One of the dominant images in “The New Colossus” is “A mighty woman with a torch.” This image reaches back to Deborah, the biblical hero whose story can be found in the book of Judges. Nineteenth-century American Jewry often turned to the biblical figure of Deborah as an ideal image of maternal power. But Lazarus offers a different interpretation by representing Deborah not so much as a domestic goddess, but as a powerful public figure.

Suggested Activity: Read the source sheet and examine the image with students and ask: How do these excerpts about and this image of Deborah influence your understanding of the Statue of Liberty and your interpretation of Lazarus’s poem?