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The Path to Legacy: Action vs Inaction in the Musical ​ “Legacy, what is legacy? It planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” Alexander

Hamilton states in the penultimate song of the broadway musical Hamilton, “The World was ​ ​ Wide Enough.” For Hamilton and many others, legacy is the ultimate goal in the newly founded

United States, and they risk their lives and careers just to ensure their name in the history books.

While there is a variety of themes in Hamilton regarding the shaping of history, the most important theme is personal ambition and the effects of action vs inaction.

Commentary on the Theme of Hamilton ​ There’s little doubt to say that people love Hamilton. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, ​ Hamilton is a fresh take on history in a modern context that appeals to a wide variety of audiences both young and old through combining popular culture and history. Even though it was released back in 2015, ask any fan of modern theater today and they would probably know exactly what you’re talking about. However, while a majority of people enjoy Hamilton and its ​ content, there is a varied perspective on the main points of the songs and the narrative it tells, from the progression of history to what we can take away from the individual story of Alexander

Hamilton himself, such as the legacy hard work brings and the dangers of ambition on one’s personal life. Let’s take a look at what other reviewers have to say.

Ben Brantley, chief theater critic of the New York Times, expresses in his review of ​ ​ Hamilton that the musical succeeds in combining the past and the present, using modern music to ​ describe a non-modern time. “The words that tumble out are a fervid mix of contemporary street talk, wild and florid declarations of ambition and, oh yes, elegant phrases from momentous political documents you studied in school, like Washington’s Farewell Address,” he observes, 2

admiring the connection between recorded history and modern day that the musical creates through its lyrics. He compares the language of Hamilton to the language of the present-day ​ youth working to make their mark on the world and “initial everything in reach as their own” through a relatable portrayal of the founding fathers in their prime, just as hungry for achievement and glory to make their mark as the newer generation of their time. I would have to agree that the this portrayal of ambition and hungering for something greater is an important aspect of the overall theme of personal ambition Hamilton. However, Brantley insists later in the ​ ​ review that the star of the show isn’t Hamilton himself, but the progression of history as a whole.

I would have to disagree with him as I feel that while history is an important factor in the narrative of Hamilton, the musical focuses more on Hamilton’s personal story rather than the ​ ​ US’s progression as whole. Afterall, the musical takes the time not only to explore Hamilton’s political pursuits but his personal life as well and all of the people that he impacted personally and professionally.

Brantley isn’t the only reviewer to take note of Hamilton’s very modern form of music. ​ ​ Will Gompertz, arts editor for BBC, explores of the music used in his review of the musical, particularly the choice to include genres associated with African American music, such as hip-hop, rap, jazz, R&B, and soul. He focuses particularly on Hamilton’s struggle as an immigrant to the US and the fact that he is an outsider who has arrived in time to witness the birth of the US and hungers to make his mark, along with the other founding fathers. “This is a story about the movers and shakers of the past, who changed America, told by the movers and shakers of today, who are undertaking the same task,” he asserts, connecting the setting and the language of Hamilton to the modern day in a similar fashion as Brantley. Similar to my ​ 3

perception on Brantley’s review, I believe that the language of the music in Hamilton plays a ​ ​ very important role in setting the tone associated with Hamilton. However, while the roots of the ​ ​ music are definitely a great reference to African American culture, this celebration of culture is not the main theme of the musical as the narrative still focuses much on the past and the actions of the characters during that time period.

Meanwhile, reviewer Michael Billington, theater critic for The Guardian, focuses more ​ ​ on the narrative of the story itself. “While Hamilton is the story’s pivot, he is also part of a ​ musical that, like the nation itself, seems in perpetual motion,” he mentions, noting that while

Hamilton is a story about , history also seems to be moving in the background no matter what happens. For Billington, the main theme is the retelling of history for a modern audience with focus on the fast-paced youth of the US as a country, which presents a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of the characters in the musical. One song he mentions directly is “The Room Where it Happens,” which portrays the mystery of history and what happens in the backroom under the radar. According to Billing, the song isn’t just about what happens behind the scenes, but also the desire to be involved in the deal, as portrayed by the character . Billington also mentions that another theme of the musical is also the story of “an Icarus who flew too close to the sun,” referencing Hamilton’s rise and fall of political power during the course of the musical, and how his personal ambition benefited him but also led to his decline. Out of all the reviews, I feel that Billington’s is the one that most closely relates to the theme of personal ambition, referencing both Hamilton and Burr’s motivations.

