Hamilton: Eliza’s 10 Best Lines

The hit Broadway musical Hamilton made its way to Disney+ and viewers and critics alike are in awe of the show. Some performances especially have been noteworthy. Phillipa Soo plays Eliza in a breathtaking performance, as her character grows from her first song to her last. Phillipa Soo is an amazing actress and singer and her shrieks will leave viewers haunted.

Eliza was Alexander Hamilton’s wife. She’s a very important character who sees Alexander through some of his best and worst days. She’s the one who ends the show as well. Here are some of her most remarkable quotes from the musical.

10 “Then You Walked In And My Heart Went ‘Boom!'”

This quote is from “Helpless” and like the song, this quote is also very upbeat and young. Eliza says this the first time she sees Alexander. The quote captures quite cutely the immense attraction of young love.

It’s a cute, immature, fun quote from a really cheesy yet fun song. The attraction is instant and Eliza falls head over heels in love with Alexander. She’s quite “helpless” in love and takes the help of her sister to get her to introduce him to her.

9 “Now My Life Gets Better, Every Letter That You Write Me.”

This quote is also from “Helpless.” Alexander and Eliza exchange love letters. She writes them nightly and looks forward to receiving letters from him as well. The excitement of new love is captured quite well here.

This line also points towards how their courtship and even relationship was mostly carried out. Alexander’s “skill with the quill is undeniable” and viewers get a taste of what it’s like to be on the receiving end.

8 “The Worlds You Keep Erasing And Creating In Your Mind.”

Alexander Hamilton lives a relentless life. He is not willing to pause, to take a break, to take a second to see where he is. He is hell-bent on creating things, changing the country, and making his legacy. This quote of Eliza’s rightly captures how he was erasing and creating worlds in his mind. And that’s somewhat the problem between them as well.

Alexander lives a lot inside his own head, immersed in his own genius. He forgets what it’s like for his wife, and forgets how it’s like to live.

7 “We Don’t Need A Legacy. We Don’t Need Money.”

Alexander is incredibly upset when Washington sends him back home. He, however, hadn’t known that his wife was pregnant. But even so, he wants to do more, he wants to fight in the war. Alexander cannot sit at home knowing that the revolutionary effort is going on outside. He then tells Eliza why it is that he’s so relentless.

Alexander wants to make something of himself for her, for their family. He wants to give her the world, he doesn’t want her to be a poor man’s wife. Eliza tries to convince him that she doesn’t want any of the things that he thinks she wants.

6 “Oh, Let Me Be A Part Of The Narrative/ In The Story They Will Write Someday.”

In “That Would Be Enough,” all Eliza wants is to be a part of Alexander’s life. Alexander is non-stop, and she just wishes he would let her inside his heart. She wants him to know that he doesn’t have to do any of these things for her.

Eliza just wants to be a part of the story of his life. She just wants him to be around, and she tells him that just this would be enough for her.

5 “Your Sentences Left Me Defenceless/ You Built Me Palaces Out Of Paragraphs.”

“Burn” is one of the few songs where the rest of the company isn’t present. Eliza is alone on stage as she begins the song talking about how she fell for Alexander. She is reading all the letters Alexander wrote to her. And she talks about the effect his writing has had on her.

Alexander was able to build palaces for Eliza in the paragraphs of the letters he wrote. Eliza, in this quote, talks about the immense emotional state his letters left her in.

4 “Your Sentences Border On Senseless/ And You Are Paranoid In Every Paragraph/ How They Perceive You”

Towards the end of “Burn,” Eliza talks about how Alexander’s obsession with how the world views him has destroyed their lives. In the Reynolds Pamphlet, he writes about his affair for the whole world to see.

Alexander is so paranoid about rumors and others talking about him that he goes ahead and outs himself. His overwhelming need to be in control of what people say about him has almost led to the disintegration of his marriage with Eliza.

3 “Let Future Historians Wonder How Eliza Reacted.”

Eliza wishes she’s part of the story that future historians write. She says so in “That Would Be Enough.” However, after the mess and stress that Alexander puts their family through, Eliza decides to take herself out of the narrative.

Eliza is rightly upset that Alexander wrote about his affair so publicly. She decides that no one will ever hear how she reacted. She doesn’t want to give anyone the satisfaction of knowing how she felt. She literally burns the letters Alexander wrote her to ensure this.

2 “Why Do You Write Like You’re Running Out Of Time?”

In a callback to what Aaron Burr says about Alexander, Eliza too in “Best of Wives and Best of Women” asks him why he writes so much. Alexander is constantly writing and he never stops, but this line here is especially poignant because it’s probably the last thing Alexander ever writes before his death.

Alexander is literally running out of time here, and this quote of Eliza’s foreshadows his impending death.

1 “And When My Time Is Up, Have I Done Enough?”

“Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story” is the final song in the musical. Eliza emerges as the Hamilton who survives. It is upon her now to tell Alexander’s story, and she puts herself back into the narrative. She outlives him by another 50 years and spends her time very productively.

Eliza interviews every soldier who fought with Alexander, she publishes his writings, she raises funds for the Washington monument, and she establishes the first private orphanage. Eliza does everything she can to make up for the things Alexander would have done if he had the time. When the end of her life draws near, she hopes she has done enough.

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