Hamilton’s women

Abstract

Abstract This article explores the female characters in Hamilton and argues that the musical puts women on the sidelines and relegates them to the most obvious and time-worn stereotypes of wife, muse and whore. Hamilton’s cleverness, its engaging music and vibrant energy, and its occasional nod to the societal constraints experienced by women seduce spectators into looking away from the musical’s own demeaning representation of women. This article analyses the characters of Eliza, Angelica and Maria through their musical numbers and choreography and their function in the story. It tracks each woman’s journey through the narrative and her relationship to Hamilton and her purpose in his life. In the end, I argue that Eliza’s being given the last word in the musical, with the actor who plays her standing centre stage, does not compensate for her limited and stereotypical role through the show.

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