This is Hamilton’s story of rising and falling from power and working to make your mark, but 4

that can only be done by being willing to get in with the big dogs, something that Burr is denied from in “The Room Where it Happens.”

While previous reviewers saw Hamilton as a retelling of history in a modern context, ​ theater critic for the Houston Chronicle Wei-Huan Chen believes that Hamilton is a call to action ​ ​ ​ in the modern day. To Chen, Hamilton is a call to action regarding activism in the country and the idea of clashing labels in society. Throughout Hamilton each of the characters have their own ​ goals and motivations and their own way of achieving those goals. To Chen, Hamilton should ​ ​ inspire us to “think beyond ourselves” and look to the actions of the past to not only teach us but also inspire us to make a difference in the present. He focuses mainly on Burr for this theme, and the connections between Burr and Asian-Americans, who stress rising up through assimilation, hard work, pleasing others, and reducing personal risk rather than direct protest. “He talks less and smiles more,” Chen asserts, echoing the similarly phrased lyrics from Burr himself. “Burr saw himself as Hamilton,” he continues, “‘The Room Where It Happens’ is about more than a historical bystander singing about history being made without him. It’s a tragic recognition that

Burr wanted all of Hamilton’s glory without admitting that greatness requires spirit and sacrifice.” Here, Chen argues that Burr’s lack of action is the cause of him getting pushed into the background of the historical narrative at large. I completely agree with this perception of

Burr’s character, and believe that it plays a huge role in Hamilton’s main theme of action vs ​ ​ inaction and the play’s relation of personal ambition and the shaping of history. Burr’s method of achieving his goals was playing it safe, and therefore he fell behind and did not get to play as large of a role in early founding of the US because he waited for too long and missed his opportunity. 5

Kari Kenner, a journalist for the Daily Herald, also points out an interesting message in

Hamilton regarding the role of the founding fathers in history. She explains that no human, past or present, is perfect, and Hamilton not only honors the legacy of the founding fathers, but ​ portrays them as what they were: humans with real goals who make human mistakes. Our past was their present, and they struggled and made mistakes in the past just as we make mistakes and struggle in the modern day. Kenner definitely makes a valid point about the characters and addressing that they had personal ambitions and were people rather than historical figures put on a pedestal. While this is not the defining theme of Hamilton, the idea of human motivations plays ​ a huge role in analyzing the characters’ actions throughout the musical and how they react and adapt to the events around them to work toward their goals.

“Rise up, it’s time to take a shot!”: A Textual Analysis

Hamilton is a man of action, and he’s willing to take every risk to get what he wants.

That fact is clearly established in the third song of Hamilton, “My Shot.” Hamilton has just ​ ​ come to America, and with the revolution brewing in the background, he’s more than eager to get involved. The main line of “My Shot” is the statement, “I am not throwing away my shot!” which becomes one of the most repeated lines associated with Hamilton throughout the musical.

This represents the fact that Hamilton is not going to miss his opportunity to “rise up” and “take his shot” to make a mark on society. It is implied throughout the song that because of his past he believed he would not live to make it this far, and has learned that his time is limited and wants to take advantage of everything he can do because there is finally a hope for him that he will live past tomorrow. This is especially evident in the lines, “I’m past patiently waiting...I’m passionately smashin’ every expectation...For the first time, I’m thinkin’ past tomorrow.” Here, ​ ​ 6

Hamilton’s hope is expressed by his hunger to make a difference. He finally realizes his has found something to fight for, and perhaps this is the reason that he has lived and endured so much before this point. Hamilton also mentions, “I’m just like my country, I’m young, scrappy, and hungry,” meaning that just like the newly revolutionized colonies of America, he is also still in his youth, little rough around the edges, and hungry for change. The idea of a new country that

Hamilton prizes could also be seen as a parallel to Hamilton’s form of “rebirth” where he finally steps into the spotlight. However, this song also offers commentary on the dangers of being so bold and stepping up so aggressively toward opportunities. Aaron Burr, already established to support the revolution but would rather play it on the safe side, chimes in, “If you talk, you’re going to get shot!” which offers a counter to the consequences and danger Hamilton is putting himself in, as well as foreshadowing Hamilton’s fate--death in a duel due to a rivalry with Aaron

Burr himself.

