HISTORICAL MUSICAL REVIEW

HISTORICAL MUSICAL REVIEW

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Who Tells Your Story is the final act in the musical Hamilton that is focused around Alexander Hamilton’s demise. The introduction song to Hamilton album outlines Hamilton’s childhood and stressful times. After his death, the whole cast teamed up to discuss the fate of the remaining characters in the subsequent years. The notion of legacy is examined as characters speculate if they have contributed enough in their life span to be documented in history books (Miranda 2015, 67). Hamilton the musical and Hamilton the person are centered on historiography and heritage. The way in which people perceive, comprehend, and recall historical events. After their death, human beings lack the ability to influence the narrator of their story. All that is left behind is one’s legacy. The only question is what legacy is left behind after the achievements and developments are attained.

All humans and communities are part of history. An obvious example is ethnic groups speak a language that was adopted from the past. They exist in societies under traditions that have been around for several centuries. Therefore, understanding the connection between history and present is fundamental for a proper understanding of the state of being human. This is why history matters. It is not merely useful, it is necessary. First, Alexander Hamilton was a founding father of the United States and therefore, his contribution towards building the great nation cannot be noticed. To a certain level, his achievements can be ranked alongside other famous personalities. His efforts to rectify the different social injustices included championing the equal rights of Loyalist remnants still in the United States. He also played a major role in shaping the final elements that made their way into the constitution. Lastly, Hamilton also contributed toward shaping the American economic policy through altering the manufacturing strategies and ushering in the Industrial tendencies.

One of the ways through which individual stories enter the historical records is by receiving widespread acknowledgment. The magnitude of the activities or events that occur must be on such a scale that the greater population can acknowledge its benefits. For instance, it must be able to affect people from different demographics such as race, class and age. Alternatively, the event can also affect a large number of people. Either way, it is a memorable event that will not be forgotten easily. The contributions made by Alexander Hamilton in the short period that he occupied public office qualify his position in the history records.

Historians use the past activities to create a relationship that can be valued by people living in the current generation. The historians use personal accounts to recreate the past by searching for a connection that can root people back in time. This is very important since everyone needs a rational explanation before learning to become associated with anything. Therefore, a historian looks at the different aspects of human existence particularly their culture, norms and ways of life. In the case study, Hamilton’s story was cleverly packaged specifically for the American context and this had the effect of transforming the perception of early American political system (Miranda 2015, 243). Politics and the economy have always been at the heart of many America ns and therefore, it was relatively easy to create a connection for the many readers who understood Hamilton. By developing a connection between past occurrences and the varied consequences currently being enjoyed, it is possible to develop a tangible past

The current generation is struggling in that they are a people experiencing a sense of being lost and rootless. In the process, they engage in self-destructive activities that affect their understanding of history. In the same way that some people have no understanding of Alexander Hamilton and his achievements for the nation, many people grapple with scraps of knowledge about their history. Historians generally assume that every person possesses a full historical setting. However, some people for reasons that are not of their making, develop with a lesser understanding of their own position in life. This affects their place within the family unit or the greater society. They require a sense of heritage. For other people, by comparison, the hereditary legacy may represent a strong or even completely repressive topic. In all instances, comprehending the past is central to the right understanding of the state of being human. Historians understand that people need to build on, and occasionally transform a stable foundation. It is relatively difficult to achieve these two tasks without understanding the setting and points of origin for a certain phenomena. In Hamilton’s case, it is relatively difficult to discuss or even alter economic policy without first processing the rationale behind the man’s decisions wile in office. The people living in the present enjoy a wide selection of historical content but are unaware of the collection of  individual stories that made it possible. What is evident is that the conventional American citizen has a regrettable propensity to adapt and retell specific accounts about American history, not excluding that of the founding founders, with greater regularity and interest compared to the stories that demand an actual connection with the past.

It is most unfortunate that the society, rather than the academic fraternity, is responsible for determining the future of past occurrences as far as recording them, in history books is concerned. The society selects the best stories to relay to their peers and descendants based on their simplicity and appropriateness. In the same vein, stories that demand an actual contact or relationship with the specific culture or ethnic group in question seldom attract the same amount of popularity mainly because they demand extra work. Therefore, it is safe to say that stories that resonate well with the previous generation are easily embraced and in the process, captured as apart of American history. It is not surprising to know that the topics of politics and economic have received greater focus in most American libraries and archives to say, American-Indian relations or the invasion of England (Panchyk 2008, 34).

On one hand, one might argue that cultural change occur by retrieving and amending old stories in addition to telling new ones. However, the problem is that the contemporary culture has indicated its preference for promoting different ideologies on an incremental basis rather than in a radical fashion. Who Tells Your Story within Hamilton is unquestionably an open-minded work of art that avoids radical elements. Even more, it is an incremental work and this implies that it carries a wealth of historical information concerning past economic and political occurrences. From the musical, any American has the luxury of being entertained and being informed about their heritage simultaneously.

References

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Miranda, L.-M. 2015. Hamilton: An American musical [original Broadway cast recording]. New York, NY: Atlantic Records.

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Panchyk, R. (2008). The keys to American history: Understanding our most important historic documents. Chicago, Ill: Chicago Review Press.

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