The Speaker

The poem's speaker is very likely some version of Lazarus herself, though they might just as easily represent an anonymous American citizen. Eight lines are commanded by this narrating voice, which details the physical likeness of the Statue as well as the national values that it represents. On the whole, the speaker employs an eloquent, celebratory tone – they are impressed by the Statue's nobility and artistic grandeur.

The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty (or Lady Liberty, as it is colloquially called) is the personified subject of "The New Colossus." Described by the speaker during the first eight lines, it takes on a voice of its own by line nine, and closes out the piece with a stirring, often quoted entreaty to the wandering emigrants of the world. It embodies a set of salutary, typically American ideals, including freedom, equality, and tolerance. Readers will notice that...