Hamilton has done a great deal to return Alexander Hamilton, one of the most important of the Founding Fathers, to America’s collective historical consciousness. Much of the play, naturally enough, focuses on Hamilton as he struggles to overcome his low birth and rise up to the heights of political power. As a result, it also shines a light into the many relationships and friendships that shaped his life and personality.
However, not all friendships are made equal, and there are several important friendships throughout the course of the play that tend to bring out the worst in all of those involved.
Best: Hamilton And Lafayette
Throughout the first part of the play, one of the most important friendships that Hamilton has is with the Frenchman Lafayette. In large part, this is because both of them are immigrants to America, and they bond over their experiences as outsiders (as they put it, immigrants get the job done).
At the same time, there’s no question that they bring out the very best in one another, encouraging one another to continue fighting for America’s freedom from the British.
Worst: Hamilton And Burr
It probably goes without saying that the friendship between Burr and Hamilton is one of the worst things that happened to both of them. They meet early on in the play, and from that moment on their fates seem to be irretrievably intertwined.
They seem to bring out the worst in one another, with each resenting the other for what they perceive as their personality flaws. Ultimately, of course, their contentious friendship ultimately leads to that fateful duel, Alexander’s death, and Burr’s eternally blighted reputation.
Best: Hamilton And Laurens
Hamilton is a man who seems to inspire either love or hate, depending on one’s perspective. In the case of John Laurens, it is most definitely love. Though the play doesn’t dive into this in great detail, it is very likely that the two men shared a bond that was more than merely platonic.
In the musical, there’s a powerful moment where Hamilton receives the news that Laurens has been killed, and it’s a subtle suggestion that there was a deep and powerful love between them.
Worst: Jefferson And Madison
As soon as he comes back to America after his sojourn in France, Jefferson forges an alliance with his fellow Virginian Madison, both of whom see Hamilton as an existential threat to what they see as the founding principles of the republic.
They seem to bring out the worst in one another, and they work tirelessly to bring about the end of Hamilton’s career and his policy goals, even if they are forced to recognize in the end that Hamilton was probably slightly more brilliant than either of them.
Best: Hamilton And Washington
From the beginning of the play, it’s apparent that Hamilton has been deeply affected by his lack of a father. It makes sense, then, that he would gravitate to a man like George Washington (who, in fact, once refers to Hamilton as his son). The two make a good working pair, with Hamilton acting as an assistant for the older man.
Though he’s loyal to a fault, he’s also not afraid to point out to Washington when he thinks the other man is making a mistake and the general, for his part, isn’t afraid of taking Hamilton down a peg or two when the need arises.
Worst: Burr And Jefferson
Though Burr’s most important friendship is with Hamilton, the play also makes it clear that he has some affiliation with Jefferson. In part, this seems to be because he sees the Virginian as another means by which he can gain political power.
Unfortunately, as with Madison, Jefferson also seems to bring out the worst in Burr and, as the second act unfolds, they scheme with one another to bring about Hamilton’s downfall (though not historically accurate, it’s a nice bit of drama).
Best: Angelica And Eliza (and Peggy)
For most of the musical, the focus is on the world of men and politics. Occasionally, however, it does provide the viewer glimpses of the women who were very important to the founding of the republic.
In particular, it focuses on the strong bond among the Schuyler sisters, especially Eliza and Angelica (who bring out the best in one another, even if they are both drawn to Hamilton). Peggy, as all lovers of the musical knows, always tries to feel included, even if it doesn’t always quite work.
Worst: Hamilton And Maria Reynolds
As brilliant as Alexander Hamilton was, he clearly had something of a talent for self-sabotage. Most notably, as the second act unfolds he begins a torrid affair with a young woman named Maria Reynolds.
While this is bad enough (after all, who would think it okay to cheat on a woman like Eliza?), Hamilton makes it worse by going public with the affair, ruining his own reputation and making a fool of Eliza in the process.
Best: Hamilton And Angelica
Though Hamilton ends up marrying Eliza, right before he meets her he encounters her sister Angelica, and there is an immediate connection. As subsequent events will reveal, there is a very strong and genuine bond between the two of them, one that survives almost everything thrown their way.
In fact, in some ways Angelica and Hamilton seem like two people who are ideally suited to one another, and one of the play’s central tragedies is that they are fated to belong to other people.
Worst: Jefferson And Washington
As soon as he is voted in as the first president, Washington sets about creating a cabinet and, almost inevitably, it’s full of personalities that definitely do not get along with one another (most notably Jefferson and Hamilton).
Though Washington and Jefferson seem to have a decent working relationship, it quickly becomes clear that the two of them have very different ideas of where the country should go and, as events will subsequently reveal, Jefferson eventually runs for president, seemingly without caring whether or not he offends Washington.
