The New Colossus

“The New Colossus” was written by the Jewish-American poet Emma Lazarus. She wrote it as part of a drive in 1883 to raise funds for a pedestal for the Statue of Liberty. The poem was written during the American Realist period of the late 19th century, but stylistically it harkens back to the Romantic period early in the century. It takes the form of a Petrarchan sonnet though with a partly variant rhyme scheme. The poem sees the Statue of Liberty, and by extension the United States of America, as a place of refuge for the displaced and unwanted peoples of the world. As such, it contrasts traditional European values and beliefs with a new American ethos. Though a prolific writer, Lazarus is remembered today mostly for this poem, which has become as much of a national icon as the statue it commemorates.

Poet Biography

Emma Lazarus was born on July 22, 1849 to a large and prosperous family. Though of Jewish descent, the family did not participate in Jewish community life. She and her siblings received an extensive education, and Emma showed an early interest in writing poetry.