The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is, of course, the sonnet's paramount symbol, functioning as an embodiment of American virtues and turn-of-the-century modernity. Lady Liberty is personified as a kindly, if bold and defiant figure, who watches over prospective immigrants while simultaneously promoting her countrymen's ideal of unconditional humanism.

The Torch

The Statue of Liberty's torch symbolizes both a welcoming, homely hearth and a fire of unquenchable enlightenment. She raises her torch as a "beacon" to uplift and encourage journeying foreigners, while also instructing them in the modern ideals of their new home (6). Comparisons might be made between this flame-bearing goddess and Helios, the original deity at Rhodes, who was celebrated as a sun god.

The Golden Door

The "golden door" of the sonnet's final line refers to American opportunity and prosperity. Additionally, it invokes an image of earthly paradise that can only be reached...