Question

Alexander Hamilton Lyrical Analysis

James Madison, about Hamilton
Then a hurricane came, and devastation reigned
Our man saw his future drip, dripping down the drain
Put a pencil to his temple, connected it to his brain
And he wrote his first refrain, a testament to his pain

Why is the use of "reigned" interesting, and what's the Rhetorical impact of the use of the word?

Answer 1

When listening to the song it has quite an impact on how the listener feels about the lyrics. If devastation reigns it means it is taking control of something and is very intense in the way it is used in the song lyrics. It is showing just how much of an impact Hamilton's experience as a young man affects him and how it results in him pursuing his future as he did.