Masculine: adj. and n., 4a. Designating an object deemed to be of the male sex. 5b. Of a material thing or physical quality: powerful in action, strong. Obsolete.
-Oxford English Dictionary
While feminism is widely discussed, themes of masculinity, or the lack of, gets tucked away under the numerous other themes. Hamilton: The Revolution addresses this new sense of gender archetypes. The main character in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical, Alexander Hamilton, possesses many of the typical male archetype qualities including, but not limited to, apathy, boldness, bravery, and self-confidence. However, during Miranda’s musical phenomenon, Hamilton breaks the mold many times. Although the songs, tones, and connections were clear between Hamilton’s character and male stereotypes, Miranda’s Alexander Hamilton redefines masculinity in Hamilton: The Revolution.
One of the traditional norms of masculinity, as described by Ronald Levant, is restrictive emotionality (Levant 766). In Hamilton, there are only a few scenes in which Hamilton shows extreme vulnerability. During “Dear Theodosia,” Hamilton and Burr’s duet taps into the sensitivity of new fathers. Levant claims that men perform the same social roles in almost all cultures: procreation, provision, and protection (768). Typically, men take a great pride in the fact that they are new fathers. They work hard outside the home to provide for their families while at the same time ensuring that they are safe at all times. Their progeny give Hamilton and Burr an immense amount of gratification as Hamilton says “look at my son. / Pride is not the word I’m looking for. / There is so much more inside me now” (Miranda and McCarter 128). They are both used to being tough men, but these new babies are bringing out a new sensitive side. Hamilton serenades his son by singing “when you smile, I fall apart” (129). The character Hamilton proves, contrary to stereotypes, something as simple as a smile can change a tough man and deter him from his masculine roles.
Before he was so concerned for his baby’s well-being, Miranda’s Hamilton sings while drinking alcohol in multiple scenes. “The Story of Tonight,” and the reprise, are songs dominated by the presence of alcohol. Throughout the reprise especially, quotes including “let’s have another round tonight” and “raise a glass” are used among Hamilton, Mulligan, Laurens, and Lafayette as they gather to reminisce about their times together before Hamilton marries (86). The colonial men’s drunken words and stage direction to “razz” Hamilton suggest that marriage is seen as a point of weakness.
Andrew Kersten, the author of “Men in the United States: Modern World,” claims that in the 19th century, a successful man was a sober man, but Hamilton acts otherwise (Kersten). By joining the gathering that commences later in his wedding night, Hamilton validates that he cannot overcome at least one imperfection in traditional masculinity – sobriety. The rendezvous with his friends takes Hamilton away from his duties of being a newly married man and brings him back to his earlier, care-free times. During their intoxication, Laurens calls Hamilton as a “tomcat” suggesting that he was promiscuous in his earlier days. They “raise a glass to freedom / Something [Hamilton] will never see again” alluding to the idea that being married is consequential and that Hamilton has given up all of his rights to Eliza meaning he will not get to make his own decisions and do the things that he would normally do alone (Miranda and McCarter 86). However, Mulligan toasts to his friend as “newly not poor,” admitting the advantage that Hamilton has after tying the knot with Eliza (ibid). Even though he married one of the wealthy Schuyler sisters, he uses alcohol as an escape from his new life as a provider.
Despite having a successful marriage, family, and career, Hamilton’s major downfall came from his affair with Maria Reynolds, becoming America’s first sex scandal. In “Men in the United States: Modern World,” historian Andrew Kersten explains that men during the Victorian era were taught that self-control was to be shown through the absence of sex and alcohol (Kersten). Even when happily married, Hamilton is not able “to say no to [sex]” when approached by Mrs. Reynolds (Miranda and McCarter 176). Miranda demonstrates Hamilton’s weakness in a wavering tone singing “I began to pray: / Lord, show me how to / Say no to this / I don’t know how to / Say no to this” (ibid). If, as Kersten’s claims, the key to masculinity is to control the male sex drive, Hamilton proves himself incompetent (Kersten). At the end of the song, where he succumbs to infidelity with Mrs. Reynolds and blackmail by Mr. Reynolds, Hamilton decides that “nobody needs to know” about the affair (Miranda and McCarter 179). The strong and conclusive tone in his last line depicts that he is no longer questioning his decision engage in an affair. Hamilton is not able to regain his self-control as the scandalous actions continue and he, subsequently, does not stop until he is caught via the suspicion behind the monetary accounts and has no choice but to confess in an attempt to regain control and his masculinity. His defeat is difficult to admit, especially since Hamilton thinks of himself as a leader and role model.
Alexander Hamilton wants to be the hero of his own story, but despite his own desires, he becomes the antagonist. As information about his affair and the check misconception are confessed, Hamilton believes that he can write about the situation and it will all be fixed. All he has done to make light of circumstances in the past is to “[write his] way out,” and in return, he has gained acknowledgement, love, and confidence in himself, much like a hero would (232).
