The New Colossus Commonlit Answers

Andrew has a neat involvement in all aspects of verse and writes extensively on the field of study. His poems are published online and in print.

Emma Lazarus: "The New Colossus"

"The New Colossus" was written in 1883 to help enhance funds for the Statue of Liberty and is now engraved on the base, a permanent reminder of the statue'southward symbolism and Emma Lazarus'southward contribution to American culture.

According to some, Emma Lazarus was the beginning American to make any sense of this statue, being a gift from the country of French republic. Her traditional sonnet form seemed to spark recognition of the statue's primary role—a worldwide welcome to those seeking sanctuary.

Immigrants fleeing to America would see the torch-bearing behemothic as they approached New York and discussion rapidly spread around the globe that here was no ordinary lady but a 'Female parent of Exiles' offer a new life.

Emma Lazarus, adult female, Jew and New Yorker, beautifully encapsulated the feelings of a nation in 14 lines. There'south no doubt it still resonates. Her sonnet stands proud. This verse form is still very relevant for these fragile times.

"The New Colossus"

Not similar the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty adult female with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her proper name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild optics command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Go on, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Requite me your tired, your poor,

Curlicue to Proceed

Analysis of "The New Colossus"

"The New Colossus" is known as a Petrarchan sonnet, a form used by Petrarch, xiv lines long in total, made upwards of an octave, viii lines, and a sestet, 6 lines.

The rhyme scheme is as follows: abbaabba + cdcdcd. All the rhymes are full, for example: fame/flame/name/frame and state/stand/manus/command.

At that place is oft a 'turn' after 8 lines, the final six lines being either a twist or evolution of the main theme. So, from line 9 to the stop, following eight introductory lines, personification takes over—the statue comes live and starts to speak.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

Overall, iambic pentameter prevails (five stresses per line inside ten syllables) which sets a steady tempo for the reader, just watch out for the first line - it opens with a trochee which alters the emphasis. And a spondee (double stress) ends the line:

Not like / the bra / zen gi / ant of / Greek fame,

whilst enjambment occurs at lines 3,four,5,6,7 and ix allowing a menstruation into the following punctuated line.

Giving a phonation to the Mother of Exiles reinforces the idea that those arriving in America for the get-go time are personally welcomed, each and every ane.

Line-by-Line Assay

Line 1 - the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, reputedly stood across the harbor entrance at the island of Rhodes, and was a statue of the Sun god Helios, a symbol of freedom.

Line 2 - this statue is said to accept been 100 feet high and straddled beyond the entrance.

Line 3 - in contrast to the original Colossus, the new one stands at the gates—note the imagery here of waves washing the gates as sunset bathes in a aureate light.

Line 4 - and the statue will be that of a great woman holding a beacon of light.

Line 5 - such a powerful, natural energy source—enough to light upward the sky.

Line half dozen-eight - she will protect and nurture, her inviting warmth will spread across the world and she will wait after all who arrive. The air-span is likely to be the Brooklyn Bridge, the two cities New York and Jersey.

Line ix-xiv - she wants the old countries to be proud of their history but those desperate immigrants fleeing turmoil and poverty she will await after, requite them a home and shelter; their futures will be assured. Wretched reject is a term that reflects the sense of waste of homo life. Notation the spelling of tost in tempest-tost (occurs in MacBeth, Act1, scene3) but information technology can also be spelled tossed—tempest-tossed—striking by storms.

Farther Analysis

Internal rhymes and other poetic devices add together to the texture and richness of this sonnet. For example, note the ingemination and assonance in line iii:

. . . sea-done, sunset gates shall stand

and once more in line 5:

Is the imprisoned lightning,

and line 7:

Glows world-wide welcome;

For the reader and listener, this all helps to maintain interest in audio and meaning. At that place is a special music created in lines 11 and 12:

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refutilise of your teeming sho re.

The iambics and the contrasting vowel sounds combine and intertwine to create a sort of moving ridge-like motion, with echoes.

This is a sonnet of fire and h2o, elementally rich, merely the dominant theme is that of light, symbolised in the lamp and flame, which brings golden opportunities and the possibility of a new starting time in life.

We have to recollect that this poem was written in 1883 when America was young, fresh and in need of new life-blood from all over the earth. America opened her doors to those who were shunned by their home countries, to those who wanted a better life.

Since the engraving of The New Colossus, America has absorbed millions of immigrants and is notwithstanding attracting many who seek the dream. The message in this well-constructed sonnet is positive and welcoming, only what does the future hold for the Mother of Exiles?

Sources

world wide web.poetryfoundation.org

www.poets.org

www.youtube.com

www.loc.gov/poetry