Palaces Out Of Paragraphs

English 1102: Hamilton and Writing

Reflecting on My Adaptation

by

By: Arfa Ul-Haque

For my Remix and Adaptation Project, I made a painting paralleling the musicals Hamilton and The Greatest Showman. When I began this project, I hoped to make its purpose clear to everyone, even those unfamiliar with the musicals. But as I worked on the project, I realized that it would be difficult for everyone to understand the symbolism and themes of the musicals. Consequently, my intended audience changed as I became closer to finishing the project.

I came across a few challenges while working on this project. I was conflicted on making decisions for a few parts on the project and asked my peer reviewer about his opinion, so that I could more clearly convey the similarities between the two musicals. My peer reviewer provided me with great feedback but did not respond to my questions, so I chose what I believed was best.

Another challenge I faced was that I drew my sketch on a rough sheet of paper, before deciding to create the final project on a vinyl record. I chose to make my final painting on a vinyl since both Hamilton and The Greatest Showman are musicals and vinyl records store music. In choosing to paint my project on a different sheet than my draft, I had to redraw my sketch onto the vinyl and then paint over it. Therefore, I indirectly made the project take much longer than I anticipated.

I appreciated the feedback my peer reviewer gave me and took it into consideration when creating my final piece. My peer reviewer suggested adding more detail to my final project by having an object on The Greatest Showman side to reflect the gun on the Hamilton side. Initially, I had the gun on the Hamilton side to represent one of the main songs, “My Shot”, and was planning to the reflect it on The Greatest Showman side by drawing clouds to represent one of the main songs, “A Million Dreams”. However, after the workshop, I realized that the connection would be hard to see by the audience and it would make more sense for me to compliment the gun with a baton on The Greatest Showman side, as P. T. Barnum (the protagonist of The Greatest Showman) was a ringmaster. I also painted both halves of the vinyl different colors in order to highlight the differences between the musicals, as suggested by my peer reviewer.

The only piece of feedback that I did not agree with was adding more characters from each musical to my painting. In my opinion, adding more characters would take away from the main focus of the painting and from the main characters. I want to draw attention to the protagonists, their wives, and their lovers when people see the painting rather than introducing other characters in order to highlight those relationships.

Overall, I enjoyed working on this project and analyzing two of my favorite musicals. It made me feel more confident in my artistic skills and allowed me to be creative.

Burning Hamilton

by

By: Arfa Ul-Haque

Since its release in 2015, Hamilton has had many remixes and adaptations, especially through the Hamilton Mixtape and Hamildrops which present another side of the characters and transform iconic lines from the musical into their own songs. One of the biggest effects of these remixes is to make the messages of the songs more relatable and to generalize them to contexts outside of the musical. Another purpose of these adaptations is to offer a new perspective on a character and illustrate how replacing one song in the musical could have changed a character’s role in the story, as seen in “First Burn”.

“First Burn” is a song told from the point of view of Eliza Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton’s wife, as a reaction to the recount of his affair in the Reynolds Pamphlet, in lieu of “Burn” from the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hamilton.

The song begins with same lyrics and melody as “Burn” before transitioning to an aggressive tone once Eliza commands Hamilton not to “take a step in [her] direction”. Instead of removing herself from his narrative, she forces him out of hers. Just by this line, it’s clear that this version of Eliza is angrier than the version of Eliza in “Burn”, where she is heartbroken and uses that pain to destroy Hamilton’s legacy of writing.

One of the main differences between “Burn” and “First Burn” is Angelica’s role in the relationship between Eliza and Hamilton. Angelica’s characterization with the final version of “Burn”, as well as her role in Eliza meeting Hamilton and supporting her sister after the affair, builds the relationship between the sisters. If the original version had been placed in the musical instead, their relationship would be damaged as Eliza calls out Hamilton for shamelessly flirting with other women: “I see how you look at my sister”. Therefore, the final version maintained a consistent portrayal of Eliza.

Although the Eliza we see in “First Burn” is more reactionary than the one in “Burn”, Eliza’s response in the final version of the song is more powerful. In destroying Hamilton’s letters, Eliza takes power over Hamilton and controls his legacy rather than admonishing him for his infidelity. In attacking Hamilton for his “senseless” and “paranoid” writing rather than for his impulsiveness and selfishness, she makes him feel the same amount of pain she felt due to his unfaithfulness.

