#hamilfilm
next time someone asks me for a fun fact about myself, i’m telling them about how i can differentiate between the beginnings of 10 duel commandments & the world was wide enough
Listening to Hamiltonis one thing. Watching it is another entirely.
Let’s talk about what we get from the music. Sure, most of the story is told, but we (at least, I) assumed that a majority of the time, each character was telling their own story. It was all a general perspective. Without any visual cues, we only saw part of the story, part of the magic of Hamilton.
Yesterday, as I watched the production, I found myself tearing up for a majority of the show. Hamiltonis a work of art. And yes, of course I recognize the criticisms of the show and they are valid, but I also find the commentary of the show itself fascinating. Lin-Manuel Miranda created a masterpiece, and watching it for the first time yesterday, I could truly see that.
Now onto Aaron Burr. As high schoolers, most of us knew him as the guy who killed Hamilton in a duel. Emphasis on the duel. I distinctly remember talking about the duel in my A.P. US history class far more than the man behind the gun.
Hamiltonchanges this.
The show opens with Burr directly addressing the audience, asking them a rhetorical question they’ll eventually have answered mere minutes later. This sets him up as the narrator; it’s his lens we’re seeing the story through. Listening to the soundtrack, I didn’t realize this. It took watching the story, watching the times Burr watches the story around him, even interacting with others as if he knows how the conversation is going to go already.
As the show continues, it becomes more obvious that Burr is the one telling the story of Alexander Hamilton’s legacy. This is especially clear at the end, when he’s telling the audience to “look it up Hamilton was wearing his glasses.” He’s trying to justify his actions, to try to show he’s not a monster. He was trying to protect his family, and was unwilling to take the risk. Even so, he still sounds remorseful. As if wanting to take back his actions.
After Hamilton’s death, Burr goes on to narrate the aftermath, continuing until Eliza takes over. At that point, Eliza is the one preserving and continuing his legacy. The exchange of narration, however, is telling. Though Eliza was sharing his legacy and ensuring it endured, so was Burr by telling the story. By being the one to narrate it, to share it, despite having also been the man that killed him.
It’s as if Burr wishes to make up for killing Hamilton by making sure that he shares and continues his legacy. He’s repenting for his sin. The only way to see this, though, is by watching the musical. Though you can hear the emotion in Burr’s voice in the songs, seeinghis reactions is the only way to truly capture the full story.
Hamiltonis a reflection of Burr’s life as much as it is Hamilton’s. As the musical progresses, this becomes more obvious. Burr continues to address the audience, again asking questions and wondering why he continues to be inadequate when compared to Hamilton.
I mean, it’s obvious they’re foils of one another. Burr is unwilling to pick a side, unwilling to take a stand; Hamilton, however, is strong in his values and believes you must pick a side and stay strong in your convictions. He is unwilling to play the game of politics in the way that Burr does. Hell, they’re even divided on the nature of duels. Where Hamilton thinks the duel with Charles Lee is necessary, for example, Burr finds ridiculous. What’s interesting, though, is by Act II, they seem to have switched their beliefs entirely. When Burr chooses to shoot Hamilton, he is taking a side. He’s taking a stand via duel, something he previously believed to be absurd. Hamilton, however, aims upward, choosing this instead of risking the life of his opponent by shooting him. His actions further indicate he’s unwilling to kill someone in a duel, something he likely would have been more than willing to do in Act I. These characters have been developed so well that they are perfect foils of one another. It’s impressive.
Hamilton’salways impressed me. I remember hearing about it and thinking I’d be the only one interested (I’d recently gone through a phase where I was obsessed with Alexander Hamilton. I don’t know or understand why. I blame APUSH junior year). When I saw Hamiltontake off, I was delighted. And to finally have the opportunity to see it now, years later, after having sung the soundtrack countless times? It’s incredible.
JD in Dead Girl Walking Reprise
It’s official, the Hamilton movie with the OBC cast is coming to theatres October 15th 2021!!!!!!
My favorite cinematic shots from the #Hamilfilm (in rainbow order) (part 1/?)
OH FUCK
OH FUCK
OH FUCK
OH FUCK
OH FUCK
OH FUCK
OH FUCK
- OH FUCK
- OH FUCK
As you tune into Hamilton today remember everyone involved is currently out of work. Everyone involved relied on the theatre to get where they got. Hamilton transcended usual theatre audiences, and to make more Hamiltons we need theatre to survive.
“If I could spare his life. If I could trade his life for mine.”
This will be me by the end of episode 7…
How can you say no to this?
I mean, how can you? (☞゚∀゚)☞
Then I said, “Well, I should head back home”
She turned red, she led me to her bed
Let her legs spread and said
Stay
Hey
Hey
That’s when I began to pray
Lord, show me how to say no to this
I don’t know how to say no to this
But my God, she looks so helpless
And her body’s saying, “Hell, yes"
HOW CAN YOU SAY NO TO THIS?
Sorry. The song’s stuck in my head that I had to make a fanart.
I really wish I could say I am excited that the official recording of Hamilton will be streaming on the third of July, but unfortunately for me, the majestic gods at the temple of The Mouse have not deemed the lowly mortals of the peasant region known as Belgium, worthy of being allowed to gaze upon the beauty that is Disney+, before summer’s end, till we have reached the beginning of fall, in the month of September.
(Seriously, it’s Belgium, not fucking Narnia.)