Program Overview

Course Description

The ENGL 698 "Capstone: Hamilton" course examines the award-winning musical as art and popular culture. The investigation begins with Ron Chernow's biography and selected writings by Alexander Hamilton, which Lin-Manuel Miranda used as the basis for the musical, as well as with theories of adaptation. The course considers the literary art and popular culture that Miranda has identified as important to him as an artist, including the formal conventions of the musical genre, works by Stephen Sondheim, rap and hip-hop music, and other aspects of 20th and 21st-century popular culture.

Course Objectives

The course objectives parallel the program outcomes for English and include:

• Becoming familiar with and appreciating the narrative and dramatic forms and themes of Hamilton and the literature that inspired it
• Using relevant cultural and historical information when interpreting literature, film, and other cultural texts
• Participating in lively and informed discussions about readings and viewing
• Developing and applying critical skills for reading, thinking, and writing about several genres

Readings and Class Participation

Class participation is expected and will count for 20% of the final grade. This includes contributions to discussions in class and on the online message board. To participate, students must complete assigned readings and come to class ready to share ideas.

Attendance

Attendance is required, and excessive absences may result in failure of the course. Students are allowed one unpenalized absence, but subsequent absences will lower the final course grade.

Class Discussion Questions

Students will sign up in pairs to prepare discussion questions for one of the class sessions. Questions should highlight issues or themes related to the assigned texts.

Online Message Board

The online message board will be used for discussions, and each student is required to post at least one paragraph-length comment about the materials being read and discussed in class.

Papers and Response Papers

Students will write two formal papers: Paper #1 (4 pages) offering a literary analysis of Hamilton, and Paper #2 analyzing Hamilton through the lens of historical or contemporary research. Students will also write four response papers (2 pages) in response to readings or viewings.

Multi-Media Project

Students will choose one of four possible multi-media projects to complete during the semester, including creating a poster or video trailer, a collage, an additional rap or song lyric, or locating an instance of Hamilton in popular culture.

Professional Development

Students will complete three tasks to help translate their work in English to professional contexts and explore professional options.

Project Presentations

Students will share the results of Paper #2 in person with others in a poster-style format.

Grading

The grading breakdown is as follows:

• Paper #1: 10%
• Paper #2: 20%
• Presentation of Paper #2: 10%
• Response papers: 20%
• Multi-media project: 10%
• Class participation: 20%
• Professional development: 10%

Schedule of Classes

The schedule of classes is subject to change and includes readings, discussions, and assignments for each class session.

First Impressions and Motivating Desires

• January 16: Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Lin-Manuel Miranda's libretto for Hamilton
• January 23: Chernow's Alexander Hamilton (1-309), Hutcheon's A Theory of Adaptation
• January 30: Chernow's Alexander Hamilton (310-738), Miranda's annotated script

Biography, Historiography, and Adaptation

• February 6: Broadway: The American Musical, selected readings on the musical form
• February 13: Styne, Sondheim, and Laurents' Gypsy, performance with Imelda Staunton
• February 20: Edwards and Stone's 1776: A Musical Play, performance directed by Peter Hunt
• February 27: West Side Story, In the Heights soundtrack

Musical Theater: Conventions and Reinventions

• March 6: Hamilton's music and orchestration, selected readings on hip-hop and rap
• March 13: Hamilton's set design, lighting, costuming, and choreography, selected readings and videos

"Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story": Responses to Hamilton

• March 27: Selected readings about Hamilton's representation of history
• April 3: Selected readings about Hamilton's representations of gender, race, and ethnicity
• April 10: Selected readings about Hamilton's impact on education and young audiences
• April 17: Selected readings about Hamilton's impact on Broadway and musical theater

Final Assignments

• April 20: Paper #2 due
• April 24: Multi-media project due
• May 1: Project presentations
• May 8: Revision of Paper #2 due, professional development tasks due