Alexander Hamilton Background

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” derives its success in the musical industry not only for its entertainment, but also for accurately translating the history of Alexander Hamilton into a modern art that is relatable and cognizable for a new generation of learners. Though critics of the performance argue that too much focus is given to the personal elements of Hamilton’s life and tenure as a Founding Father, these elements are what make Hamilton a unique historical figure. If no attention was paid to his egotism and ambition, to his love affairs, or to his ongoing conflict with Aaron Burr, the substance of Hamilton’s life would be absent. Historically accurate and modern are not mutually exclusive terms. Admittedly, portraying the life of Alexander Hamilton through hip-hop complicates one’s understanding the musical as a piece of history. However, many of the main ideas present in “Hamilton” (i.e. proving oneself as a successful immigrant, having a complicated romantic life, and sustaining career-long drama) were factual aspects of Hamilton’s life. He was a teenaged-orphan with serious drive. He was a man with emotions toward women. He was a dramatic politician. How is it, then, that the musical is criticized for broadcasting Hamilton’s life as being comprised of these things? If …show more content…
The figures of the late eighteenth-century may not have spoken with the same words, but this translation offers the new generation an identifiable form of Alexander Hamilton’s life. Historians and skeptics may be split as to whether Lin-Manuel Miranda’s work should be considered “history” or “truth” due to his contemporary adaptation, but the intricate details of Hamilton’s life shape his personality and his career. These critics must distinguish between the artwork and the facts and realize that they are not one and the