Hamilton: 10 Best Quotes From The Broadway Musical Show On Disney+

Anyone who has seen the hit musical Hamilton can attest to the brilliance of its lyrics and music. From start to finish, the creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has woven into his marvelous creation a number of allusions, references, and subtle plays on words that make this play a truly marvelous exploration of the possibilities inherent in the English language. Unsurprisingly, then, there are a number of quotes throughout the play that are worthy of exploration.

Some express the profound sadness of the characters, while others bubble with happiness, joy, and the exuberance of the pivotal moment in history that the musical explores.

10 “You Have Married An Icarus. He Has Flown Too Close To The Sun.”

This quote occurs in the song “Burn,” as Hamilton’s wife Eliza contends with both his affair and the fact that he wrote about it publicly. The line, however, is not from her, but instead from her sister Angelica, who reminds Eliza that this event, unfortunately, is the consequence of marrying someone so ambitious, so willing to sacrifice almost everything in his efforts to scale the political ladder, overcome his base origins, and attain his own form of immortality.

9 If You Stand For Nothing, Burr, What’ll You Fall For?”

Hamilton explores many of the most important relationships in Alexander’s life, but one of the most significant-for good and ill-is that between himself and the wily Aaron Burr. In one of their many confrontations, Alexander presses him on exactly this question: if, in fact, Burr is so unwilling to stand up for anything (even the fledgling Constitution), is there anything that he will sacrifice anything for?

As it turns out, the one thing that motivates Burr more than anything else is his daughter, and his determination not to leave her an orphan.

8 “Look Around, Look Around, At How Lucky We Are To Be Alive Right Now.”

The romance between Eliza and Hamilton is the beating heart of the play. No matter what happens, she stands by him. At one point, after he is sent home for running his mouth to George Washington, she tries to urge him to stay away from the war and remain with her and their family.

He, of course, can’t quite resist the urge to return to the fray, but Eliza’s injunction is an important reminder of the stakes of his political ambitions.

7 “I Imagine Death So Much, It Feels Like A Memory.”

Though there’s a lot of joy in this musical, there is one thing that seems to loom over the entire thing and that, of course, is Hamilton’s inevitable death in a duel with Aaron Burr. This line, near the beginning of the play, is a harbinger of things to come, and it’s a powerful reminder, even at this moment of infinite possibility, that Hamilton is always aware that death will find him.

When, at the end of the play, this line is echoed, it’s a fitting finale to his tumultuous life.

6 “I Hope That You Burn.”

One would think that, given a wonderful and loving wife like Eliza, Hamilton would have been able to stay faithful. Alas, as the second act unfolds, he engages in a torrid affair with a married woman. When he publishes a pamphlet in an attempt to rescue his political reputation, the exposure of his affair, and the public nature of it, drives Eliza to burn all of their letters.

With this powerful utterance, she makes it clear that she is not only erasing herself from history but also taking herself out of Alexander’s life.

5 “We Push Away What We Can Never Understand. We Push Away The Unimaginable”

Every good musical has to have at least one moment that brings the audience to tears, and in this play that happens when Hamilton’s son is killed in a duel. It’s truly one of the most heartbreaking moments in musical theater, in part because both Hamilton and Eliza are clearly so absolute bereft at the death of their eldest child.

As Angelica sings this line, one can feel the tremendous weight of grief that threatens to drown the unhappy Hamiltons.

4 “America, You Great Unfinished Symphony, You Sent For Me. You Let Me Make A Difference. A Place Where Even Orphan Immigrants Can Leave Their Fingerprints And Rise Up.”

Once the fateful duel takes place and Alexander receives his fatal wound at the hands of Aaron Burr, a moment of peace descends. In that moment, Alexander is allowed to reflect on his life and all that he’s accomplished, all of which was made possible by the nation that he gave so much of his life to build. This line, delivered in that moment of reverie, is one of the musical’s most powerful, and a reminder of the eternal promise that America holds to all that want to live here.

3 “But When You’re Gone, Who Remembers Your Name? Who Keeps Your Flame?

After Alexander’s death, the play goes on to describe what happened afterward to those left behind. Burr delivers this line as the musical reaches its end, and it’s a profound reflection of the nature of history.

As it is subsequently revealed, it was Eliza who ended up being pivotal in keeping Hamilton’s name and legacy intact. Without her and her tireless work on his behalf, it’s unlikely that Hamilton would have had as much fame as he did.

2 “I Am The One Thing In Life I Can Control, I Am Inimitable, I Am An Original.”

Though Alexander Hamilton is, of course, the center of the narrative, a significant amount of the play is also devoted to Aaron Burr, drawing consistent distinctions between him and Alexander. Throughout his time in the play, he consistently finds himself thwarted by Hamilton’s presence in his life.

In this line, however, he starts to assert that he is his own person and that, no matter obstacles get thrown in his way, he is determined to fulfill his political ambitions.

1 “Here’s An Itemized List Of Thirty Years Of Disagreements.” “Sweet Jesus.”

One can say one thing for Alexander Hamilton, and that he is determined. And, of course, he is also meticulous in his way of doing things. As this line reveals, that extends to his ability to keep an itemized list of all of the things that he has found wrong with Aaron Burr during their long acquaintance. Leave it to Hamilton to preface what will be the most important-and fatal-in his life by running his mouth once again.

About The Author