He immediately feels guilty and calls after her but to no avail for she is already gone(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). He then uses his pistol to shoot himself as he feels that all is completely lost in that there is no hope for him in the world(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). At his funeral, all of his friends place fowers in his grave(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Melchoir let’s Moritz father know that he is very upset with him(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Meanwhile, Wendla is ill and needs to see a doctor(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Wendla and her mother later discover that she is pregnant(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Her mother takes her have an underground abortion and she unfortunately dies (Sater& Sheik; Wedekind). Melchoir feels as though he’s lost everything in his bouts commit suicide when the spirits of his two friends who are gone tell him that he must press on(Sater& Sheik; Wedekind).

In the Wedding Singer, the protagonist, Robbie is about to marry his fiancée Linda but she stands him up in his left all alone at the altar (Rando; Coraci). Incredibly hurt, he struggles to find the inspiration to carry on his music career. This is when he meets Julia who is engaged to be married to a man named Glenn (Rando; Coraci). However, Glenn is a cheater and does not plan to change his ways (Rando; Coraci). Linda tries to reenter Robbie’s life but he breaks it off with her once and for all (Rando; Coraci). Julia was upset with Robbie and decided that she wanted to marry Glenn right away and took a flight to Las Vegas (Rando; Coraci). Maddened with love, Robbie chases after her and the two discover that they are on the same flight (Rando; Coraci). The ticket together and exchange a kiss (Rando; Coraci). They are married at the end of the movie (Rando; Coraci).

These two films have several things in common. The first thing that they have in common is that they both deal with themes of love and betrayal. The second thing that they have in common is that they both deal with loss, though on a completely different scale. What makes these two films different is the fact that Spring Awakening is more of a coming-of-age story while the Wedding Singer is a romantic comedy. The characters in the Wedding Singer are older and are dealing with a completely different set of problems.

Works Cited

Sater, and  Sheik. Spring Awakening – Playbill – July 2007 – Volume 123, NO. 7. New York, New York: Eugene O’Neill Theatre, 2007. Print.

The Wedding Singer (the musical). Dir. John  Rando. Perf. Stephen Lynch. n.a., 2006. DVD.

The Wedding Singer. Dir. Frank Coraci. Perf. Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Christine Taylor. New Line Home Video, 1998. DVD.

Wedekind, Frank..The awakening of spring. a tragedy of childhood by Frank Wedekin. 2d ed. ed. N.A.: Philadelphia, Brown Brothers, 1910., 1910. Print.