The Revolutionary Rhetoric of Hamilton
Jacob Justice editor Luke Winslow editor Nancy J Legge editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published:9th Sep '22
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This scholarly exploration of Hamilton encourages audiences to interpret this popular culture force in a new way by revealing that the musical confronts conventional perceptions of American history, racial equity, and political power. Contributors explore the ways in which the musical offers social commentary on issues such as immigration and gender equity, as well as how Hamilton re-considers the roles of theatre in making social statements, especially relating to the narrator, the curtain speech, and musical traditions. Several chapters directly address recent controversies and conversations surrounding Hamilton, including the #CancelHamilton trend on social media, the musical's depiction of slavery, and its intersections with the Black Lives Matter movement. Employing multiple novel theoretical approaches and perspectives—including public memory, feminist rhetorical criticism, disability studies, and sound studies— The Revolutionary Rhetoric of Hamilton reveals new insights about this beloved show for scholars of theatre studies, media studies, communication studies, and fans alike.
This wide ranging study integrates a number of important fields: popular culture, American history, and musical theatre among others. It uses connections between these disciplines to show some important ways in which the political issues that engross our country are handled rhetorically through cultural artifacts. This is an important, integrative book. -- Barry Brummett, University of Texas at Austin
The Revolutionary Rhetoric of Hamilton is an indispensable resource for understanding the multiple important messages in the greatest musical of our time, Hamilton. In revealing the meaning of Hamilton, the chapters in this book also reveal a great deal about historical and contemporary popular and political culture. -- Robert C. Rowland, The University of Kansas
“This edited collection grounds its chapters in a larger argument about the importance of rhetoric and popular culture. It is essential reading for those interested in history, politics, identity, and entertainment, and makes an especially important contribution especially to the ongoing scholarship on one of Broadway’s biggest hits.” -- Ryan Neville-Shepard, University of Arkansas
[This] volume does an exceptional job of drawing in the reader and laying out a potent argument for Hamilton's impact on the reconsideration of the American dream. Because of the strong connections with theory and careful use of each analysis type, the book would serve a classroom extremely well. Undergraduates hesitant to approach rhetoric will quickly see the benefit of careful analysis, and with the popularity of Hamilton, they will see how each of them is actively engaged in public rhetoric—even if they only know the words to “My Shot.” * Journal of Popular Culture *
ISBN: 9781666914443
Dimensions: 237mm x 159mm x 24mm
Weight: 540g
236 pages