#also i think this issue specifically is an interesting contrast between alexander hamilton jr and sr

[publius-library]

Why do people say Alexander Hamilton Jr (Alexander's second son) was an asshole? I know he often left the family behind without consideration, but was there anything really else he did that was so terrible?

this is a really good question, and i honestly had trouble answering it. thank you @yr-obedt-cicero for basically doing my job for me GEJSBWMWV

still, there really isn’t much outside of the family that he did that was shitty. he was a divorce attorney so there was that

essentially the gist of everything cicero told me (imma cite the sources they gave me in case you want to do further reading) was that alex jr in general left his family in times of financial hardship to fend for themselves, putting all the responsibility on james to be basically the eldest son (cicero also has a good post on this). he also stole his father’s papers and tried to get an unreasonable amount of money out of e. holly’s will.

tl;dr outside of being a shitty brother, he wasn’t the worst person, but was a really shitty brother

https://deadbishop-blog.tumblr.com/post/86053680832/my-dear-philip-i-hope-you-have-taken-measures-to

As Phil II was writing a calendar and description of every letter and on one he wrote; “… taken by my brother Alexr Hamilton from the House of my sister E[liza] H Holly immediately after her death without any colour of right or authority …,” dated, December 30, 1859 (from my dms with @yr-obedt-cicero bc the link didn’t work)

https://books.google.com/books?id=KL9cAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA65&lpg=PA65&dq=It+was+my+good+fortune+to+have+almost+the+entire+care+and+management+of+her+affairs.+The+elder+son#v=onepage&q=It%20was%20my%20good%20fortune%20to%20have%20almost%20the%20entire%20care%20and%20management%20of%20her%20affairs.%20The%20elder%20son&f=false

[desenanocp]

Final Paper

Des Enano

Final Paper

12/2/2017

Hamilton: The Musical

“I am not throwing away my shot.” Lin Manuel Miranda expertly explores and remixes multiple genres in his creation of his musical, Hamilton. Combining U.S. history, Hip-Hop, Broadway, and an ethnically diverse and talented cast to tell the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s founding fathers. Through the casting and story, Hamilton truly leaps barriers when dealing with topics like being an immigrant in America, fighting for your beliefs, as well as the importance of having beliefs and the dangers of ego. This complicated story told in the form of hip-hop as a late 20th century musical/art form can easily resonate with the newer generation as a revolutionary educational tool to learn about American history and to make better decisions for the future of the country.

While on vacation Lin Manuel Miranda began reading a biography on Alexander Hamilton and through Hamilton’s struggle and stories, Miranda was inspired to create one of the most interesting, moving, and inspiring musicals for a new generation. Alexander Hamilton immigrated to America, made a name for himself with no money, just his knowledge, writings, and passion.

A musical with rapping? Hiphop musical? From the very first conception of the show I think everyone Miranda pitched it to was skeptical but still intrigued. Once Miranda wrote some of the rhymes and started to get the show going everyone involved instantly was on board. In an interview in The Rolling Stone of Leslie Odom Jr., also known as Aaron Burr in the original cast, he was blown away from the song Story of Tonight and said, “that's the one that made me a puddle, because it was four men of color onstage singing a song about friendship and brotherhood and love, and I had never seen that in a musical." When asked about casting, Miranda replied that he was very open to anything, he did not picture a specific person for the role and so as the musical went through rotations with the cast, now going on tour, and being held in multiple places like Chicago, London, and soon in Puerto Rico, the diversity in the cast is of a great variety. With the show and the casting, Miranda’s goal was to celebrate the melting pot that America is now, not from the past.

Lin Manuel Miranda also intended to show these figures from our past as humans, not just names in history books. Showing the relation between those men back then and us now, with the drive and beliefs, conflict involving love and politics, and also the dangers of ego and proving worth are all characteristics seen in the humans still of today. As Hamilton presents those figures in a way familiar to us, we as the viewer can relate more efficiently. When reading about our founding fathers or learning about them in history class it is often very dry but Miranda turns that around and creates a world where we can relate to them better. Miranda figures out that Hamilton wrote his way out of the circumstances he was living in and found that relation to modern rappers who are doing the same with their music like Nas or Eminem. When you look at Hamilton in this lens it become more interesting than talking about someone who was previously the United State’s treasury secretary.

