The story of the American Revolution is now brought to smaller screens courtesy of Disney+. The extremely popular and critically acclaimed Broadway musical Hamilton made its way into the streaming service. Hamilton is the story of many characters, each given their due in the show. One of these characters, played by Christopher Jackson, is that of George Washington.
George Washington was a founding father who became the first president of the U.S. Christopher Jackson brings humanity and empathy to this role, portraying the character with brilliance. Through some amazing songs, viewers see some instances of Washington’s struggles and intensity.
“Now I’m The Model Of A Modern Major General/ The Venerated Virginian Veteran Whose Men Are All/ Lining Up, To Put Me Up On A Pedestal.”
“Right Hand Man” does an amazing job of humanizing this almost mythical character. Christopher Jackson asks the audience if he can be “Real for a Second.” He then goes on to say the many difficulties and the uphill climb that awaits him in this war.
Through this line, viewers also get a glimpse at the myth-making that happens. He talks about how men put him on a pedestal. How he is pinned up as the model of how the modern major general is supposed to look like.
“I Scream In The Face Of This Mass Mutiny: Are These The Men With Which I Am To Defend America?”
This line bears a close resemblance to what the actual George Washington said during the time as well. Christopher Jackson has pain written across his face and he looks exhausted when he sees how the American soldiers keep losing to the British.
It’s a question and a statement in itself. He wasn’t able to get enough men or enough support, and the war was becoming an endless mass mutiny. The line also shows the attitude of George Washington with respect to how he felt at that moment.
“It’s Alright, You Want To Fight, You’ve Got A Hunger/ I Was Just Like You When I Was Younger.”
George Washington addresses Alexander Hamilton as “son” many times, as he sees much of himself in Alexander. He understands where Alexander’s hunger for war and his urge to participate comes from. He knows it too well because he too was the same way when he was younger.
But, he has grown up and matured and understood the harsh realities of life, so he knows that not everything is just about fighting. He knows that there are other important things to be done, as well, and he knows how best to use Alexander’s skills, even when Alexander himself is unwilling to do it.
“Dying Is Easy, Young Man, Living Is Harder.”
The revolutionaries were not afraid of being martyrs for the cause. They were willing to put their lives down and die for George Washington, but Washington knew better. Through this hyperbole of a line, he tries to make Alexander understand that just fighting in a war and dying for the cause isn’t everything.
He wants to convince Alexander to use his writing skills to advance the cause and not waste his life in a fight. This line also foreshadows another line later on in the musical where Washington says, “winning was easy, young man, governing is harder.”
“My Name’s Been Through A Lot, I Can Take It.”
Alexander Hamilton and his friends are deeply offended when Charles Lee disses Washington saying, “washington cannot be left alone to his devices / Indecisive, from crisis to crisis / The best thing he can do for the revolution / is turn n’ go back to plantin’ tobacco in Mount Vernon.”
Washington doesn’t want Hamilton to do anything about it even though Hamilton is extremely mad at Charles Lee. Laurens participates in the duel on Hamilton’s behalf, and Washington is upset to find this out. He says that he can handle whatever people say and doesn’t need Hamilton to come to his rescue.
“You Have No Control/ Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.”
This is one of the most poignant lines in the show, and it sums up the entire premise of Hamilton. You have no control over history. You have no control over who tells your story or how your story is told. Washington pursued glory when he was younger, but, now, he is wiser.
He has to live knowing that there is no way to control your legacy, and this is the rightly timed and necessary advice that he provides to a very resistant Alexander Hamilton.
“I Know That Greatness Lies In You/ But Remember From Here On In/ History Has Its/ Eyes On You.”
He starts the song “History as its Eyes on you” by saying that he wished when he was younger that someone had told him that his every win and fail will be recorded and variedly interpreted as history. He doesn’t want Alexander to make the same mistake. He recognizes the talent and drive that Alexander has, but he wants him to be more sensible and careful. He is warning Alexander that from the moment he steps up to the task, history will have its eyes on his every action.
“Let’s Take A Break Tonight/ And Then We’ll Teach Them How To Say Goodbye.”
To Alexander’s utter surprise, George Washington decides to step down and not run for President again. He is incredulous and cannot come to terms with the fact that Washington won’t be around anymore. Washington wants to hence ease him into it and asks Alexander to take a break with him while they decide together how best to tell goodbye to the American people. The chemistry between Christopher Jackson and Lin Manuel Miranda shines through here, and it is also a very important bit from history that is recreated here.
“I Wanna Talk About What I Have Learned/ The Hard-Won Wisdom I Have Earned.”
Washington asks Alexander to “pick up a pen, start writing” his final address to his countrymen when he decides to step down as President. There are many things Washington wants to talk about in his final address, and he wants Alexander to pen down his thoughts for the same.
The lines that follow this are almost verbatim from Washington’s actual Farewell Address. He knows how important it is that the country carries on and moves on without him, and he wants to fit in all his thoughts, his hard-won wisdom into this final address.
“If I Say Goodbye, The Nation Learns To Move On/ It Outlives Me When I’m Gone.”
Alexander Hamilton cannot understand why George Washington would not want to run for the President again, but Washington knows that it is important that the people learn to move on from him. He is more worried about the overall state of the country and wants to ensure that it outlives him, and, therefore, he makes the decision which Christopher Jackson beautifully sings in “One Last Time.” He wanted to ensure that the country doesn’t collapse after his passing. He wanted to ensure the longevity of the country.