Now, contrary to Hamilton’s opportunistic and bold attitude, Aaron Burr serves as a foil to Hamilton’s character. In his first solo song, “Wait for It,” we finally receive an in-depth look into Burr’s motivations. Unlike Hamilton, he waits for the perfect opportunity to take advantage of situation where he can dominate; he has spent a long time observing, and seems very well aware of what goes into taking action. “We rise and we fall/And we break/And we make our mistakes…” he states, with a very calculated understanding that it takes a fight to get what he wants. However, he also seems hesitant and willing to wait for what he wants, almost as if he sees himself as the underdog of the situation. Similar to Hamilton, he has had a tough past, and it is pointed out in the musical that they are both orphans. However, Burr takes a much different view of his past. “If there’s a reason I’m still alive/I’m willing to wait for it,” he repeats 7

throughout the song, almost as if he is waiting for something or someone more to call him to action. Unfortunately, that same waiting is also what will lead to his missed opportunity later in the musical, because he waited too long and now all of the big players have taken a stand while

Burr has rested peacefully on the sidelines, where he will remain for a majority of the musical.

Blissfully oblivious of this future, he claims, “I’m not falling being or running late...I am lying in wait!” He couldn’t have been farther from the truth; he did fall behind, and he was very late to the making of history...one that cost him.

Meanwhile, in the song “Non-Stop” Hamilton is at the peak of his career, attending the

Constitutional Convention and writing the Federalist Papers. However, in his eagerness to take a stand, he puts himself in a lot of risk. Burr’s commentary on the situation, as the narrator of this song, gently reminds us of the cost of Hamilton’s actions. “Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room/Soon that attitude may be your doom!” he protests, addressing Hamilton’s desire to push his values and take a stand to almost dangerous extremes. And to an extent, he is right. During Hamilton’s career, he makes a lot of enemies, such as Thomas Jefferson and Aaron

Burr, and his overachievement and brutal honesty lead to the reveal of an affair, which is what completely destroys his career. “Why do you always say what you believe?/Ev’ry proclamation guarantees free ammunition for your enemies!” Burr proclaims, foreshadowing Hamilton’s fate in the making, as the affair eventually became ammunition for his enemies. If Hamilton had not condemned himself first by publishing about the affair first, his enemy’s knowledge of it could have been used against him. Additionally, “Non-Stop” also offers interesting commentary on how Burr views his and Hamilton’s ambitions. “I’ll keep all of my plans close to my chest...I’ll wait here and see which way the wind will blow...” He sings after denying Hamilton’s offer to 8

help write the Federalist Papers simply because of the prospect that it could not work, even though the musical implies he agrees with the principle of Constitution. “For once, take a stand with pride/I don’t understand how you stand to the side!” Hamilton protests after Burr turns him down, further cementing their role as a foil to the other. Here and in many other places in the musical, it is obvious they both stand for the same beliefs, but they have very different ways of approaching the opportunities that are offered to them.

Burr finally comes to the realization that he has, in fact, been left behind in the song “The

Room Where it Happens.” When Hamilton and Jefferson hold a secret meeting behind closed doors to bargain where to put the nation’s capital, Burr realizes that there is a lot of politics going on behind the scenes, in “the room where it happens,” a place he has missed the opportunity to be a part of. Hamilton rebukes Burr for this missed opportunity. “But you don’t get a win unless you play in the game...You get nothing if you...wait for it...If you stand for nothing Burr, then what do you fall for?” He asks, almost mockingly as he asserts that you need to play the game in order to win, something Burr has not done by this point in time. However, Hamilton’s rebukes are ironic, because it was only through using Burr’s tactics that Hamilton secures the deal in the first place. “I guess I’m going to have to fin’ly have to listen to you...Talk less, smile more,”

Hamilton admits to Burr, realizing that he was able to get what he wanted through other means.

