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Act 2: Cabinet Battle #2
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
Jefferson, Madison, and Burr—all now part of the Democratic-Republican Party—express their frustration at Hamilton’s success. Jefferson sings “I’m in the cabinet I am complicit in / watching him grabbin’ at power and kissin’ it / if Washington isn’t gon listen to disciplined dissidents, this is the difference / this kid is out.”
Hamilton’s ambition, spun this way by his enemies, is a vulnerability. But Jefferson is not so different. He cares about his own reputation—he will not let himself be seen as “complicit”—and his verbal dexterity shows that, despite shielding his ambition from the public, he is nearly as quick as Hamilton is.
Themes
