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Act 2: Blow Us All Away
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
The music shifts, and the scene moves to a doctor’s house, where Eliza and Hamilton sing to their dying son. While Philip struggles to count to 10—a reference both to the duel and to his childhood piano exercises—Eliza reminisces about his tender youth. “Stay alive,” the ensemble chants, but the doctor loses hope. Philip collapses, dead.
“Satisfied” showed that different moments appear different depending on the vantage point; “Stay Alive (Reprise)” brings back a familiar melody with a new, more personally crushing, meaning. So even in this tragic moment, the musical impresses on audiences just how contingent history is on perspective and context.
Themes
