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Act 1: What Comes Next
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
As they sing “Dear Theodosia,” Burr and Hamilton connect the births of their respective children at the end of the Revolution to the birth of the new United States (“you will come of age with our young nation”). In both cases, Burr and Hamilton are sure they’ll fail. “I thought I was so smart,” sings the normally self-assured Burr, now certain that he’ll “make a million mistakes”.
In this touching song, Hamilton and Burr unite over their shared concern for the future—a future expressed both in their newborn children and in their “young nation.” Just as the two men will have to learn to work with others in order to advance politically, they here have to learn to challenge (and forgive) themselves as unavoidably flawed parents; it is impossible, Burr admits, to avoid making mistakes, whether as a father or a Founding Father.
Themes
