Burn

The song “Burn” is about how Eliza felt and reacted once she heard about Hamilton’s affair with Maria Reynolds. “Burn” begins with Eliza talking about how excited and happy she was when she first met Hamilton and they started writing letters to each other. It continues with Eliza discussing how Angelica warned her about Hamilton from the very beginning saying, “Be careful with that one love, he will do what it takes to survive.” When I heard this line for the first time I immediately thought that a possible reason for Angelica doing this was partially because she wanted Hamilton and she thought that by saying that she may give Eliza doubts about him and ultimately break them up without anyone knowing. However, because Angelica really does care about Eliza, it also may have just been Angelica saying to be careful because she knows that Hamilton has never been satisfied with anyone or anything.

Besides this, the song continues with Eliza saying how amazing the letters that he wrote her were and how meaningful they were to her. She then goes on to say that Hamilton ruined everything that she and him had by both cheating on her and that by publishing the letters that Maria had written him, he ruined their lives. Eliza concludes the song by saying that in Hamilton trying to clear his name he has shown that he cares more about his legacy and how people perceive him more than Eliza. She also says that he “Forfeits the right to her heart, their bed,” and will “…Sleep in your office instead.” Finally she states that she is burning all of the memories and letters that Hamilton wrote to her that could somehow redeem him, and that she hopes that he “Burns.”