Monday, September 12, 2016

Who lives who dies who tells your story (spoilers)


Who lives, who dies, who tells YOUR story. Have you ever thought about who was going to tell your story years and years down the road? I myself think about this a lot more now that i have listened to Hamilton. Who is going to tell your legacy is a major theme in the musical, one that really makes you think about your own self. Not only who is going to tell it, but HOW are they going to tell it.

If you look at Alexander Hamilton, his story has been told in multiple lights, showing him as both good and bad. If it wasn't for his wife, Eliza, who knows if we would even have a story showing him as good at all. She spent over half her life, more than 50 years after his death, devoted to telling his story. But we almost didn't get a story from Eliza at all, she tried to write herself out of his narrative after she found out about his affair with Maria Reynolds. Without her side, we would have never heard of all his accomplishments. We would have been left with the things he did wrong from other people such as Thomas Jefferson and John Maddison who tried to ruin his reputation, even after his death. There would be no Hamilton musical, and the world would be a little less colorful without this wonderful work of art. 

After listening to Hamilton I have been inspired to go out and get "shit" done in this world! I do not want to be seen as your average
Burr, someone who sits around waiting for things. I want to take control of my life and make sure my story ends up being a good one. Hamilton put so much effort into showing people that he was more than a bastard orphan, now I'm going to spend my life proving that I'm more than someone who is destined to be in the shadows. I want to burn so bright that my story has to be amazing! I do not just want to do incredible things, but also be an incredible person. If I sacrifice an incredible story, but leave people knowing I am a good person, then all will be worth it. I do not want to be the antagonist of anyone's story, only the protagonist in my own, or the person who helps you get through yours. 

We each only have 1 shot to make sure our story is told in the way we want! I am not throwing away my shot, make sure you don't throw away yours!


Angelica Schuyler (spoilers)


She has been reading Common Sense by Thomas Payne, some men say that she's intense or that she's insane, who is she, she's Angelica Schuyler, one of the most popular charecters in Hamilton!
I myself am a huge fan of the character, but why is there such a large fan base for a character who is only in 6 out of 46 songs? It might be because Renée Elise Goldsberry is an amazing singer/actress, or maybe its because if you take a look at the character of Angelica, she is much more complex the more you think about her.

For starters she is a woman during the revolutionary war who could read and write, which by all means was not the common trait of the day and age. Yes she may have come from a rich family, which did give her the advantage, but she used her literacy skills to try and influence the minds of many, by fighting for the rights of women. This is made clear when we are first introduced to her in the song "The Schuyler Sisters".  She clearly states that she is ready to meet Thomas Jefferson and argue that women should be put into the declaration of Independence, which also proves she is not afraid to stick it to authority that is above her.

Secondly, Angelica had an awesome, almost definite shot to end up with Alexander Hamilton. He obviously had an interest in her from the start, and pined for her many years after, including when he was married to Eliza. It is also stated many times that Angelica did in fact love Alexander, it's what the entire song "Satisfied" is about. She loved him a whole lot, but she gave it all up for the happiness of her sister. That was incredibly kind and loving for her to do, and I'm quite certain that many people in today's era would never give up the one they love for anyone. This act was incredibly brave of her to do, even though she knew she may never be happy if she gave him up.

Later in the story, when Hamilton messed up big time with his actions involving the Reynolds Pamphlet, she rushed home right away. When Hamilton thinks she's here to defend him she sticks it to him, and says that she is not there for him, but for Eliza. The love for her sister over powers any feelings she ever has herself, not caring if she will ever be happy, as long as her sister is. That is a quality that more humans need to have in the current day and age. To care for others more than your own self is a hard thing to do, but Angelica is a great example of this amazing quality.


Angelica Schuyler is not just a pretty face, with an excellent voice. She is a kind, loving, smart, and astonishingly brave character. For all these reasons, and probably a lot more, it is no surprise that Angelica is one of the most beloved charecters in the musical.