Poetry Analysis: The New Colossus - Essay Example

Poetry Analysis: The New Colossus Poetry Analysis: The New Colossus Meaning The poem is about the Statue of Liberty and how it greets immigrants from all over the globe. The “Colossus” in the title represents one of the seven marvels of ancient civilizations: the Colossus of Rhodes. The speaker makes sure to inform the audience (people immigrating to America) that the Statue of Liberty is “modern” in contrast to its ancient Greek predecessor. The audience’s thoughts about the poem’s title are confirmed in the first line, which states: “Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame.” From this point, the audience can deduce that the speaker is referring to the “new” Colossus in the United States. It is clear that the poem has a speaker or voice (narrator) because there is not one self-allusive pronoun like “I.” On the contrary, the pronoun “her” is used severally throughout the poem lines 5 to 7 (Lazarus, 2014). Use of the pronoun “our” shows that the audience is implicit in the first part. In the second part of the poem, however, the audience becomes active (explicit); this is shown by the speaker’s use of the pronoun “your” when referring to immigrants. As a reader, the poem creates a meaningful experience for me because it talks about two issues I can immediately relate to. The first is identity and the second is immigration. As an adult, I have realized the importance of having both individual and communal identity. While individual identity is about self-awareness, communal identity is about a society’s understanding of its definitive values and ideals. Immigration is a controversial topic in the current world, where cultural intolerance is common. The poem is, to an extent, emotional in the way the speaker addresses the immigrants. The speaker encourages the immigrants to move to the “New World” (America) and welcomes them with love and happiness (Lazarus, 2014). This is a rare experience for most immigrants, who often have to go through various hardships in order to reach their destinations. In summary, the poem carries a lot of meaning because it portrays America as a cultural melting pot and a tolerant society in which all immigrants are welcome to pursue their dreams. Poetic Devices There is repetition in lines 10 and 11 – “your tired, your poor” – is aimed at displaying the Statue of Liberty’s commitment to welcoming all immigrants to America (Lazarus, 2014). In line 14 the author uses imagery – “golden door.” In this context, golden is used to entice the immigrants and the audience, since anything golden symbolizes grandeur and comfort. There is a rhyme in lines 4 and 5 – flame/name – that serves as a connector of the two lines and quickens the poem’s pace (Lazarus, 2014). There is a simile in the first line of the poem, where the speaker states: “Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame.” This is meant to compare the two completely different monuments. From line 10 to line 14, personification is used to give the Statue of Liberty the power of speech (Lazarus, 2014). The stature addresses the immigrants by telling them: “Give me your tired, your poor…” The poem is written in a lyrical style because it is a short sonnet with 14 lines. Connection to Identity The poem has a message on identity, which is illustrated by its allusions to the Statue of Liberty. The speaker contrasts the “new” colossus in America with the “old” one in ancient Greece – the Colossus of Rhodes – (Lazarus, 2014). However, the common denominator in both monuments is a manifestation of identity. Just like the Colossus of Rhodes represented Greek civilization and identity, so does the Statue of Liberty symbolize American identity, which is embodied in the concepts of freedom and liberty. The Statue of Liberty epitomizes America’s emergence as a major power in the “new world.” On the other hand, the Colossus of Rhodes exemplifies Greek society’s advancement and domination during the ancient ages (Lazarus, 2014). However, both monuments give their respective societies the power to understand and relate to their values. The poem also represents identity in the way that it portrays the Statue of Liberty as a welcome sign for immigrants from all regions of the world who are moving to America (Lazarus, 2014). The speaker seems to insinuate that through the monument all immigrants can relate to their new surroundings. Although they are in a foreign land, the Statue of Liberty is a permanent reminder that they understand the identity of their new home and develop a connection with it as the first notable thing they saw as they entered America. In lines 1 to 9, the audience can make a connection between the monument and America’s identity (Lazarus, 2014). For example, in line 4 the monument is described as “a mighty woman with a torch” (Lazarus, 2014). In hindsight, the audience can determine that America is, in fact, a manifestation of a “mighty woman with a torch.” She is fearless, formidable, and influential to the extent that her “light” can neither be ignored nor dimmed. Relation to other Works The themes in the “New Colossus,” “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July” and “A Letter to America” are closely related. The first correlation that is noticeable in the three poems is their themes, which all border on identity and culture. While “New Colossus” talks about the relationship between America’s identity and the Statue of Liberty, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July” and “A Letter to America” discuss America’s refusal to accept slaved as part of its identity and culture and its unpleasant change in identity and culture respectively. However, while “New Colossus” paints a picture of optimism, the other two poems carry a message of despair and disillusionment. Finally, the three poems share a number of stylistic devices that serve to emphasize their messages. “New Colossus” features personification (lines 10 to 14), imagery (line 14), rhyme (lines 4 and 5), simile (line 1) and repetition (lines 10 and 11). On the other hand, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July” makes heavy use of rhyme schemes in many of its lines. These include lines 3 and 4 as well as 7 and 8 (Douglass, 2008). The poem also has repetition (“will come”) in the third-last lines of stanzas 2, 3, and 4. “A Letter to America” uses personification prominently in all its parts. America is addressed using the pronoun “you”, in a way that suggests it is human. America is also given several human attributes like “putting God on the money”, “gutting” the Constitution and writing books (Atwood, 2008). Finally, the poem also features simile, in which the speaker compares Baghdad to a pancake. References Atwood, M. (2008). A Letter to America. In The presence of others: Voices and images that call for response (Illustrated ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martins. Douglass, F. (2008). What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July. In The presence of others:Voices and images that call for response (Illustrated ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martins. Lazarus, E. (2014). The Poems of Emma Lazarus, Volume I Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic. Newburyport: Courier Corporation. Read More