Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness song hamilton

#Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness song hamilton how to

While his affair sullies his honor, his ability to be transparent and honest about it turns out to be an honorable tactic, and he is able to win favor with Eliza once again. Rather than let others bring dishonor to him, Hamilton opts to take control of his situation and take responsibility for his immoral actions.

When Jefferson and his cohort seek to get dirt on Hamilton in order to ruin his reputation, Hamilton decides to take matters into his own hands by releasing the Reynolds Pamphlet, which details his marital infidelities. While it costs him his life, Philip dies honorably, meaning he did not do anything that might be interpreted as shady or disreputable. Then, he behaves even more honorably when he does not shoot at Eacker in the duel. When Philip challenges Eacker to a duel, he does so in order to defend his father's honor and uphold his family's reputation. In this way, honor is a central theme for the characters in Hamilton. Throughout, he must defend his honor against people who would rather he had less power. In this way, the 'duel' is a microcosm of the political atmosphere through which Hamilton is navigating. The structure of the duel is about protecting and defending one's honor, fighting against another man to stand up for one's self. It is not until the end of the musical that Hamilton realizes the benefit of making peace with our limited time on Earth, when he says (about constructing a legacy): вЂњit's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.вЂќ Honor & Reputation Laurens' death seems to directly affect Hamilton's attitude during the second act, as he says, вЂњI have so much work to do,вЂќ and from then on cannot draw his mind away from forming his legacy and completing his work. Laurens wishes to form the first all black battalion, however he is killed in battle before he can see this dream completed in this way we see an example of someone whose dreams are denied them by the passage of time. Burr takes the opposite view, feeling he must always be careful and take his time in order to succeed. Hamilton is constantly afraid that he will run out of time, and his fear of the passage of time drives him to become a fiercely hard worker, ambitiously working long hours in order to positively influence the foundation of the country. The theme of time affects each of the characters differently. This attitude distinguishes him from the less determined Burr, who does not fight for anything unless he is sure it is advantageous for him.

This applies to the future of the country as well. At one point he says, вЂњI wish there was a war, then we could prove weвЂ™re worth more than anyone bargained for.' Having had to fight for everything in his life, Hamilton has an attitude that one's honor is worth risking in order to move up in the world.

Hamilton not only believes that war will help the country earn independence and prove its worth, but that it will help him to stand out in history and prove himself. War and revolution shape both the characters and plot of Hamilton, as it is the American revolution that gives Hamilton his fame and success in the American government.

#Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness song hamilton how to

Many of the songs in the musical address the question of how to uphold one's legacy, particularly the last song, called 'Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.' The question of one's place in history is central to the thematic world of the play. When Hamilton dies, Eliza takes up his legacy and seeks to do good in the country for the remaining 50 years of her life so that her husband and family can be remembered honorably. HamiltonвЂ™s pride about his legacy is directly contrasted with Washington, who gives up his power after two terms in order to ensure that democratic principles aren't sacrificed for personal glory. This theme is echoed time and again in an oft-uttered mantra of Hamilton's, 'I'm not throwing away my shot'-his shot being his one chance at creating a dazzling legacy. The sense that everyone has a history and a legacy is what drives the characters' ethical lives, and encourages them to work for what they believe in. It is this idea that causes Hamilton to risk his marriage by going public with his affair, in the hope that he could preserve his legacy by controlling how the story of his dishonor is told. The idea that вЂњhistory has its eyes on youвЂќ haunts many of the characters. During the war, Hamilton is willing to die as long as it is for a cause that means something to him. The theme of building a legacy that will stand the test of time is something that consumes Hamilton throughout his life, and by extension, the play.