The Statue Of Freedom In The New Colossus

“The New Colossus,” an Italian sonnet by Emma Lazarus, describes the Statue of Liberty guiding the immigrants with her glowing hands and welcoming them into America. Lazarus, using imagery and specific diction, reveals that the Statue of Liberty represents peace and acceptance, therefore, showing America is a country of freedom that protects and accept the immigrants who are “yearning to breathe free” (11).

In the beginning of the poem, Lazarus uses comparison and specific diction to disclose that the Statue of Liberty symbolizes peace and welcoming: “Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame / With conquering limbs astride from land to land;“ (1-2). The “giant of Greek fame” alludes to the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue built to celebrate the

Using the adjectives “sea-washed” and “sunset” to describe the “gates,” Lazarus creates a serene imagery where the waves wash the gates and the golden sunlight surrounds the gates, the entrance to America, setting a warming and gracious mood. At this calming place, the statue holds a torch with “imprisoned lightning.” The “lightning” connotes danger because lightning can electrify and kill a person. However, with “imprisoned lightning,” the danger is locked in place, suggesting there is no danger. Therefore, the Statue of Liberty protects the immigrants through eliminating danger, showing America’s kindness toward these people. Likewise, the name for the statue, “Mother of Exiles,” displays compassion towards the immigrants. A mother figure is attentive and affectionate, which conveys that the statue will take care of the exiles and love the exiles, and the exiles in this poem are the immigrants who leave their ancient lands. In the next line, Lazarus describes the statue’s “beacon-hand / Glows world-wide welcome” (6-7), creating a calming imagery where everyone in the world can see the light and are welcomed to come, and the alliteration adds on to the serene mood. In addition, the overall rhyme schemes make the poem pleasant to read and maintain the positive tone. The light symbolizes guidance to freedom as it leads people into America, searching for a new life. Following this imagery, Lazarus describes the location of the statue, in the harbor between two cities, which are New York City and