The purpose of this post is not a formal exposition of this theory. For that, I refer you to the excellent articles and essays on the subject by Bimalakanta Raychaudhuri and Deepak S. Raja (and many others, no doubt). However, given the universality of human emotions, I have always been curious to see whether this taxonomy of emotions could be successfully applied to another musical genre. I have been listening a lot lately to the cast album recording of the recent Broadway sensation (and the winner of 11 Tony awards) Hamilton: An American Musical, and it occurred to me that the vast canvas of the piece might afford a perfect backdrop for this Gedankenexperiment. So here is my take on mapping the songs from the show to the rasas.
- Śṛṅgār rasa (erotic), rati bhāva (love): Many songs are spiced with this emotion - which is unsurprising given that it is also referred to as ādirasa ("the original emotion"). Among them, the numbers "Helpless" and "Satisfied" from Act 1, and "Say No To This" from Act 2, stand out in my mind.
- Hāsya rasa (comic), hāsa bhāva (mirth): Several of King George III's numbers ("You'll Be Back" and "I Know Him") serve as comic interludes. The overlay of rap-based counterpoint on a Baroque minuet in "Farmer Refuted" is also brilliantly funny.
- Karuṇa rasa (pathetic), śoka bhāva (sorrow): "It's Quiet Uptown" and "The World Was Wide Enough" (both from Act 2) immerse me in the depths of this part of the emotional palette.
- Raudra rasa (furious), krodha bhāva (anger): In very different ways, Eliza Hamilton's "Burn" and Aaron Burr's "Your Obedient Servant" embody this emotion. There are also distinct elements of it in "The Room Where It Happens". Oh, and in Hamilton's uncontrolled outburst and Washington's controlled response in "Meet Me Inside".
- Vīra rasa (heroic), utsāha bhāva (energy): This is the theme of Act 1 overall. My favorites are the opening number "Alexander Hamilton", the energetic "My Shot", and the climactic "Yorktown".
- Bhayānaka rasa (terrible), bhaya bhāva (fear): This is probably stretching it a bit, but Philip Hamilton's solo "Blow Us All Away" definitely touches on his fears of engaging in a duel.
- Bībhatsa rasa (odious), ghṛṅā bhāva (disgust): This is clearly the theme of "The Reynolds Pamphlet", the story of America's first sex scandal.
- Adbhūta rasa (wonderous), vismaya bhāva (wonder): The brief "Best of Wives and Best of Women" embodies this sense of wonder.
- Sānta rasa (tranquil), sama bhāva (equanimity): The final number "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" closes out the musical on a very atypical quiet note, but it absolutely works in terms of achieving tranquil closure on Hamilton's turbulent life and legacy.
- Vātsalya rasa (parental binding to children): The amazing and unlikely Burr-Hamilton duet "Dear Theodosia" near the end of Act 1 is a paean to fatherhood. The reprise of "Stay Alive" in Act 2, with its heartbreaking exchange between Eliza Hamilton and her son Philip, has me choking up every time.
- Bhakti rasa (devotion to one's chosen deity): There are few references to religion in this musical. Washington's reference to Micah 4:4 in "One Last Time" is probably the most significant.
So, what'd I miss?
Note 1: The recording is readily available, in both digital and physical forms. All of the major digital music stores and streaming services (iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music) carry it; there is a CD available; I've even seen a vinyl set!
Note 2: I have not actually had the opportunity to see the show, except for the snippets available on social media and performed during the Tony awards ceremony. Since the word saṃgīta technically encompasses music, dance, and theater, it is possible that the full audio-visual experience may somewhat alter these perceptions.
Note 3: Since no one is a tabula rasa, your mileage will almost certainly vary.
