Guest Post by Alex, ENFP
Hamilton
Dominant Introverted Thinking (Ti): Throughout the play, Eliza shows a clear preference for taking her time to think about things rather than leaping into the emotions of the situation. When falling in love with Hamilton, a much more energetic and spontaneous Se-dom, she feels “helpless,” and out of control, all though maybe in a good way. A lot of their courtship actually happens through letters, although “Helpless” focuses mostly on their in-person interactions. Written correspondence leaves more time for reaction and processing things, so it makes sense that this is where she was most comfortable. Later, in “Burn,” she says, “I’m re-reading the letters you wrote me/ I’m searching and scanning for answers/ In every line/ For some kind of sign.” Although this is at least partially retreating into Si, she’s also dealing with her intense emotional reaction through analysis, even though logically it probably won’t reveal anything about her husband’s motivations. Historically, she also remained very involved in politics after Alexander Hamilton’s death, co-founding the Orphan Asylum Society, organizing all of Alexander’s writings, raising funds for the Washington Monument, and defending Alexander to his critics, including, notably, President James Monroe. In “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story,” she says before listing her accomplishments after Alexander’s death, “I stop wasting time on tears.” She prefers remaining emotionally detached, analyzing and working and getting things done, she just has gone through some very emotionally devastating experiences.
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