gender roles in hamilton

anonymous

In the introduction to omas C. Foster’s book Twenty-Five Books that Shaped America, he discusses “the idea of change as something that helps develop the national character, that de nes but also in some way directs who, and possibly more importantly, what we are... which is to say, the myth of America.” e myth of America he describes as “everything we think about ourselves, our history, our capabilities, our values, our interests, our most basic principles” (Foster xiv). One of the main topics of this myth is gender roles, speci cally for women. In Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton: An American Musical, Miranda challenges the “myth of America” described by Foster, especially in the ways he portrays women, putting them “back in the narrative” (Hamilton). Miranda challenges omas C. Foster’s “myth of America” by breaking gender norms and stereotypes for women by showing their major impact in the story of Hamilton. Lin Manuel Miranda tells Eliza Schuyler’s narrative in the play Hamilton to publicize her story and the impacts she had on ful lling Hamilton’s legacy and making progressive and political change. Miranda broke certain gender stereotypes, one being the assumption that women were unintelligent. e Schuyler sisters were born into a rich family and therefore were some of the few women that got an education during this time. In the song, e Schuyler Sisters, the sisters introduce themselves to the audience as smart, funny, and ambitious young women. In this song, Angelica says the iconic line, “And when I meet omas Je erson. I’ma compel him to include women in the sequel. Work!” (Hamilton). is line shows that the sisters are willing to work to advocate for women’s rights and equality. is line is one of the most famous in the entire play, as Hamilton fans appreciate all it stands for. Angelica was especially smart and would write many letters to Hamilton throughout the play discussing life and politics. ese sisters,

throughout the musical, show the role of women in the Revolutionary war and the founding of America. Eliza, Hamilton’s wife, is the main representation of women and their roles in this play. Her most iconic quote, “Let me be part of the narrative” (Hamilton), is repeated several times throughout the play. is quote is Eliza saying she wants to be part of the story, and for her part in it to be heard throughout history, just like Hamilton’s is. Her story needs to be shared and Miranda’s play was the rst time this really happened. e common place of women in this time was behind their husband; they did not have many rights and their roles were in the home. Hamilton does a great job of showing all the amazing impacts women still were able to have on the foundation of America even with their limited rights and opportunities. In the rst half of the play, Eliza marries Hamilton a er her sister Angelica realizes that she herself cannot because she must marry rich to continue the family line. Back in this period, women, especially the eldest daughter, were supposed to marry rich, as they could not provide for themselves with these limitations on their rights and education. e iconic song, Burn, is Eliza’s reaction to her husband cheating. Eliza, the most supportive wife ever, who always trusted and loved Hamilton through it all, got cheated on multiple times. Hamilton only admitted it when rumors started circulating that he was mismanaging government money when really he was paying o the woman he was cheating with’s husband. “How you brought this girl into our bed, in clearing your name you have ruined our lives” (Hamilton). Obviously, Eliza was heartbroken. Back in this time, divorces were not really something women could do, and now Hamilton had told the entire country about his a air. ere was no end to the sadness and embarrassment she felt when all she had done was supported Hamilton. During the song, Burn, she burns all the love letters Hamilton ever sent to her. roughout the play she repeatedly says “Helpless” (Hamilton). First, she used this term to describe how she was helplessly in love with Hamilton, but this changes to how she is now helpless because Hamilton has hurt her so badly, and she does not know what to do; she is trapped. is is part of being a “good housewife” and staying loyal and loving to Hamilton, but Eliza

Eliza has full right to be angry with him. A er Hamilton’s death, Eliza continues his legacy. Eliza in the song Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story, is telling about how she continued Hamilton’s mission while creating her own narrative. “I interview every soldier who fought by your side… I try to make sense of your thousands of pages of writings… I raise funds in D.C. for the Washington Monument… I speak out against slavery” (Hamilton). All of these were things Hamilton would have done if he had more time alive, but Eliza does them, to tell his story and continue his legacy. A woman promoting all this political change was a rare thing in this period. Her favorite thing she did was that she “established the rst private orphanage in New York City” (Hamilton) because Hamilton was an orphan and she wanted to help people like him. She did so much work to continue Hamilton’s legacy and do what’s right. “I put myself back in the narrative” (Hamilton). She has changed from asking if she can be in the beginning to just doing it herself, putting herself back in, Miranda makes sure this legacy of hers is heard. e narrative of Eliza Schuyler told by Miranda in the play Hamilton publicizes her story and shows the impacts she had on continuing Hamilton’s legacy and making progressive and political change. Eliza looking up at the end of the play is a dramatic and heartfelt ending to Hamilton. ere has never been a precise or direct interpretation of what this means, but the common idea is that it is Miranda showing Eliza the play, the audience, and that her narrative is being heard by all these people. She gasps in shock and overwhelming happiness, her story is being told, nally.

WORKS CITED Miranda, Lin Manuel. Hamilton: An American Musical. Atlantic Records, 2015, MP3.