I wrote my way to revolution. / I was louder than the crack in the bell. / I wrote Eliza love letters until she fell. / I wrote about the Constitution and defended it well. / And in the face of ignorance of resistance, / I wrote financial systems into existence. / And when my prayers to God were met with indifference, / I picked up a pen, I wrote my own deliverance. (ibid)
As expressed with power, determination, and certainty in “Hurricane,” Alexander is aware of his proficient skills with writing, and so believes that he can simply write a confession to be redeemed of his wrongdoing. However, his mistake is too great to bypass any repercussions. He tries to justify that because he was “honest with [the] money,” his immoral mistake with Maria will go unnoticed (236). It becomes clear he is unable to think in such a way when chorus members ask on stage “did you ever see somebody ruin their own life?” proving that Hamilton lost his internal battle for the affair to remain inconspicuous (237). Sophon Shadraconis, a teaching fellow at the Drucker School of Management, speaks of a hero as someone that navigates through change and confusion and brings order to chaos (Shadraconis 3). While the chaos of speculated illegal transactions is resolved, the chaos between Hamilton and Eliza will not cease until after the death of their son.
During “It’s Quiet Uptown,” Eliza and Hamilton are hit with the reality that their son, Philip, has died and they are having to find a new way to live without him. This is the point where Hamilton breaks. Previously, he reacted to the news about Lauren’s death in an expected masculine way at the end of “Tomorrow There’ll Be More of Us.” He did not answer to Eliza’s question about if he was okay, he filled his mind with other things by saying “I have so much work to do,” and he ultimately ignores his emotions by trying to not act affected by the loss of his friend (Miranda and McCarter 131). Yet this time, the death is more than just a friend, it is his son. He is overwhelmed with grief and regret, but also with the comfort that Eliza offers. He was proud of Philip for solving his quarrel with George Eacker “like a man” (246). Alexander taught his son the masculine way to honorably settle a duel and hoped that Eacker knew the same, because if Eacker is “truly a man of honor,” he will fire into the air, similarly of Philip (ibid). Miranda enforces that Hamilton feels a great deal of regret as he dismally sings, “if I could spare his life / If I could trade his life for mine, / He’d be standing here right now” (253). Hamilton wishes that he could have taken Philip’s place in the duel, but if he would have substituted himself, he would be denying Philip’s test of masculinity. As the tribute comes to an end and Eliza takes her husband’s hand, the dynamic stage directions confirm that “Hamilton shatters” (254). This small act is powerful in the sense that he completely departed from the male archetype of never showing weakness and does not want the same for the next generation. In this way Miranda is hinting at the change in “masculine roles” from the Colonial era to the modern era.
Alexander Hamilton obtains many traits that emerge with different situations and in the presence of various people. According to Sophon Shadraconis’s article “Leaders and Heroes: Modern Day Archetypes,” there is a self-discrepancy theory that claims there are three versions of the self: “the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self” (Shadraconis 5). Hamilton believes that he is a strong man that is aware of everything he is doing, his “actual self” (6). However, during Hamilton’s small part in the song “That Would Be Enough,” as he and his wife discuss their soon-to-be new life with a baby, his only concern is that he will be “unable to provide for [his wife Eliza’s] life” (Manual-Miranda and Carter 110). He is quite anxious and later shows that he is worried about not being “enough” for his growing family (ibid). To try to resolve this, his ideal self realizes that he needs to be more of a provider for his pregnant wife and their baby (Shadraconis 6).
Hamilton’s ought self, as suggested by a sociological aspect of masculinity, should be a man that is able to be present in their child’s life, unlike the majority of fathers at that time who were only concerned with financially providing for the family. Eliza sings “Just stay alive, that would be enough,” asking Hamilton to be careful in his line of work, because all she wants is for him to be an active father in their child’s life (Miranda and McCarter 110). In this way, Miranda is suggesting that the change in masculinity is caused by the feminine, perhaps a comment on feminism’s role in shifting the new sense of masculinity. She and her child cause Hamilton to venture out of the traditional masculine framework, reshaping his masculinity.
In Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton: The Revolution, Hamilton’s actions define a new masculinity suggesting that there is a new expectation of the male archetype. Miranda’s Hamilton possesses many of the typical male qualities but breaks the stereotype in many situations throughout the musical, he expresses severe emotions and several times demonstrates a lack of control. Lin-Manuel Miranda reshapes the face of masculinity by using an 18th century man in a 21st century context. Throughout the musical, his Hamilton reveals more about a dynamic man with every song he sings, relationship he has, and trial he faces.
Works Cited
Kersten, Andrew. “Men in the United States: Modern World.” Daily Life through History, ABC-CLIO, 2017, dailylife2.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1427313. Accessed 16 Oct. 2017.
Levant, Ronald F. “Research in the Psychology of Men and Masculinity Using the Gender Role Strain Paradigm as a Framework.” American Psychologist, Nov. 2011. PsychNET, psycnet.apa.org. Accessed 17 Oct. 2017.
“Masculine.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, www.oed.com. Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
Miranda, Lin-Manuel. Hamilton: An American Musical. Original Broadway Cast Recording, Avatar Studios, 2016, iTunes.com.
Miranda, Lin-Manuel and Jeremy McCarter. Hamilton: The Revolution. Grand Central Publishing, 2016.
Shadraconis, Sophon. “Leaders and Heroes: Modern Day Archetypes.” LUX: A Journal of Transdisciplinary Writing and Research from Claremont Graduate University, vol. 3, no. 1, 2013, pp. 1–13. doi:10.5642/lux.201303.15. Accessed 16 Oct. 2017.