Not only is Hamilton explored in the show, but also his relationship and conflict with American Politician, Aaron Burr. Hamilton and Burr are very similar, both orphans trying to rise up but the only difference is in how they approach their ideas and beliefs. In the show, Hamilton is portrayed as being very strong-willed, calculated, and he constantly worked. On the other hand, Burr is portrayed as smart, but hesitant. During the show we saw how Burr became jealous of Hamilton and all the steps Hamilton took that eventually led to his death by the hands of Aaron Burr. Burr wanted a lot of things but didn’t have the guts to aggressively work for what he wanted, and Hamilton worked so hard that whatever he wanted, he somehow got. But at what cost?

The climax in the show is in the song Election of 1800 where it is between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr for President and everyone in town is looking to Hamilton for advice on who to vote for. In this song Hamilton reveals that even though he and Jefferson did not agree one hundred percent of the time, Jefferson had beliefs and that he is a stronger candidate than Burr who would constantly sway whichever way the wind blew. After that Burr got fed up with always losing to Hamilton and called him out for a duel. Unfortunately the two men were unable to come to an agreement or understanding of each other and it ended in blood. Through this relationship I was able to see that Hamilton’s inflated ego brought him to his death and that by meeting Burr he was faced with being put out of his misery with all the regrets he had in his life. With Burr I found that he was just misunderstood, was dealt the wrong set of cards and always had that pressure of living in Hamilton’s shadow. Both of them were unable to think clearly in the moment of the duel since one side was clouded with jealousy and the other side seemed to just completely give up and leave his life up to fate.

Through the relationship built between Hamilton and Burr, both friends and enemies, I think this musical opened the mind of many to see situations from multiple sides. We often saw the side of Hamilton and we would often see the side of Burr and seeing the contrast between those two I think brought deeper emotions into see historical figures, but even figures now as these complex humans. During the election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton I often found myself realizing similarities between this election and the story of Hamilton.

When discussing the actual candidates, it is conventional to compare them to the character of Aaron Burr. Both of them often waited for reactions as to how an opinion of theirs would test with the public. They are both wildly opposite of each other and I felt like the entire time of the election there were many who were desperately trying to find a figure like Alexander Hamilton to follow in the decision of presidency. Just like the Election of 1800, none of the people really wanted Thomas Jefferson or Aaron Burr to become President because for one, Jefferson had beliefs that people opposed and Burr was seen more as just a likeable guy.

Since the show covers so many topics and can relate to so many people from different backgrounds, social classes, and even musical taste, it goes to show that Hamilton may have been a beautiful form of connection for people to realize we aren’t so different after all. Hardcore rappers respect the show, and then you even get very powerful and sometimes conflicting politicians supporting the show. Broadway became an artform for many to enjoy and I believe that this show broke down so many barriers that with this connection, a lot of people could come to realize that us as Americans, whether born and raised or immigrated, we have this commonality. I hope that with Hamilton’s influence we can see change in the future and that everyone sees America as more of a melting pot like how it is portrayed on stage instead of a country with intruders.

These days with the news it is so disheartening to see people of color, whether it be black, brown, yellow, or rainbow, still treated disrespectfully. It is amazing at how hard immigrants, people of color, and even women need to work to prove themselves in this country that is so famously called a melting pot. From a young age children are taught that America is built on immigrants and now with situations Donald Trump is creating involving documents like DACA and issues of travel bans it feels like this is not the America some would say they are proud of anymore. With Lin Manuel Miranda putting in the effort in showing Hamilton, orphan immigrant, making a name for himself in the newly born country that we know now, we who live in America in the present as citizens and of color can be temporarily placed in their shoes.

Although Hamilton had his flaws as well, he was very cynical and always worked; his passion gives us a glimmer of hope with how he rose up and fought for what he believed in. And sure, It is true that our founding fathers were definitely not as hip as Miranda portrays them to be and they did not hold the same open-mindedness we hold today. But with Miranda opening this door and creating this place for all of us to appreciate who started the system in admiration instead of animosity is a great step in the revolution for equality.