Hamilton

        As someone who had never seen or listened to the musical Hamilton prior to this class, I found it extremely interesting. One aspect that stood out to me in the second Act of the musical was the closing song, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.” I believe that this song touches on the idea of time in an extremely powerful way. In this song, Eliza reflects on the events that have occurred after the death of Hamilton. She lists thing such as funding the Washington Monument, fighting for the abolition of slavery, and establishing the first private orphanage in New York City. However, each of these actions circles back to the idea that, in doing these things, she is continuing Hamilton’s story. In doing this, Eliza hopes that the people she impacts will continue to tell Hamilton’s story even after she is no longer there to tell it. While not included in the song, watching the musical, one can see the character of Eliza gasp as she faces the audience for the final time.

I believe this final scene ties time into the play as it creates a connection between the character representing the past and the future, through the audience of the show. Though it is clear that time has passed since the historical events depicted in the musical occurred, the continued telling of this story through the musical allows the story to transcend time. Additionally, despite the passage of time, the storyline depicted continues to feel current in our 21st Century American life. While different today, our lives remained filled with political turmoil, thus making the easily-accessible musical Hamilton an effective way to learn from the past.  


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