For my Remix and Adaptation Project, I will try to make sure that I portray the characters in a consistent characterization. I will also work on making the purpose of my adaptation understandable to a general audience, even those unfamiliar with Hamilton.

This is the Greatest Show – Remix & Adaptation Proposal

by

By: Arfa Ul-Haque

For my Remix and Adaptation Project, I will be highlighting the similarities between “Hamilton: An American Musical” and “The Greatest Showman”. For my Historical Annotation Project, I analyzed the Reynolds Pamphlet which detailed Hamilton’s relationship with Maria Reynolds, his mistress. With this project, I am excited to depict Hamilton’s domestic relationships in another way. By looking at the overall musicals and their symbols, I will compare “Hamilton” to the musical “The Greatest Showman”.

I came up with the idea while watching “The Greatest Showman” as I realized that many of the key features of the plots of both musicals are similar. Both men start out in destitute conditions and have their family members die off at a young age. They have a constant yearning for being as successful and renowned as possible: Alexander Hamilton wants to be a leader in shaping the new government of the United States, while P. T. Barnum dreams of becoming an acclaimed showman. They spend their lives writing letters to their significant others. Additionally, their wives each have ballads asking their husband to be satisfied with what they have. Both men require the love of the public to feel validated and lose that love as a scandalous affair is brought to light.

To complete this project, I will be completing an artistic rendering of comparisons between the two musicals. The skills I need are artistic skills and analytical skills in order to parallel the symbols of both musicals into my drawing.

One of the challenges I anticipate facing is being able to portray the comparison between the two musicals in a way that will make sense to those who haven’t seen one or both of the musicals. In paralleling the musicals, I hope to clarify their similarities and contrast their differences. Another challenge I believe I will face is focusing too much on the details rather than the bigger picture, which will cause me to spend more time and energy on the project than is needed.

I hope to bring a new perspective in comparing the two musicals to one another. I want to highlight the similarities in the fact that focusing more on their careers than their families led to each man’s downfall. One of the aspects of both musicals that strikes me as interesting is that both musicals tell true stories of each respective individual. Therefore, the lessons learned from the musicals should be taken to heart as they represent reality.

Blog Entry 4: The Power of Writing Style

by

By: Arfa Ul-Haque

My ideal writing process for assignments like our Historical Annotation Project is to research a topic, categorize the research into subsections, use the subsections to make an outline, and then write. When I am writing about a topic, I usually break it down into the aspects I want to discuss in order to get an idea of what I can fit into the writing and what I can’t. Categorizing information into subsections allows my writing to be more organized and gives me a clear idea of what my final piece will look like. Once all of that is complete, I can edit my document and make sure that my writing is in a logical order. My actual writing process pretty consistent with my ideal writing process. However, depending on how long I have to work on the assignment and other tasks that I am managing, I sometimes do not have time to formulate a structured outline. My favorite part of the process is to go through different sources to find as much information as I can on my topic. It is always interesting to find obscure pieces of information, especially when researching a historical person or event.

For freehand writing, I usually write down as much as I want, before cutting out the sections that don’t fit in with that particular piece and saving them to use in a later piece. The environment that I work best in is quiet settings and during the daytime. It makes me feel more focused as there are less distractions around and I have more time to write.

I like working better with multiple short-term deadlines rather than one long-term deadline, as it makes sure that I stay on the right track without making me feel overwhelmed. It also makes me feel more in tune with the project and like I am working out of my own interest rather than just to get things done on time.

What the writing process feels like

To Wait for It or Not To Wait For It

by

By: Arfa Ul-Haque

Our first introduction to Aaron Burr is in the opening song where he is introduced as the narrator of the musical alongside Alexander Hamilton. He opens with the question of how a man with such a destitute origin became one of the most influential men in America’s history. The audience later learns that Burr came from similar origins as well. Both men grew up watching everyone they love around them die, but both men dealt with loss differently. While Hamilton was motivated to work harder and relentlessly to pull himself out of poverty, Burr learns to take things slow and appreciate what is around him. Through these experiences, Burr realizes he must wait for his happiness and success, while Hamilton works non-stop trying to become as successful as he can be.

