One of the major recurring themes throughout Hamilton is the discussion of legacy. Almost everyone is concerned with their legacy in one way or another, and major decisions made by characters are informed largely by this notion. Why has Miranda chosen legacy as such a prominent motif in his show? There could be a number of explanations.
For one thing, it makes sense for these characters as we know them. Hamilton has fought hard to get to the status he achieved, and he doesn't want that to go to waste; he wants his legacy to be a good one. Aaron Burr, over the years that we watch him, has fought time and time again to be in "the room where it happens;" and when he campaigns for President and finally becomes Vice President, he believes he has cemented his legacy, but he tarnishes it by killing Hamilton- the only thing he was ever really known for. George Washington enlists Hamilton to help him with his Farewell Address, making sure that his legacy as President was not of one who left to soon for no good reason.
And this seems like a fairly reasonable explanation, if not for the numerous other times in the show legacy was mentioned by or about other characters whose arcs were not resolved in a similar manor. In "The Room Where it Happens," Burr and Hamilton discuss the legacy of General Hugh Mercer. Eliza opines on the necessity of a legacy in her solo number "Burn." So what does this mean for the show?
Personally, I think it serves as meta-commentary. The legacy of these figures is all that we have over 200 years later, and anything we know about them is informed by their legacy. Aaron Burr's character arc ultimately culminates in his killing of Hamilton, even though he lived a life of his own. Granted, we do see it, just as we see more of Washington, Eliza, Hamilton, and all the others, than just the denouement of their respective life's stories- but this is what informs it. This is true for and any all biographies, fictionalized or real, for anyone throughout history. Anyone's story will be different if you're telling it after they have died, and since everyone in Hamilton is long gone, their legacies are all we really have.
This is some really interesting commentary. I especially like what you said about Burr's motivation being a need for a positive legacy. I was intrigued by the question you posed: Why did Miranda chose legacy? To me, it seems that he chose this because it’s something the Hamilton lacks. While Burr is known, albeit negatively, as the guy who killed Hamilton, Hamilton is just the guy we’re taking off the $10 bill. I think Miranda focusses on the idea of a legacy so much because his goal in writing the musical is to create one.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Anna. Miranda wanted to create something about Hamilton. He is widely forgotten and unmemorable even when he did so much and was such an interesting person. Being able to create something that would stick is important. Like you said, once people die all that is left is their legacy. Legacies get remembered and without them there wouldn't be much history.
ReplyDeleteI see what you are saying about the meta-commentary about legacies. To be honest I learned a lot of interesting historical facts from this musical that are never included in the history books for the fact that they negatively impact the legacy of our founding fathers.
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