When it came to planning the final paper for my history class, this English major was in a panic. I have a deep interest in history, yes, but that in no way means that I know what to write a paper on. Actually, it means quite the opposite.
How am I, with so much I wish to know more about, supposed to write a four to five-page paper on one thing? There’s so much I don’t know and so much I want to find out more about in the course of American history.
Of course, the easiest place to start is at the beginning. From this realization came the best idea for a paper I’ve ever had: analyzing the life of Alexander Hamilton, famous Founding Father, through the historical inaccuracies of Hamilton: An American Musical. Of course, there was a lot to learn in the course of writing this paper.
The biggest thing that I took away from it, though, was my increased appreciation for Lin-Manuel Miranda, the writer of Hamilton, through the lens of this show alone rather than through all of the charity work and advocating that he has done for important issues that he holds close to his heart.
This, of course, in no way is to make light of all the work that Miranda has done in the world as we know it. His strong response to and fundraising for Puerto Rico and for March For Our Lives is so, so important. What I am saying, however, is that there is an amazing human being in our midst even once you put the charitable actions aside.
Miranda, through Hamilton alone, took a mysterious historical figure that so many people didn’t know about and made his story accessible to the masses (through the cast soundtrack, at least) in a way that is easy to digest and generates interest.
Not only did he educate the public on the figure that essentially created our financial system (and saved him from being taken off the $10 bill), but he made people interested in history. Names only known amongst historians are now circulating through Tumblr. People are learning.
In a world with such a short attention span and a general disinterest for anything that can’t be found out from a quick Google search and a wee bit of skimming, Miranda made people want to go beyond that. I’m certain I wouldn’t have written the paper that I did if it weren’t for Miranda’s show giving me some insight into the character of Alexander Hamilton, enough to make me want to delve further into his history.
Hamilton is a great show, but that goes beyond the rewards it’s received. It’s great because of the narrative it tells, the reminder that “even immigrants can leave their fingerprints and rise up.” And this important message is not delivered through a new story, but one that started in the 1750s with the birth of a bastard who knew how to write well. If that isn’t worth a world’s worth of praise, keep looking into Miranda’s life. You’re sure to find something.