How My Dear Hamilton Differs from Hamilton: An American Musical
We’re superfans of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton: An American Musical. And we’ve been known to sing along to the soundtrack on our road trips together. Repeatedly! But even if you haven’t seen the show or listened to the music, you might be familiar with at least some of the most iconic lyrics. And you might know that the musical ends by asking a question: Who tells your story? Answer: Eliza.
However, the show’s focus on Washington’s right-hand man doesn’t recount much of Eliza’s own story. While we’re inspired, awed, and humbled by Miranda’s incredible storytelling, we made a number of different narrative choices. Here are the most noteworthy differences!
Where the Story Starts
The musical starts brilliantly with Alexander’s famous Caribbean backstory and his arrival in New York City in 1773. Eliza enters his story in a supporting role in 1780 when they’re introduced by her older sister, Angelica.
Because our story is about Eliza, we debated what our starting point should be. Should it in fact be when she met Alexander? Ultimately, we decided against that. After all, as Eliza says in our opening chapter, she was someone before she met Alexander Hamilton. And she was. Eliza was the daughter of a general who was also a diplomat with the Indians and later ran a spy ring. The daughter of a Dutch mother with significant medical and estate-running skills she undoubtedly passed down. A frontier woman in her own right who attended Indian treaty negotiations, received an Indian name, and was fond of the outdoors. An eligible heiress who attracted the attention of Tench Tilghman and maybe even the British officer John André. None of Eliza’s dynamic backstory makes it into a musical framed around Alexander Hamilton. And even her accomplishments as a patriot and activist in her own right are centered, in the musical, around Alexander’s memory.
Though she might not have agreed, we thought she deserved a story of her own.
Eliza’s Characterization
In the musical, Eliza heartbreakingly contemplates whether she’s enough to satisfy Alexander. Her sister says she’s overly trusting, and she evolves into a wronged but forgiving wife.
But neither Hamilton nor Angelica lived to see Eliza’s 1825 confrontation with James Monroe, which occurred long after the musical’s last refrains, and was a big part of our inspiration for her characterization in My Dear Hamilton.
We asked ourselves what kind of woman would dress down a man who was once her husband’s friend and until recently, the president of the United States, telling him that unless he was there to apologize, she had nothing to say to him? That strength, loyalty, confidence, stubbornness, and confrontationalism gave us the building blocks to portray Eliza as more than a forgiving wife. Certainly, she was also a woman who could hold an “unladylike” grudge!
This is, after all, the woman who assisted Alexander in copying and drafting some of his most famous political writings. And in her later life, she was known for being as relentless in her charitable and fundraising work as her husband was in his political work. In her eighties, she traveled halfway across the continent to visit her son in largely unsettled Wisconsin. And into her nineties, she was known to take two-mile walks around Washington, D.C. We took all of these into account in crafting our version of Eliza, a woman every bit as intrepid as the man she married.
Angelica and Alexander
In the musical, Angelica introduces Eliza to Alexander after having fallen in love with him herself. That meeting serves wonderfully as the beginning of an emotional affair between Angelica and Alexander and calls into question whether Hamilton had true feelings for Eliza.
But we had more time in which to tell our story and decided to stick closer to the historical record; long before Hamilton entered the picture, Angelica eloped with John Barker Church. By the time of the famous winter’s ball she’d been married for nearly three years and was the mother of two children. More importantly, Hamilton’s frequent letters to Eliza during the period they were courting and betrothed are effusively affectionate and emotional, portraying what we believe was very likely as much of a love match as it was a consideration of what her wealth could do for him (a common consideration at the time for both men and women). If anyone appears as a potential rival for his affections during that period, it wasn’t Angelica—it was John Laurens, to whom Hamilton wrote a number of quite intimate letters that have led some historians, including us, to question the nature of the men’s relationship.
Hamilton’s Rift with General Washington
Like all historical fiction, the musical often plays with the true chronology, of necessity, sometimes superbly condensing and other times cleverly conflating historical events. For example, when the Broadway version of Washington catches Hamilton participating as John Laurens’s second in the duel with Charles Lee, they have words and Washington sends Alex home, where he learns that Eliza is pregnant and that she wrote to the general and begged him to send her husband home.
The historical Hamilton did in fact have words with Washington that resulted in a breach in their relationship that some believe never fully healed. However, the real rift occurred in February 1781 when Eliza, who was not yet pregnant, joined Alexander at the army’s winter camp at New Windsor. Washington had a momentary loss of patience, and Alexander used his terse words as an excuse to resign following months of frustration Alexander felt at not being promoted to a field command. In My Dear Hamilton, we imagined Eliza’s reaction to the news that Alexander was no longer part of Washington’s military family, and it was quite different from the one the musical’s Eliza expressed.
Eliza and the Marquis de Lafayette
The musical delightfully introduces America’s Favorite Fighting Frenchman as Alexander’s friend.
