Rhetorical Devices In The New Colossus

Rhetorical Analysis: The New Colossus In the 18th century Emma Lazarus wrote the poem, “The New Colossus”. This poem is a Petrarchan sonnet. This is a form of poetry that is less established in English verse than the Shakespearean sonnet. In 1883 the poem was released in a New York Times article. Lazarus compares her poem in the beginning to the Greek statue The Colossus of Rhodes. Her poem shows through rhetorical devices that unlike the Colossus of Rhodes, the Statue of Liberty is welcoming and compassionate to human beings. She uses imagery, word choice, and personification to portray this. Lazarus uses the Statue of Liberty to illustrate how America is a magnificent country that cares for others. Though the poem expresses complex ideas, Lazarus uses
The rhetorical poem did reach her intended audience. Having a specific tone, such as Lazarus's open and benevolent tone, helps to know the author’s desired audience and what the author is trying to portray. In the poem, it states, “With conquering limbs.a mighty woman.Mother of Exiles” (Lazarus 2, 4, 6). Emma Lazarus’s word choice in her poem creates an idea of what her tone is and what the Statue of Liberty is like and stands for. The word choice in the poem, “The New Colossus”, portrays the Statue of Liberty as a motherly, mighty, and a hero. Lazarus’s choice of words evokes emotion in the reader, which is a form of pathos. When Lazarus compares the statue as being mighty and motherly, it is emotional and helps the reader understand the emotional figure the Statue of Liberty is. 3. The poem “The New Colossus” has a powerful message, but beyond that, the poem’s masterful structure and organization contributes significantly to the poem’s enduring impact and overall message. Emma Lazarus states in her poem, “Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame.her mild eyes command.with silent lips” (Lazarus 7,