“Non-Stop” is one of the main songs that depicts the discrepancies between Burr and Hamilton. Burr contradicts every point Hamilton makes in the song by saying that the Constitution is doomed to fail and is unfixable. He doesn’t want to associate himself with the US Constitution. He makes it clear that even if he agrees with a political standpoint, he refuses to publicly support it for fear of disapproval of the public.

Throughout the musical, Burr reiterates his mantra to “wait for it” and maintains his belief that keeping his opinions to himself would boost the public’s approval of him. In the last minute, he makes the decision to reject his motto and decides to follow Hamilton’s footsteps and take his shot. Both men made the mistake of mistakenly assuming what the other man would do. Hamilton, knowing that Burr never took opportunities that came his way, believes that Burr wouldn’t shoot. Burr, knowing that Hamilton was action-oriented and never threw away his shot, believed that Hamilton would shoot. When Burr realized that Hamilton threw away his shot, thereby disavowing his main belief, Burr shouts “Wait!” in an effort to take back his shot. In the end, Hamilton’s final decision that he stands by is throwing away his shot to kill Burr; Burr’s final decision to shoot Hamilton is one that he regrets for the rest of his life. Due to one fatal and uncharacteristic mistake, Burr is forever remembered as the “damn fool” who shot Hamilton.

Burr spent his whole life trying to escape Hamilton’s shadow and create his own legacy, but in the end, he is one left narrating Hamilton’s story. Those who remain neutral and refuse to disclose their opinions on any matter will not be remembered in history. His only legacy is the shot that killed his “first friend, his enemy” Alexander Hamilton.

Through the characterization of these rivals, Lin-Manuel Miranda teaches us that both men’s methods of how to go through life led to their downfall. There needs to be a balance between taking all opportunities that come your way and taking a break or waiting for the outcomes of success.

 

Historical Annotation Project: Reynolds Pamphlet

by

By: Arfa Ul-Haque

Title: Reynolds Pamphlet

Author: Alexander Hamilton

Date of Origin: August 25, 1797

Document originally found at “Founders Online” of the National Archives

Link: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-21-02-0138-0002

I owe perhaps to my friends an apology for condescending to give a public explanation.[1] A just pride with reluctance stoops to a formal vindication against so despicable a contrivance[2] and is inclined rather to oppose to it the uniform evidence of an upright character.[3] This would be my conduct on the present occasion,[4] did not the tale seem to derive a sanction from the names of three men of some weight and consequence in the society:[5] a circumstance, which I trust will excuse me for paying attention to a slander[6] that without this prop, would defeat itself by intrinsic circumstances of absurdity and malice.[7]

The charge against me is a connection with one James Reynolds for purposes of improper pecuniary speculation.[8] My real crime is an amorous connection with his wife, for a considerable time with his privity and connivance,[9] if not originally brought on by a combination between the husband and wife with the design to extort money from me.[10]

This confession is not made without a blush.[11] I cannot be the apologist of any vice because the ardour of passion may have made it mine.[12] I can never cease to condemn myself for the pang, which it may inflict in a bosom eminently intitled to all my gratitude, fidelity and love.[13] But that bosom will approve, that even at so great an expence,[14] I should effectually wipe away a more serious stain from a name, which it cherishes with no less elevation than tenderness.[15] The public too will I trust excuse the confession.[16] The necessity of it to my defence against a more heinous charge could alone have extorted from me so painful an indecorum.[17]

Before I proceed to an exhibition of the positive proof which repels the charge, I shall analize the documents from which it is deduced,[18] and I am mistaken if with discerning and candid minds more would be necessary.[19] But I desire to obviate the suspicions of the most suspicious.[20]