One of the great joys we had in writing My Dear Hamilton was dramatizing the historical friendship the marquis shared with Eliza, too. Given her father’s role in military affairs, Eliza likely met the marquis when they were both twenty-year-olds in Albany in late 1777. If not then, they certainly would’ve met when both Alexander and the marquis were at the winter encampment at New Windsor. Indeed, it was the marquis delaying Alexander with conversation that piqued Washington’s impatience and sparked the disagreement that ended in Alexander’s resignation. Eliza saw Lafayette in 1784 when he returned to the United States for a four-month visit, and in 1795, she and Alexander took in Lafayette’s son, Georges, when Adrienne Lafayette sent the boy to the United States for safety. In 1824, Eliza likely had an even greater organizational role in Lafayette’s reunion tour than the one we depicted in My Dear Hamilton. In reality, Eliza and Lafayette were friends in their own right and it was a friendship that lasted most of her life.
The Maria Reynolds Affair
There’s no disputing that Alexander Hamilton became embroiled in a sex scandal—because he did, quite literally, write it down right there. In excruciating detail. With appendices. The musical’s timeline presents a wonderful spiral of loss and forgiveness as Eliza learned of the affair with the 1797 publication of the Reynolds Pamphlet, and then has her and Alexander largely estranged until Philip Hamilton’s death by duel. Their reconciliation out of grief over their son occurs before the election of 1800.
My Dear Hamilton asserts a number of differences here. Historically, the affair is documented to have occurred in 1791–92. And Hamilton published the Reynolds Pamphlet in 1797 in an attempt to clear his name of charges of speculation. Philip Hamilton died by duel in November 1801, after the election of 1800.
Even so, the big question remained: when did Eliza know?
We think it’s highly likely that she already knew before the Reynolds Pamphlet. When James Monroe and others first confronted Hamilton about possible financial impropriety, rumors Eliza would’ve heard spread thereafter. In August of 1793, Eliza and Alexander nearly died of yellow fever, and the next year, Alexander tendered his resignation from public office. Though he remained a public figure, he appears to have become more focused
on his family. His letters to Eliza are tender, devoted, appreciative, and seemingly apologetic. To us, the timing of all that felt more than coincidental, leading us to posit that Eliza learned of his infidelity in 1792. We like to believe their near-death experiences and reconciliation led Hamilton to reevaluate his priorities and dedicate himself to Eliza and their growing brood.
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr is the narrator for most of the musical in which he makes a sympathetic villain and delightful foil. But Burr posed a special challenge for us in writing My Dear Hamilton.
Eliza definitely knew him and his wife, Theodosia. They were, as described by a contemporary, in and out of each other’s houses during those early years. Burr studied in Eliza’s father’s law library at the Schuyler Mansion in Albany, and socialized with the Hamiltons frequently when they all lived in New York City. But once the rivalry between the two men escalated, Eliza saw less and less of Burr. Though Alexander continued to have occasion to interact with and correspond with Burr, Eliza had far less reason.
In My Dear Hamilton, we were telling her story, so Burr was rarely central to it, even though his actions would change the whole course of her life one fateful day at Weehawken.
Another Fifty Years
In the last song of the musical, Eliza briefly but emotionally summarizes some of her accomplishments during the fifty years after her husband’s death.
From the beginning, we wanted to tell Eliza’s whole story. Just as Eliza was someone before she met Alexander, she was also someone after he died, and she was a widow for far longer than she was a wife. Indeed, this was one way we wanted My Dear Hamilton to stand out. The source material for Eliza’s later years is scarce, scattered, and therefore time-consuming to track down. But once we did that work, we found that there was so much that we couldn’t begin to include it all. Thankfully, it did give us the opportunity to tell Eliza’s story as it’s never been told before!
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Praise for Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie’s My Dear Hamilton
“My Dear Hamilton is a superbly written, meticulously researched homage to the birth of America as seen from the eyes of a woman who helped bring it to life. Eliza Schuyler Hamilton is much more than a Founding Father’s wife; she’s a passionate patriot who finds the strength to steer her tempestuous husband away from his own worst instincts even when he betrays her. At once a wartime drama, a woman’s coming-of-age, and a lesson on politics that resonates in today’s world, My Dear Hamilton is the book of the year.”
—Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Alice Network
“Not since I read Erik Larson’s Dead Wake have I had such an edge-of-my-seat immersion into historical events. Eliza Hamilton is a remarkable heroine, depicted here with gorgeous prose and heart-tugging realism. No study of Alexander Hamilton would be complete without reading this book and learning the true source of the great man’s strength—his wife. Full of history, engaging characters who shimmer on each page, and a tremendous love story, this is a book for everyone.”
—Karen White, New York Times bestselling author
“Following their stunning success in America’s First Daughter, Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie have penned an unforgettable story of the woman behind Hamilton. Combining treachery, lies, and the fate of those present at the birth of a nation, My Dear Hamilton is a masterpiece that is both intimate in detail and epic in scope—a triumph!”
—Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale
“My Dear Hamilton is a fascinating work of historical fiction, beautifully crafted and richly detailed. If you think you already know Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, her role in the founding of our country, her marriage, and her heartbreak, you’ll marvel at the woman you meet in this compelling novel.”
—Jennifer Chiaverini, New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker and Enchantress of Numbers
“From the first pages of My Dear Hamilton, the words ‘In the secret seethings of my discontented heart,’ I was pulled in and swept away by this epic tale. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, this stunning novel captures the courage, strength, and kindness of the remarkable woman behind Alexander Hamilton. A fascinating read!”
—Ellen Marie Wiseman, internationally bestselling author of The Life She Was Given
“Did you ever want your own private window on the past? Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie provide an intimate look into the life of one of our most intriguing Founding Fathers, as well as a front-row view of the ups and downs of the early days of the Republic. If you’ve ever wanted to banter with Hamilton or share a dish of tea with the Marquis de Lafayette, open the covers of My Dear Hamilton and step right into Eliza Hamilton’s parlor. . . . The gang’s all there!”
—Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author of The English Wife
“Eliza Hamilton assumes her rightful place as one of America’s founding mothers as she guides first her husband and then her fledgling nation into the annals of history. My Dear Hamilton is historical fiction at its most addictive!”
—Stephanie Thornton, author of The Tiger Queens
“An incredible, surprising, and altogether lovely tribute to the woman who stood beside one of the most unknowable, irascible, energetic, and passionate men who contributed to the foundation of this nation.”
—Lars D. H. Hedbor, author of The Path: Tales from a Revolution
“My Dear Hamilton reveals the full complexity, brilliance, and passion of Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s Founding Fathers. The novel is a richly imagined, intimate portrait of the birth of a nation told through the eyes of Hamilton’s wife, Eliza. Revenge, betrayal, mutiny, rebellion, adultery, hardship, even duels are woven into the narrative as powerful men—and women—strive to fulfill the promise of freedom from tyranny and oppression. Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, authors of the highly successful America’s First Daughter, prove once again they are a masterful storytelling team.”
—M. K. Tod, author of Time and Regret
And America’s First Daughter
“Authors Dray and Kamoie have performed tireless research. Whether it’s detailing Patsy’s life as a debutante in Paris, where she dances with Lafayette and witnesses the first flickers of the French Revolution, or recounting the world of a Virginia plantation, they’ve done their homework.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“This is a stunning historical novel that will keep you up late, hoping the engaging story never ends. Highly, highly recommended!”
—Historical Novel Society, Editor’s Choice
“A delectable and poignant read. . . . It deftly draws on the volatile atmosphere of Jefferson’s time, recounting his daughter’s little-known story—a heroine tested to the limit, loaded with grit and determination. All the right chords are struck here. You’re going to want to read slow and savor this one. Bravo.”
—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Jefferson Key
“A triumphant, controversial, and fascinating plunge into the complexities of Revolutionary America, where women held power in subtle ways and men hid dangerous secrets. You’ll never look at Jefferson or his legacy the same way again.”
—C. W. Gortner, bestselling author of Mademoiselle Chanel
“Painstakingly researched, beautifully hewn, compulsively readable—this enlightening literary journey takes us from Monticello to Revolutionary Paris to the Jefferson White House, revealing remarkable historical details and dark family secrets, and bringing to life the colorful cast of characters who conceived of our new nation. A must-read.”
—Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Empress
“America’s First Daughter is the story of a generation caught between the past and the future of a nation, and illuminates how the actions of one woman managed to sustain a family in spite of the consequences of both privilege and poverty. Not s
ince Gone with the Wind has a single-volume family saga so brilliantly portrayed the triumphs, trials, and sins of a family in the American South.”
—Erika Robuck, bestselling author of Hemingway’s Girl and The House of Hawthorne
“Fiction can go boldly where history treads warily. In this compelling, poignant novel, Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie open the door into the heart of Martha Jefferson Randolph, the motherless daughter, long-suffering wife, devoted mother, and passionate protector of her famous father’s lies, secrets, and silences. A remarkable and insightful achievement.”
—Virginia Scharff, author of The Women Jefferson Loved
“America’s First Daughter brings a turbulent era to vivid life. All the conflicts and complexities of the Early Republic are mirrored in Patsy’s story. It’s breathlessly exciting and heartbreaking by turns—a personal and political page-turner.”
—Donna Thorland, author of The Turncoat
“I didn’t realize how starved I was for a beautifully written American historical until I read America’s First Daughter. . . . Laced with intricate detailing, plumped with authentic letters, and filled with plenty of fast-paced, harrowing scenes, Dray and Kamoie nailed it!”
—Heather Webb, author of Rodin’s Lover
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Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.
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MY DEAR HAMILTON. Copyright © 2018 by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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