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25 September 2017

Introduction

The poem, 'New Colossus,' inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty helped the statue to claim its place in United States’ collective consciousness even after decades of obscurity. Built in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was a symbol of friendship with the French, the abolition of the American slavery and celebration of democracy. However, the marvelous piece of art failed to symbolize a welcoming home to the tired, huddled masses from all regions of the world. This situation wasn’t until Emma Lazarus, a minor figure in the 19th-century American literature coined a poem ranked as one of the most famous verses in the U.S. history (Houng Ha, 2017). The lines, published in 1883 as part of an effort to raise funds and celebrate the completion of the statue became the ultimate expression of America’s image as the most welcoming nation to immigrants. Over the years, the New Colossus has been the subject of debate with regards to immigration on the onset of the twentieth century. However, it is through this national ideology that the Statue of Liberty was transformed into a beacon of hope for immigrants and foreigners in search of a better livelihood in the United States. This paper seeks to analyze the depiction of immigration by the poem in the late nineteen and early twentieth century, the patterns of Jewish immigrants as well as the shift towards legislation that restricted immigration.

Analysis

Depicting immigration in the late 19th and early 20th Century

The New Colossus is considered a myth conjured by Lazarus, an author who had devoted herself to averting the plight of Russian- Jewish refugees. The mystery of the poem lies in how Lazarus imagined the monument as a goddess referred to as the Mother of Exiles. The goddess is believed to have always welcomed the tired and miserable people to an eternity of freedom while guiding the way with her bright lamp. This blueprint coincided with the author’s beliefs that the already established and financially stable Jews in the United States bore the responsibility to assist their fellow newcomers who came into the country. Fellow poets including James R. Lowell applauded the poem as it provided the statue with the reason to exist and guidance to the American people throughout generations to come. Even after her death, the famous words were inscribed on a memorial plaque and engraved at the bottom of the statue to remind the U.S. of its stature as the destination of the oppressed and impoverished in the world (Jardins, 2017)

Furthermore, the poem is a painful narrative of the immigrant experience that is based on the author’s personal life during the early 20th Century. As a Jew, Lazarus faced an outsider status in the American life that led her pen down numerous poems that addressed international Semitism. Surprisingly, the New Colossus became her most famous sonnet by clearly depicting the plight of immigrants’ groups in America and other parts of the globe. To free the entire world from oppression, the author espoused standards that would overcome tribalism and set forth humane immigration practices (Houng Ha, 2017). As a result of these efforts, the world still hears the phrases of the poem reverberating through schools and speeches by presidents. An example is the former U.S. President, Barrack Obama’s words of solidarity to France after the deadly terrorist attack in Paris. In his stance, Obama referred to the letter and spirit of the poem that everyone has the humanitarian duty help, desperate refugees, while ensuring security to all natives.

Patterns of European-Jewish immigration and the legislative changes regarding immigration.

The early 20th Century commonly referred to as the era of exclusion witnessed the eruption of immigration politics that influenced the migration of Jews into Europe and later the United States. Despite the imposition of policies that restricted immigration into America, Jewish immigrants continued to flock into European nations especially after a failed attempt to enter the ‘free society.' As America build up its walls, liberals such as Lazarus welcomed the idea of assimilating immigrants from different parts of the world (Samsel 2017). History dictates that the last two decades witnessed the largest surge of Jewish immigrants in America when compared the population of immigrants at that given time. Years after the curving of the iconic poem, Jews and other immigrants from the Europe entered America through the golden door and transformed the existing social system.

In conclusion, the New Colossus poetry accurately depicts the status of immigration on the onset of the twentieth century. While transforming the Statue of Liberty into a beacon of hope for immigrants and foreigners seeking a livelihood in the United States, the poem illustrates the plight of immigrants during the era of exclusion. Regardless of the policies that restricted immigration, more Jewish immigrants found their way into America as most natives became receptive to cultural, racial and social diversity.

References

Houng Ha, T., (2017) “The story behind the Statue of Liberty’s unexpected transformation into a beacon for refugees and immigrants”.

Jardins, J. (2017) “The New Colossus”: Emma Lazarus and the Immigrant Experience”.

Samsel, H., (2017) “Yes, Statue of Liberty poem is linked to immigration, says poet's biographer”.