U3 The New Colossus - Poetic Structure

Define

You can probably identify poetry when you see it, but how would you define it? Poetry, unlike most prose, is a formal and
intentional arrangement of words on a page. In poetry, every word, every line break, every use (or lack) of punctuation is
carefully chosen so that the poem expresses a certain theme, tone, or mood.

In terms of structure, a poem may be arranged in lines of different lengths, and the lines may be grouped into stanzas with
differing numbers of lines. Well known poetic structures are called poetic forms. Some forms that you might already be familiar
with include haiku, limerick, sonnet, and villanelle. In addition to these well known forms, though, poetic structure can refer to
any principle of order that a poet gives to a piece. A poet writing about a dog might arrange the lines to actually look like a dog!
As strange as that might be, it’s poetic structure, too.

Sometimes, though, a poet might abandon a poetic form entirely. When poets write without consistent meter, rhyme, or stanza
length, it’s called open form. When analyzing an open form poem, it’s important to remember that not having a regular structure
is still a choice that the poet has made for his or her work.

Identification and Application:

●Analyze the impact of the repetition of sounds in a poem.

●Analyze how a poem’s formal structure (e.g., sonnet) or lack of it (free verse) contributes to its theme, content, and
meaning.

●Analyze how the meaning of the poem (what it says) connects with the structure (how the poem says it). The shape,
rhyme, and rhythm of a poem all work together to express its theme (or message).

●Here are some steps to keep in mind when determining the form or structure of a poem:

○Before looking at specific lines or groups of lines, scan the whole poem to see if it uses the same structure
throughout. Is it a short poem or a long poem? Are the lines all the same length? If the lines are grouped into
stanzas, or verses, are they the same length, or do they vary? A quick glance over the poem can provide a lot of
information before you even begin reading.

○Look for rhyming words, especially at the ends of lines, and read the poem aloud to hear its rhythm.

○Analyzing a section of the poem can provide clues to the poem’s overall structure.

Model

One of the most famous American poems is “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus. But did you know that the poem is actually written in
the form of an Italian sonnet? Technically, the poem is a Petrarchan sonnet, which was made popular by the Italian poet Petrarch in the
1300s.

Like other sonnet forms, a Petrarchan sonnet consists of 14 lines, but these lines are divided into two groups—of eight and six
lines—unlike some other sonnet forms. However, like the English sonnet used by Shakespeare, a Petrarchan sonnet has a traditional
rhyme scheme and a traditional meter known as iambic pentameter.

The first eight lines of the Petrarchan sonnet are called the octave, and the last six lines are called the sestet. A Petrarchan sonnet
usually shifts its tone or focus between the octave and the sestet. This shift is called a volta, which in Italian means “turn.” In many
sonnets, the octave might present a problem or an idea, and the sestet might offer a solution or a new way of thinking about the matter.

The two parts of the Petrarchan sonnet use different rhyme schemes. The rhyme scheme of the octave is always ABBAABBA .The
rhyme scheme of the sestet is more flexible and may vary. The most common sestet rhyme schemes are CDECDE or CDCDCD. In “The
New Colossus,” Lazarus uses CDCDCD rhyme scheme for the last six lines of her poem. All the lines in the Petrarchan (or Italian)
sonnet use an iambic pentameter rhythm, which means that each line has five iambs. An iamb is an unstressed syllable followed by a
stressed syllable. If a reader thinks of meter as soft and loud claps, iambic pentameter rhythm would be clap-CLAP, clap-CLAP,
clap-CLAP, clap-CLAP, clap-CLAP.

Model

A reader can analyze the first eight lines of “The New Colossus” to confirm that it is a Petrarchan sonnet. Notice that here, the rhyming
words are all boldfaced.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon- hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

The first question to ask is, how many lines are in this first part of the poem? The answer is eight.

The second question to ask is, what is the rhyme scheme of these eight lines? The rhyme scheme is regular—so the eight lines are an
octave—with an ABBAABBA pattern. The “A” rhymes are “fame” (line 1), “flame” (line 4), “name” (line 5), and “frame” (line 8), while the
“B” rhymes are “land” (line 2), “stand” (line 3), “hand” (line 6), and “command” (line 7). The use of this traditional rhyme scheme
(ABBAABBA) is one proof that the poem is a Petrarchan sonnet. Now notice the strong end rhymes. They give the sonnet a sense of
energy. They also help the poet get across her message. For example, notice how “flame” in line 4 and “name” in line 5, which are tied
together by rhyme, are also linked as important elements of the Statue of Liberty.

Model

The third question to ask is whether there is a volta —a turn, or shift—from the octave to the last six lines. The answer is yes. The focus
in the octave is the comparison between the ancient Greek Colossus of Rhodes and the new Statue of Liberty, although the poet doesn’t
identify the statues by name. Lazarus describes the Statue of Liberty as a “mighty woman with a torch” and notes how different the “New
Colossus” is from the old one. Unlike the “conquering limbs” (line 2) of the original Colossus, the “Mother of Exiles” (line 6) has “mild
eyes” (line 7) and welcomes people from all over the world. Then, in the sestet (the last six lines), the poet steps aside and lets the Statue
of Liberty speak:

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

In some of the most quoted lines in poetry, the Statue of Liberty directly addresses the “ancient lands,” telling them to send her their
“huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” The poem ends with the Statue of Liberty proclaiming a welcome: “I lift my lamp beside the
golden door!”

Your Turn

Reread the last six lines (the sestet) from “The New Colossus.” Then answer the follow-up questions.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Poll

Part A

Think about the message (or theme) in the sestet and the effect that the rhyme scheme has on it. What message is expressed in the sestet?

• People around the world are in pain.

• The statue stands silent.

• There is freedom for all in the United States of America.

• Many people are huddled in masses.

Multiple Choice

Part B

Which set of rhyming lines BEST supports your answer to Part A?

• “‘Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!’ cries she” / “‘Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me’"

• ‘“Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,’” / “‘Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me’”

• “‘The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.’” / ‘“Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me’”

• “With silent lips. ‘Give me your tired, your poor,’” / ‘“The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.’”