Allusions to Shakespeare in "Hamilton"

The Broadway musical "Hamilton" is an great example of a piece that uses classical allusions to underscore the overall themes of the play, much like The Waste Land. In the song "Take a Break", US Treasurer Alexander Hamilton writes to his sister-in-law Angelica Schyuler, whom he considers to be intellectually equal with. In his letters, he openly quotes Macbeth,

“Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day”
I trust you’ll understand the reference to
Another Scottish tragedy without my having to name the play
They think me Macbeth, and ambition is my folly


Madison is Banquo, Jefferson’s Macduff..

Ambition is, in fact, his folly, and it's shown very clearly throughout the musical. Hamilton started from nothing, yet his ambition drove him to fight for his people and become one of the nation's founding fathers. Madison is Banquo, as he and Hamilton were partners in writing most of the US Constitution but ended up split political parties, much like Banquo switching loyalties with Macbeth. Jefferson, much like Macduff, comes back to America after Hamilton has already gained a lot of political power, and eventually becomes his main opponent.