Alexander Hamilton's Who Lives Who Tells Your Story

At the center of the groundbreaking multi-award-winning new musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda called Hamilton, is the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton, whose ambition drove him from the position of Caribbean outsider and bastard child to American war hero and George Washington's right-hand man. In the process, “Alexander Hamilton powerfully shaped America as we have come to know it -- and gave us all a template for what it means to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and realize the American Dream. This exploration of Hamilton's political mastermind is being called ‘the most exciting and significant musical of the decade.’ David Brooks of the New York Times declared seeing Hamilton to be ‘one of the most exhilarating experiences

“Everyone around the two are impacted by their actions, even after Hamilton is gone” (Siddiqi). This is indisputable and proven in the final song of the musical, “Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story,” which is describing the major influence Hamilton’s life and legacy had on the rest of the characters. This is exhibited by Eliza, Hamilton’s wife, because despite Hamilton’s death, Eliza founded the first orphanage in New York City, interviewed all of the men Hamilton worked with, and continued to tell his story. This is illustrated in the song when it states the following: “[Eliza] I interview every soldier who fought by your side/ [MULLIGAN/LAFAYETTE/LAURENS] She tells our story… [Eliza] I raise funds in D.C. for the Washington Monument…I speak out against slavery…I established the first private orphanage in New York City…help to raise hundreds of children/ I get to see them growing up” (Miranda). With this being said, despite the adversity Eliza has experienced with Hamilton’s infidelity, her son’s death, and Hamilton’s downfall, she strives to have a legacy that with continue once she is gone as well. This inevitably demonstrates the idea of what it means to be an American today because due to Hamilton being gone and Angelica- Eliza’s sister- passing away as well, she has no one, and therefore, she had to work vigorously to achieve prosperity and become successful. To continue, Eliza manifest the distinctly American theme of legacy which ultimately reinforces the concept of what it is like to be an American today because she worked past the tribulations that faced her and was exceedingly successful in her