Why I didn't like Hamilton

I really liked Hamilton. I was already aware of the problematic nature of historical figures in general. Many of them had slaves and slavery itself was a little complicated because some people owned slaves in order to free them or owned slaves legally speaking but treated them like employees and not cattle. It's hard to always know which is is which without hearing from their slaves themselves.

https://www.history.com/news/alexander-hamilton-slavery-facts

Apparently Hamilton's mother owned 5 slaves that she hired out. When something is that embedded into the current culture it is nearly impossible not to touch it in some way. But I believe that he didn't have the same views of slaves that others had and so even if he needed them at some point or profited from a compromise I think it wasn't the typical form that slavery took in the US. We also have to keep in mind that different forms of slavery existed outside America but the biggest form of it was indentured service based on debt. You could also be a slave if your nation or tribe was defeated. But that didn't mean you were treated like an animal. This is what marked the American slavery so differently and why the people selling slaves had no idea what they were becoming party to.

But I do appreciate the desire to hold Hamilton and others accountable for whatever part they did play. I seriously do. Whatever the reason is.

I also, took from Hamilton, the style they used to tell the story was largely basically that of hip hop. This is important in the sense that when you turn these historic characters into rappers... like rappers tend to take artistic license on their own life. How can I put this?

They lie.

Or... rather, they tell a story that may or may not be true about themselves that MIGHT be based on a true story but is made to impress people, and made to paint them into this picture like they were a star. They basically try to create their own legends and the more people buy into it the more legendary they become. This is the art style of Hamilton and therefore one should expect the play to feature a star whose telling of the story makes him appear legendary. This is why the play talks about who tells your story.

This idea of "his-story" is important because the telling of history, even the history told in schools, is often colored to make historical figures seem more heroic and hides things that take away from the "positive" flavor of "American History". By editing the story we don't change history but we can change the memory of it. Black people have to learn history outside of public education and share stories in the black community that public schools simply doesn't teach. Things are left out on purpose in order to guide the reader's impression about the person because the focus is on their contribution to how "great" America is.

Likewise, I think Hamilton's story is told in such a way that the story isn't simply about Hamilton but about the building of a great nation. Not everything was great though but that's why history (or rather the telling of it) is often edited.

I appreciate you sharing those insights! I originally watched Hamilton because many of my friends, especially young POC, shared what it meant to them to have a story like this. I'm glad I did, because I enjoyed every minute and learned I enjoy this style of storytelling. I wasn't expecting a history lesson or historical accuracy, as that seemed besides the point, but it makes it even better to find some of it is likely a stylistic choice.

On a related note, the characters are inspiring, and I find myself quoting it on occassion. King George is a favorite way to make fun of things in our home, and we put on his songs when we feel a need to deride something. I also like deriding Aaron Burr, but I've been told that's because I've got a mouth and I like to argue. lol (I want to clarify I have no knowlege of the historical figure beyond his duel with Hamilton and only have beef with his character in the story.)

I don't watch musicals for historical accuracy, I watch them to tell a story using dance and song. I don't bother breaking them down into why I did or did not like them: I either did or didn't.

In Hamilton's case, I enjoyed it. In defense of Rex, perhaps my ignorance is allowing me bliss.