Satisfied

From the musical Hamilton:

[Laurens:]
Alright, alright. That’s what I’m talkin’ about!
Now everyone give it up for the maid of honor
Angelica Schuyler!

[Angelica (all men) {all women}:]
A toast to the groom!
To the bride!
From your sister
Who is always by your side
To your union
And the hope that you provide
May you always…
Be satisfied

Rewind, rewind
Helpless, 
Schuyler, Schuyler
Helpless
Drownin’ in ’em
Drownin’, rewind

I remember that night, I just might (rewind)
I remember that night, I just might (rewind)
I remember that night, I remember that

[Angelica:]
I remember that night, I just might
Regret that night for the rest of my days
I remember those soldier boys
Tripping over themselves to win our praise
I remember that dreamlike candlelight
Like a dream that you can’t quite place
But Alexander, I’ll never forget the first time I saw your face

I have never been the same
Intelligent eyes in a hunger-pang frame
And when you said, “Hi,” I forgot my dang name
Set my heart aflame, every part aflame
[Full Company:]
This is not a game…

[Hamilton:]
You strike me as a woman who has never been satisfied
[Angelica:]
I’m sure I don’t know what you mean
You forget yourself
[Hamilton:]
You’re like me
I’m never satisfied
[Angelica:]
Is that right?
[Hamilton:]
I’ve never been satisfied
[Angelica:]
My name is Angelica Schuyler
[Hamilton:]
Alexander Hamilton
[Angelica:]
Where’s your family from?
[Hamilton:]
Unimportant
There’s a million things I haven’t done 
but just you wait, just you wait…

[Angelica:]
So so so… so this is what it feels like to match wits
With someone at your level! What the hell is the catch?
It’s the feeling of freedom, of seein’ the light
It’s Ben Franklin with a key and a kite! 
You see it, right?

The conversation lasted two minutes, maybe three minutes
Everything we said in total agreement, it’s
A dream and it’s a bit of a dance
A bit of a posture, it’s a bit of a stance

He’s a bit of a flirt, but I’m ‘a give it a chance
I asked about his family. Did you see his answer?
His hands started fidgeting, he looked askance?
He’s penniless, he’s flying by the seat of his pants

Handsome. Boy, does he know it?
Peach fuzz, and he can’t even grow it!
I wanna take him far away from this place
Then I turn and see my sister’s face 
And she is…

[Eliza:]
Helpless…
[Angelica:]
And I know she is…
[Eliza:]
Helpless…
[Angelica:]
And her eyes are just…
[Eliza:]
Helpless…
[Angelica:]
And I realize
[Angelica and Company:]
Three fundamental truths at the exact same time…

[Hamilton:]
Where are you taking me?
[Angelica:]
I’m about to change your life
[Hamilton:]
Then by all means, lead the way

[Company (except Angelica):]
Number one!
[Angelica:]
I’m a girl in a world in which
My only job is to marry rich
My father has no sons so I’m the one
Who has to social climb for one
So I’m the oldest and the wittiest and the gossip in
New York City is insidious
And Alexander is penniless
Ha! That doesn’t mean I want him any less

[Eliza:]
Elizabeth Schuyler. It’s a pleasure to meet you
[Hamilton:]
Schuyler?
[Angelica:]
My sister

[Company:]
Number two!
[Angelica:]
He’s after me ’cause I’m a Schuyler sister
That elevates his status, I’d
Have to be naïve to set that aside
Maybe that is why 
I introduce him to Eliza
Now that’s his bride
Nice going, Angelica, he was right
You will never be satisfied

[Eliza:]
Thank you for all your service
[Hamilton:]
If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it
[Angelica:]
I’ll leave you to it

[Company:]
Number three!
[Angelica:]
I know my sister like I know my own mind
You will never find 
Anyone as trusting or as kind
If I tell her that I love him she’d be silently resigned
He’d be mine
She would say, “I’m fine.”
[Angelica and Company:]
She’d be lying

[Angelica:]
But when I fantasize at night
It’s Alexander’s eyes
As I romanticize what might
Have been if I hadn’t sized
Him up so quickly
At least my dear Eliza’s his wife;
At least I keep his eyes in my life…

From your sister
Who is always by your side
And the hope that you provide
May you always…
And I know
She’ll be happy as
His bride
And I know
He will never be satisfied
I will never be satisfied

Typically the topic of characterization is preserved for novels in English, but characterization plays a crucial role in music as well. In novels the reader learns about the characters through the text. Musicals are really no different; characterization and story telling is done through the lyrics. Lin Manual Miranda’s musical, Hamilton, is no exception. In the song “Satisfied,” the viewer hears Angelica’s world instead her head. Angelica loves Hamilton madly, but her younger sister is marrying him. While Angelica gives her speech, she struggles to forget that she is madly in love with her sister’s new husband. The lyrics of “Satisfied” provide an insight into Angelica’s thoughts.

Characterization plays a significant role in any story. In order for an audience to connect with the story on an emotional level, characters that exemplify raw human emotion are required. Angelica bottles up her love for Hamilton, because she would rather see her own sister happy than herself. Through the power of music the audience learns about Angelica’s internal struggles that shape her motives and values. In “Satisfied” Angelica undergoes the realization that she will never be truly satisfied with her life- hence the title. If she cannot be with Hamilton she will never be happy, but her happiness is not her first priority. Angelica cares about her sister’s happiness more so than her own. Audience members can now grasp that Angelica is a nurturing, selfless older sister.

In a musical the writer uses the lyrics in songs as a way to characterize each character that is apart of the story. The way a writer uses characterization depends on the the point of view of the story. For example, if a story was being told in the first person, then the characters in the story are only shown in the light of the character telling the story. In musicals though, each character has a “song” for the most part. Musicals typically provide internal conflicts, experiences, and thoughts of every character. This method can be done be because of the structure of a musical allows for scenes to be in the head of the characters. The method in which audience members or readers learn about characters is determined by the eyes the story is seen through.