Throughout the song, Burr reminisces over the fact that he isn’t involved, implying that he wants to be involved in the “room where it happened.” “Oh, I wanna be in the room where it happens!” he laments, conflicted about the situation and his current standing as an outsider. However, something finally clicks in his mind as by the end of the song he proclaims “Oh, I've got to be ​ 9

in/The room where it happens!” And with that, he certainly follows through with his claim, running against Jefferson in the Election of 1800.

Hamilton’s Theme In Societal Context

Through the characters and individual stories introduced, Hamilton reveals much about ​ how opportunity and ambition played a key role in shaping the United States into what it is today. “[A] central function of art is to provide a critical perspective on society.” observes John

Fisher in his article, “High Art vs Low Art.” This statement couldn’t be truer in the context of

Hamilton. As a story, Hamilton displays the origins of the US and stresses that the actions and ​ personal ambitions of the people who founded it are what really shaped history, and the same idea can be applied in present day society as well. Through taking a closer look at Hamilton, one ​ ​ would be able to make connections between the story and the conflicts that occur in the United

States presently and form their own critical opinions on the topic by using the critical perspectives of society the musical offers as art, like Fisher says. Furthermore, the conflict between taking action and not taking action is also presented through both Hamilton and Burr’s characters, and explores that there are consequences to both taking action and staying on the sidelines. Audiences are expected to form their own opinions on not only both Hamilton and

Burr and their final role in the grand scheme of history but to take a look at themselves and the people working to make a difference in today’s world through the same lense.

Conclusion

Hamilton is a fantastic presentation of opportunity and what it takes to make your mark through your own personal ambitions and actions. The characters and music of Hamilton ​ resemble a new generation of leaders, hungry to make a difference in the world they live in. 10

Hamilton also explores the avenues taken to reach those ambitions, and weighs the benefits and consequences of action vs inaction through the characters of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron

Burr. Hamilton is eager to make a difference, and is bold in his actions, looking to not waste his shot to make a difference on the new United States; meanwhile, Burr fights for the same ideal, but chooses to stay on the sidelines, weary of failure and waiting for the moment when the time is right. The main choice that is given to the characters of Hamilton is the option of action vs ​ inaction. Is it better to take action and the opportunity given to you, but lead a risky lifestyle, or is it better to live a life on the sidelines, waiting without the risk, but to miss the opportunity?

Hamilton doesn’t play one side or the other, but equally represents each choice and its consequences in a way that it is up to the audience to decide for themselves. So the next time you listen to the Hamilton soundtrack, consider this: is it worth it to take action and seize the ​ opportunity given to you, or is it better to sit back and wait to make your move?

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Works Cited

Billington, Michael. “Hamilton Review – Revolutionary Musical a Thrilling Salute to America's

Immigrants.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 23 Dec. 2017, ​ ​ www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/dec/21/hamilton-review-musical-london-victoria-palace-lin-m

anuel-miranda.

Brantley, Ben. “Review: 'Hamilton,' Young Rebels Changing History and Theater.” The New York ​ Times, The New York Times, 7 Aug. 2015, ​ www.nytimes.com/2015/08/07/theater/review-hamilton-young-rebels-changing-history-and-theat

er.html.

Chen, Wei-Huan. “Review: 'Hamilton' Is a Patriotic Call to Action.” Houston Chronicle, Houston ​ ​ Chronicle, 27 Apr. 2018,

www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-theater/article/Review-Hamilton-is-a-patriotic-cal

l-to-12867606.php.

Fisher, John. "High Art vs. Low Art." The Routledge Companion to Aesthetics, 2nd ed., edited by Barys ​ ​ Gaut and Dominic McIver Lopes, Routledge, 2005, 527-540.

Gompertz, Will. “Will Gompertz Reviews Lin-Manuel Miranda's Musical Hamilton ★★★★★.” BBC ​ News, BBC, 23 Dec. 2017, www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-42347243. ​ Hamilton: An American Musical. Performances by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, ​ and Jonathan Groff. Atlantic Records, 2015.

Kenner, Kari. “Review: I Got to See 'Hamilton.' If You're Jealous, Well, You Should Be.” Daily Herald, ​ ​ Herald Communications, 13 Apr. 2018, 12

www.heraldextra.com/entertainment/arts-and-theater/theater/review-i-got-to-see-hamilton-if-you

-re-jealous/article_d4a2a9e4-da27-5ea3-ad70-2d6ff4e11159.html.