The 1883 sonnet "The New Colossus," composed to assist in fundraising for the Statue of Liberty pedestal, secured Emma Lazarus a permanent place in American cultural history. Born in New York City in 1849 into a prominent Jewish family, she navigated a career as a poet, translator, and journalist before her death in 1887.
Literary Development and Early Works
Lazarus received a private education focusing on literature and foreign languages, including German, French, and Italian. She began writing verse at eleven. Her first collection, "Poems and Translations," appeared in 1867, earning praise from William Cullen Bryant. This early work featured her renderings of authors such as Friedrich Schiller, Victor Hugo, and Heinrich Heine. In 1871, she published "Admetus and Other Poems," dedicating the title piece to Ralph Waldo Emerson, who significantly influenced her intellectual growth. Her early prose included the 1874 romance "Alide: An Episode of Goethe's Life" and the 1876 verse tragedy "The Spagnoletto."
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The antisemitic pogroms in Russia following the 1881 assassination of Tsar Alexander II catalyzed a shift in her writing and public engagement. Lazarus began advocating for Jewish immigrants arriving in New York, helping to establish the Hebrew Technical Institute and the Society for the Improvement and Colonization of East European Jews. Her later work reflected this focus, with pieces such as "The Banner of the Jew" and "The Dance to Death." She also supported the economic theories of Henry George, contributing to the movement for land value tax and publishing poetry inspired by his book, "Progress and Poverty."
European Travel and Later Life
Lazarus traveled to Europe in 1883 and again between 1885 and 1887. During these visits, she met figures including William Morris, Henry James, Robert Browning, and Thomas Huxley. Her final book, "Poems in Prose," was released in 1887. She died in New York City that same year and was buried at the Beth Olam Cemetery. Her legacy was formally recognized in 2009 with her induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame.
Fast facts
- Born: 1849, New York City
- Died: 1887, New York City
- Primary occupations: Poet, writer, journalist
- Notable work: The New Colossus
- Notable work: The Banner of the Jew
- Award: National Women's Hall of Fame (2009)
- Religion: Judaism
- Burial site: Beth Olam Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What inspired the sonnet The New Colossus?
It was written in 1883 for an auction conducted by the Art Loan Fund Exhibition to raise money for the Statue of Liberty's pedestal.
What specific charitable work did she perform for immigrants?
She helped establish the Hebrew Technical Institute to provide vocational training and founded the Society for the Improvement and Colonization of East European Jews.
Achievements
- National Women's Hall of Fame — 2009
- Notable work: The New Colossus
- Notable work: The Banner of the Jew
- Worked as poet, writer and journalist
