I love the music, and I’m happy that such a geek-oriented show became a smash. You probably know I love musicals, and would be happy to have the world turn into one big romantic comedy with musical. There’s so much to like about “Hamilton” if you don’t take it as a history lesson.
But I just want to say this: Alexander Hamilton was kind of a dick. Some of the good ideas attributed to him in the musical (like support for women’s rights) were actually lifted from … Aaron Burr.
Many years ago, when I was on a guided tour of Independence Hall, the park ranger said a couple of things that led me to believe he was a wingnut. Someone then asked him who he thought was the greatest of the Founders. He replied, “Alexander Hamilton.” There was something about the way he said it that made me take note.
As it turns out, Alexander Hamilton, however admirable his rise from the bottom, and however many important institutions he established, was a lot like Dick Cheney: paranoid, with a hair trigger when it came to war. He also tried to egg George Washington to lead a military coup against Congress.
So he was, as women in love like to say, complicated. It doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the play, but if you want more history, you’ll have to do a little digging.
