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Act 1: The Story of Tonight (Reprise)
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
Burr lusts for Theodosia and reflects on his own family history (his grandfather was famed preacher Jonathan Edwards). Burr has lost everyone in his life, but he comes to the conclusion that “if there’s a reason I’m still alive, then I’m willing to wait for it.”
Here, Burr lays out his worldview, which is diametrically opposed to Hamilton’s. Though Burr is equally aware of his own mortality, he believes that caution—and an ability to play both sides—is what will keep him alive. In other words, rather than being motivated by the sense that death is near, Burr takes that possibility to mean that he needs to constantly be on the defensive.
Themes
