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Peggy
In the second act, Maria Reynolds is a seductive young woman with an abusive husband. Maria seeks out Hamilton both for financial support and for a secretive affair (“Say No to This”); when the affair comes out, it tarnishes Hamilton’s reputation almost beyond repair. Yet Maria, who ends up falling in love with Hamilton almost despite herself, is depicted as a sympathetic figure.
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Maria Reynolds Character Timeline in Hamilton
The timeline below shows where the character Maria Reynolds appears in Hamilton. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 2: Say No to This
...is exhausted from working so hard. A few weeks in, he meets a woman named Maria Reynolds, who tells him her husband has been abusing her. Hamilton offers her a loan,...
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Soon after the affair starts, Hamilton gets a letter from James Reynolds, Maria’s husband. James knows about the affair, and he is blackmailing Hamilton: either Hamilton has to...
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Act 2: We Know
...Hamilton explains that he has not stolen money—but he also overshares, confessing his affair with Maria. Before Burr leaves, he hints to Hamilton that he might use this scandalous information against...
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Act 2: Hurricane
...again, even in traumas like his mother’s death. He resolves to publish the story of Maria, while Burr gleefully chants to “wait for it.”
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