"The World Was Wide Enough"
Lyrics with Character Names: Total Words: 732, Words Counted Once: 304
Most common Words: "Burr" (23 times), "Company" (16 times), "Hamilton" (10 times)
Lyrics without Character Names: Total Words: 678, Words Counted Once: 297
Most Common Words: "Number" (7 times), "Side" (7 times), "Hamilton" (6 times)
HISTORICAL SPOILER ALERT AHEAD! This is it, the famous battle between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. The song starts with the counting of "numbers" like in "Ten Duel Commandments" (a duel is about to happen). Burr explains to the audience how he and Hamilton met up. "Burr" argues that he was clearly going to die, but with the help of the "company" members that he was not going to let Hamilton "make and orphan of my daughter", so he fires his gun. The music cuts of and as the actors move in slow motion, Hamilton talks about his impending doom by repeating his notable phrase "I imagine death so much, it feels more a memory". He contemplates seeing his mother and his son both "on the other side". He apologizes to Eliza and tells her to take her time. The bullet strikes Hamilton while Hamilton fires his gun to the sky (taking the dignified way[same way he told Philip during his duel] and not killing another man). Burr tells how Hamilton died with Eliza and Angelica at his side. But he is now the villain of every story told. This is his legacy.
"The World was Wide Enough" is a hauntingly beautiful song. So much is told in a small amount of time and it is the climax of the whole musical. The audience has gone through the story full of ups and downs as each character works to create their legacy, but Burr narrates what that really means. Either way the listeners are left in awe of each man in a way getting what they desired and like any great character, we mourn with them when things don't go as planned. Whatever character the listener connected with felt the shift of Alexander's death, and in turn striking the audience to the emotional core. Take it from a wannabe playwright, this is not an easy task because that feeling is indescribable and it is perfectly captured.
Back to Coggle Hamilton character mind map: https://coggle.it/diagram/WNMHd-Ej5QAB6iqC