Hamilton Characters are so Relatable

Y'all. I really love the musical Hamilton.

Like. I listen to it basically all the time. (Like I'm listening to it right now)

Like. If my cat hadn't come with the name Lucy (and already known that her name was Lucy--she seriously responds when I call her name it's adorable) I might've named her Angelica. As in Angelica Schuyler Church. Because she's sassy and smart. It wouldn't be the first time I've named a cat after a character I love (my other cat is named Luna, like Luna Lovegood).

Like, Alexander Hamilton's line "There's a million things I haven't done, but just you wait, just you wait" is so relatable. Like, there ARE a million things I haven't done. And if you wait, you'll see me do them. And he's a bit short-tempered which is v. relatable (for me, at least). So, basically, I am Hamilton. Favorite line: "Passionately smashing every expectation"

But there's also Aaron Burr, who is always biding his time: "I am not standing still, I am lying in wait." Like. WOW. Like, he's looking at the places he can go, and he knows that there are so many options, so instead of rushing into the first one that pops up, he's paying attention and weighing these options. Which if you read yesterday's post, you know is also me. I am Aaron Burr, too. Favorite line: "I am inimitable, I am an original."

But that's also super contradictory because they're basically polar opposites of one another. Which shows how great at writing Lin Manuel Miranda is, because he's making two people who are completely different from one another relatable to the same person (and I'm not the only one).

And we can't forget about the ladies. I recently took a really long quiz on "which character from Hamilton are you?" and my result was Eliza Schuyler Hamilton. And, like, yeah. I'm Eliza. She's fantastic. So caring and loving and she's selfless almost to a fault, but she also knows when to take a step back and be like "whoah, that hurt. You hurt me. I can't be a part of this anymore." But when she takes that step back, it's not necessarily permanent, like she also knows how to forgive and put herself back into the narrative when it's for the better. Like when Philip dies and she knows that Alex needs her and she needs him and they find a way to heal better together. Like wow that's some powerful forgiveness right there. So yeah. Eliza. Favorite line: "I hope that you burn."

But Angelica! She's so powerful! She's intelligent and selfless and she's the only woman in the show who can match Alex rhyme for rhyme, which isn't an accident. LMM talks about how he wrote her as the only woman who raps for a reason. And it has to do with the witticisms that she and Alex exchanged. Like, yeah the other Schuyler sisters are great, but Angelica is on the next level. And you can't even act like that's her only good quality. Like, she gives up the possibility of being satisfied to see her sister, Eliza, happy with Alexander. And when Alexander goofs up with Maria Reynolds, despite how close the two of them are, she chooses Eliza over Alex. Which can't be easy. But she's basically loyal af and it's great. So give it up for the Maid of Honor, Angelica Schuyler! Favorite line: "I love my sister more than anything in this life, I will choose her happiness over mine every time."

And poor Peggy. She only shows up in one song. But her part in that one song is relatable AF. Like she's just in the background piping in with the occasional "And Peggy." and somehow, we are all Peggy. Favorite line: "And Peggy."

But we can't forget that she (her actor) comes back later as Maria Reynolds. And kills it. She has some of the best melodies in the show, IMO. And I think we can all relate, at least a little bit, to being the other woman. Even if we've never actually been the other woman. Favorite line: 

And while it's sad that there are only four women with their own parts in the show (really, three because Peggy and Maria are played by the same person; actually, really two because Peggy and Maria are both minor characters but also they're major players because Peggy's death [in case you didn't know, that's why she's missing from most of the show] is a major occurrence in Eliza's life [she died shortly before Philip Hamilton "Philip, your mother can't take another heartbreak" is not in reference to Alexander's affair, but to Peggy's death and it was kind of the start of all the things going wrong for Eliza] and obviously Maria is a major player in the story as well because she was Hamilton's mistress for a long time [in real life, they met before he met Eliza and their affair lasted over a year, but everything had to be shortened and reorganized a bit to fit into a musical, even one as long as Hamilton ended up being]) we have to remember that that's got a lot to do with the society that our founding fathers lived in.

So, moving on to everyone else:

John Laurens: Hamilton's BFFL and possibly more (no proof but they did get pretty flirty in some of the letters we still have). Fiercely loyal and among the first major abolitionists; fighting for abolition before it was cool, like a real hipster. Favorite line: "But, yo, we'll never be truly free until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me."

Marquis de Lafayette: Another very close friend to Hamilton, and an important figure in the war and in American History. He was a major link between the colonies and France when the colonies needed help from a powerful nation to succeed in the revolution against King George's fully armed battalion (which he only sent to remind them of his love). Favorite line: "I'm taking this horse by the reins, making redcoats redder with bloodstains"

Hercules Mulligan: Probably my favorite of the crew. Like, he's fantastic. Favorite line: "When you knock me down, I get the f*** back up again."

George Washington: The father Hamilton didn't know he needed. Also the father of our nation. I didn't like him much until this musical because he always seemed overrated to me, but through this musical I came to understand and appreciate the flaws that are usually skipped over in discussion about him. Favorite line: "Dying is easy, young man, living is harder."

King George III: How can you not like this guy. He chimes in at the most perfect times with hilarious little songs. Favorite line: "When push comes to shove I will send a fully armed battalion to remind you of my love."

Charles Lee: All I have to say about Lee is: "I'm a general, wheeeeee!!"

Samuel Seabury: What a downer. Favorite line: "I pray the king shows you his mercy, for shame, for shame"

Philip Hamilton: His life was too short. A super precious human who reminds me a lot of my friend from College, Jake. Favorite line: "My daddy's trying to start America's bank. UN DEUX TROIS QUATRE CINQ!" ties with "The scholars say I've got the same virtuosity and brains as my pops; the ladies say my brain's not where the resemblance stops ;)"

Thomas Jefferson: What a meanie. But also, he has a legitimate point like 99% of the time. Favorite line: "I've been in Paris meetin' lots of different ladies, I guess I basically missed the late '80s"

James Madison: Thomas Jefferson's right-hand man. Favorite line: ["Look back on the Bill of Rights"] "Which I wrote!!!" (bc people always forget that HE wrote the constitution and Bill of Rights, not Jefferson (bc he was in France, meetin' lots of different ladies). I see you, boo.

James Reynolds: You know there's trouble when your mistress' husband comes knocking (or, rather, writes you a letter). Favorite line: "Dear sir, I hope this letter finds you in good health and in a prosperous enough position to put wealth in the pockets of people like me, down on their luck. You see, that was my wife who you decided to--" (yes the whole portion of the letter that gets air time)

George Eacker: What a nasty man. Favorite line: "I know where to find you, piss off, I'm watching this show now." Because the only good he did was to be respectful of the actors in whatever play he was watching.

Philip Schuyler: I don't think he really has any lines, but he is definitely an important figure in the show. Favorite line that he actually doesn't have: "Be true." 

Anyway. That's everyone.

And I bet you're wondering why I've written about this today.

Well, today is the day I'm going to start reading Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton, the biography of Hamilton that got LMM thinking about writing hip-hop songs about our ten-dollar founding father.

Also because Hamilton is probably my favorite musical of all time. (closely followed by Anything Goes and If/Then and Violet)

Which character in Hamilton do you most relate to? Let everyone (me) know in the comments!

xx,

Sienna

The Fierce Feminist