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Act 1: Ten Duel Commandments
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Hamilton, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Collaboration, Disagreement, and Democracy
Stories vs. History
Ambition and Mortality
Immigration and Diversity of Influence
Honor
Summary
Analysis
Washington feels that Hamilton doesn’t need to defend him. Hamilton bristles, especially when Washington continues to call him “son.” Again, Hamilton wants a command, while Washington explains that he is more valuable (to Eliza and the country as a whole) if he stays alive. At last, unable to get through, Washington sends Hamilton home, effectively firing him.
Hamilton’s pride, often a motivating force, now causes him to lose his job; he is so desperate to fight, potentially dying, that he cannot see his long-term value to either his country or his family. Even though he does come to love Washington as a father figure, the orphaned Hamilton also seems to find it presumptuous when Washington calls him “son.”
Themes