The first reflection which occurs on a perusal of the documents is that it is morally impossible[21] I should have been foolish as well as depraved enough to employ[22] so vile an instrument as Reynolds for such insignificant ends, as are indicated by different parts of the story itself.[23] My enemies to be sure have kindly pourtrayed me as another Chartres on the score of moral principle.[24] But they have been ever bountiful in ascribing to me talents. It has suited their purpose to exaggerate such as I may possess,[25] and to attribute to them an influence to which they are not intitled.[26] But the present accusation imputes to me as much folly as wickedness.[27] All the documents shew, and it is otherwise matter of notoriety, that Reynolds was an obscure, unimportant and profligate man.[28] Nothing could be more weak, because nothing could be more unsafe than to make use of such an instrument;[29] to use him too without any intermediate agent more worthy of confidence who might keep me out of sight,[30] to write him numerous letters recording the objects of the improper connection (for this is pretended and that the letters were afterwards burnt at my request) to unbosom myself to him with a prodigality of confidence,[31] by very unnecessarily telling him, as he alleges, of a connection in speculation between myself and Mr. Duer.[32] It is very extraordinary, if the head of the money department of a country, being unprincipled enough to sacrifice his trust and his integrity,[33] could not have contrived objects of profit sufficiently large to have engaged the co-operation of men of far greater importance than Reynolds, and with whom there could have been due safety,[34] and should have been driven to the necessity of unkennelling such a reptile to be the instrument of his cupidity.[35]

But, moreover, the scale of the concern with Reynolds, such as it is presented, is contemptibly narrow for a rapacious speculating secretary of the treasury.[36] Clingman, Reynolds and his wife were manifestly in very close confidence with each other.[37] It seems there was a free communication of secrets.[38] Yet in clubbing their different items of information as to the supplies of money which Reynolds received from me, what do they amount to?[39] Clingman states, that Mrs. Reynolds told him, that at a certain time her husband had received from me upwards of eleven hundred dollars.[40] A note is produced which shews that at one time fifty dollars were sent to him,[41] and another note is produced, by which and the information of Reynolds himself through Clingman,[42] it appears that at another time 300 dollars were asked and refused.[43] Another sum of 200 dollars is spoken of by Clingman as having been furnished to Reynolds at some other time.[44] What a scale of speculation is this for the head of a public treasury, for one who in the very publication that brings forward the charge[45] is represented as having procured to be funded at forty millions a debt which ought to have been discharged at ten or fifteen millions for the criminal purpose of enriching himself and his friends?[46]

[Read more…]

How Hamilton Took Control of the Narrative

by

By: Arfa Ul-Haque

The historical document I chose to examine is “Observations on Certain Documents Contained in No. V & VI of “The History of the United States for the Year 1796,” In which the Charge of Speculation Against Alexander Hamilton, Late Secretary of the Treasury, is Fully Refuted” or more commonly known as “The Reynolds Pamphlet”. It was written by Alexander Hamilton in 1797 and it was publicly published as a pamphlet. The title of the document demonstrates Hamilton’s flair for excessive writing. The “Reynolds Pamphlet” embodies his tendency to write more than is needed and illustrates the fact that while his writing propelled his success, it also brought about his downfall.

The Reynolds Pamphlet is important because it represents the catalyst that radically changed Hamilton’s career. It tarnished his reputation and changed many of his relationships.

It also represents the idea that history is told by those with the power to tell it. As a woman, Maria Reynolds could not tell her side of the story. Since Hamilton was the only one with power, he may have changed the narrative to get the support of people.

Before I had picked a document, I researched a few of the other options, but what drew me to the Reynolds Pamphlet is the fact that so much of the story is untold and the story changes completely based on which perspective you look at. Hamilton: An American Musical presents the affair as the fault of both parties almost equally. While it does present Maria Reynolds as the one who initiated the relationship, it also shows Alexander Hamilton as much at fault. It was interesting to learn that most historians view the affair as a setup to extort money from Hamilton through blackmail, while in the musical it is portrayed as an affair driven by lust rather than money.

The research this document entails includes historical backgrounds on Hamilton and Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds. It also includes the letters sent between all three parties in order to understand the full picture. I started my research by obtaining as many books as I could on Hamilton and seeing if there were mentions of “The Reynolds Pamphlet” in them. One of the challenges I faced was that most of the information on Hamilton focuses on the success of his political career rather than his domestic affairs, and the books that I found that do focus on his domestic affairs have all been fiction. Since most of the books only skimmed over the affair, they all provided about the same information. I will try to find resources that focused completely on the pamphlet as they would provide more insight.

