Emma Lazarus and ‘The New Colossus’
Emma Lazarus is renowned primarily for a single poem, ‘The New Colossus’, which is inscribed on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Written in 1883, this poem significantly influenced the perception of the Statue of Liberty as a welcoming figure and America as a nation built by immigrants. This idea was further reinforced by the fact that the Statue was the first major landmark that immigrants arriving in the United States would encounter.
Context
The arrival of the Statue of Liberty in the United States from France in 1886 was a monumental national event, often credited with inspiring the very first ticker-tape parade. In contrast, Lazarus’ poem did not receive the acclaim it deserved during her lifetime. In fact, ‘The New Colossus’ went largely unnoticed until after her death in 1887, when it was finally published. It wasn’t until 1945 that the poem gained widespread recognition, becoming inscribed over the entrance to the Statue of Liberty.
Originally intended as propaganda, the Statue was meant to represent the light-bearing female personification of Liberty, a symbol of enlightenment for those European nations still oppressed by tyranny. However, Lazarus transformed this intention through her poem, reimagining the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of welcome for immigrants fleeing their homelands, thus dubbing it the ‘Mother of Exiles’.
Summary
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
The title of the poem clearly highlights the Statue of Liberty as a ‘new colossus’, contrasting it with the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. A common misconception from the Middle Ages suggested that the Colossus straddled the harbor, similar to the Statue of Liberty, which was one of the first sights for incoming travelers. However, the Colossus did not actually stand in such a manner. This misconception allows Lazarus to juxtapose the aggressive, ‘brazen’ male statue of the Greek Colossus with the welcoming, nurturing figure of the Statue of Liberty.
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles.
This nurturing aspect is embodied in the epithet ‘Mother of Exiles’: this new colossus is a caring figure, a beacon of hope for those exiled from their own countries. The Statue of Liberty is not just a passive symbol; she is a ‘mighty woman’ who embodies strength and power, standing in stark contrast to the male Colossus of ancient Greece. The torch she holds high is not merely a light but symbolizes ‘imprisoned lightning’, representing the potent ideals of enlightenment that she signifies.
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
The triple alliteration of ‘world-wide welcome’ reflects the statue’s role—and, by extension, that of America—as a place that embraces individuals from across the globe. During the nineteenth century, immigrants from various nations sought refuge and opportunity in the U.S.
Critics have debated the meaning of the line, ‘The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame’. Carol Rumens has suggested that it alludes to the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge in the same year the poem was written, with ‘twin cities’ referring to Brooklyn and New York as separate settlements.
‘Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!’ cries she
With silent lips. ‘Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
The sestet, or six-line conclusion of the poem, gives a voice to the Statue of Liberty, imagining her ‘silent lips’ addressing the immigrants and welcoming them to their new home. Lazarus’ phrase ‘the huddled masses yearning to breathe free’ has become synonymous with the Statue of Liberty and resonates with those unfamiliar with the poem itself. It underscores the plight of many arriving in the U.S., who were escaping persecution, conflict, or poverty, longing for the freedom they sought.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
These ‘homeless’ individuals, having fled their native lands, are depicted as being tossed across the stormy Atlantic until they reach New York. Here, the Statue of Liberty raises her lamp in welcome. The ‘door’ into the United States is described as ‘golden’, echoing the earlier ‘sunset’ imagery and alluding to the idea of America as a land of prosperity and opportunity, where individuals could escape destitution and build new lives.
Analysis
‘The New Colossus’ is rich in contrasts: land versus sea, fire versus water, light versus darkness, and freedom versus imprisonment are all themes present within this short sonnet. However, perhaps the most significant contrast lies in the title itself, which contrasts the old colossus with the new one, symbolizing the transition from the Old World to the New World of America.
‘Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!’ declares the new colossus. The ancient lands of Europe can retain their historical grandeur; America, the new land of liberty, offers a fresh start for anyone seeking it. The shift from a male to a female representation is also noteworthy: the ‘conquering’ male Colossus of Rhodes, erected to deter invaders, has been replaced by the nurturing, maternal Statue of Liberty, which embraces those arriving on American shores in search of a better future.
Form
Lazarus’ poem is structured as a Petrarchan sonnet, following the rhyme scheme abbaabba cdcdcd. This format divides the poem into an octave (the first eight lines) and a sestet (the final six lines). In Petrarchan sonnets, there is typically a ‘turn’ or volta at the beginning of the sestet.
Indeed, Lazarus’ sestet transitions from the speaker’s own words to the imagined voice of the statue, as it proclaims: ‘Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp …’ This shift allows the statue to speak directly to the readers, welcoming them into the narrative of hope and opportunity.