Another challenge that I faced is that all the historians in the books I’ve read have chosen a stance on the affair rather than presenting the facts, which makes it difficult to distinguish between what is true and what isn’t. By learning as much as I can on the document, I hope to overcome these challenges.

Blog Entry 1: The Man is Non-Stop with Repetition

by

By: Arfa Ul-Haque

Repetition is of the main techniques used by Lin-Manuel Miranda to convey themes of ambition and determination as well as to illustrate varying perspectives of the definition of success in Act I of Hamilton. It adds to the characterization of important figures in Hamilton’s life, such as his wife Eliza Schuyler and his rival Aaron Burr.

Throughout Act 1, Eliza repeats how much she wishes Hamilton could be satisfied with all he has and that she “could be enough” for him. She urges him to slow down and take in what’s around him rather than writing like he’s “running out of time.” His ambitious drive to write makes him lose sight of his family; he cares more about climbing upward and making his name in history than his home. The line “Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now” is sung by Eliza in “That Would Be Enough” to try to convince Hamilton to value the people around him. In “Non-Stop”, Hamilton repeats the line to Eliza to make her see how much needs to be done for the country coming out of a revolution and how many opportunities Hamilton is given to seize the moment.

Aaron Burr also has a major phrase repeated throughout the first act: “Talk less, smile more.” This line drives a strong contrast between the ideas of Burr and Hamilton.

Hamilton would much rather write as much as he can and face the consequences of his actions head on. He is temperamental and feels the need to argue against every opinion he disagrees with. On the other hand, Burr prefers to lay low and refuses to lend his voice in most matters. In “Wait for It”, the phrase “wait for it” is repeated by Burr himself and in the background of the song, like a consistent drumming in Burr’s mind that keeps him restrained.

“Non-Stop” contains the repetition of many phrases by each character. Burr sings “Why do you write like you’re running out of time”, comparing Hamilton’s approach to success with Burr’s mantra of waiting for it. Eliza and Angelica beg Hamilton to appreciate how much he’s accomplished and those around him by saying “Isn’t this enough?” and “He will never be satisfied”.  She sings “Stay alive. That would be enough” allowing the audience to realize that for Eliza, Hamilton is enough for her and that he doesn’t need to prove anything to her. The heartbreak in the sentiment represents that fact she wishes she was enough for Hamilton.

By layering all these repetitive lines on top of one another in the background of Hamilton repeating “I am not throwing away my shot”, Miranda illustrates Hamilton’s refusal to pay attention to those around him say, which ultimately proves to be his fatal flaw. His determination to constantly write distances him from his family and further creates the contrast between him and his rival Burr.

Introduction: Arfa Ul-Haque

by

Hello everyone! My name is Arfa Ul-Haque and I am a biochemistry major on a pre-health track. I hope to graduate in May 2021. I am part of the in-person section of the English 1102 course and am also taking Physics 2 on campus. This course is the first English class that I am taking at Tech. My favorite literature class that I have taken so far is AP Literature. I had a really great teacher who helped me improve my writing and taught me how to analyze of a variety of genres of literature. I especially liked our examination of poetry and the in-depth analysis of the books we read, like The Invisible Man and The Handmaid’s Tale.

The parts of communication that I enjoy are visual and written. As a commuter, I spend a lot of time reading so I love the written aspect of communication and exploring how various authors write differently based on the genre they are writing and the tone they are trying to convey. I also like the visual aspect because I learn best through visual demonstrations. The communication aspect that I struggle most with is oral communication, as I get anxious when speaking in front of large groups of people. I hope to improve my written and oral communication to become more efficient at writing and more confident in public speaking.

I first heard Hamilton a few months after it initially was released in 2015, so I’m pretty familiar with the musical. Once I was introduced to it, I was immediately captured by the lyrical genius that is Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Image result for lin manuel miranda gif

I love how he incorporated so many different elements of hip hop into the musical and the overall historical accuracy he maintained while writing the script. After listening to Hamilton, I became familiar with other musicals made by Lin-Manuel Miranda, including In the Heights and the mini-musical 21 Chump Street. Since then, I’ve become a fan of many other musicals including Dear Evan Hansen, Into the Woods, and Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.

Overall, I’m excited for this course and to learn more about Hamilton!

By: Arfa Ul-Haque