Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty

        “How do we define Liberty? The word has many different and sometimes contradictory meanings. As Isaiah Berlin observed, “it is a term so porous that there is little interpretation that it seems able to resist” (28, George). 129 years old “Statue of Liberty” an icon and symbolic representation of America’s freedom, democracy, integrity, abolishment of slavery and development is considered more significant than a monument. It has been considered a universal inspiration and well wishing gesture of American sovereignty. Millions of tourists from around the globe visit it each year and it has been a popular and favoured backdrop of many American political and private campaigns. Many American organisations still prefer to keep their logo entail it, to show their association with this epic piece of art. Statue of liberty has historical and national significance and served many purposes with diverse meanings.  

        Statue of Liberty was created with the efforts of French sculptor Frederic Bartholdi in association with Gustave Eiffel. Eiffel was responsible for all the steel and copper work (technicalities of structure) and the rest of the sculpture was designed and produced by Bartholdi. In 1886, France presented the prestige monument to USA as a well wishing gesture on its Centennial Anniversary of independence. Moreover, it was given to American government in tribute to their political and military cooperation with French government during world wars (Libertyellisfoundation.org). France wanted to acknowledge its long-term alliance with America in the revolutionary war, so for long-term remembrance it presented Statue of Liberty to American Nation and installed it at New York Harbour, so the whole world could witness their cordial relations.    

“We will not forget that Liberty has here made her home;
nor shall her chosen altar be neglected."
—(President Grover Cleveland, 1886) (183, Khan).

        US President Grover Cleveland accepted this gesture of goodwill with pleasure and till today it has been well taken care of due to its national and international significance. The gesture of friendship and appreciation from France has been representing Humanitarianism, democracy and goodwill to poor masses of the world. And that is why Cleveland determined Liberty’s actual home a country that advocated freedom and humanitarianism since its inception.

        Historically, the task of creating this giant and classic sculpture was divided into two parts: France took the responsibility of statue creation and the pedestal with assembly of it was the responsibility of America. Both countries saw difficulty in fund raising; France accumulated its funds by various means like lottery tickets, pubic fees and through the fee of entertainment programs. On the other hand, America also experienced intricacies in collecting funds for the pedestal and used various form of auctions and charity theatre programs, art exhibitions for the funds (Centre). However, the collected amount was not sufficient for the pedestal creation and assembly of Statue of Liberty.

        Therefore, Joseph Pulitzer dedicated his editorial page “The World” for the sake of fund raising. He appreciated and criticized the efforts of fund collectors and providers and thus, his criticism worked and Americans donated sufficient funds for pedestal through his campaign. Installation of this huge statue also took time and France shipped it into 350 pieces and it took 4 months to assemble it (Great buildings).

        Initially, Statue of Liberty was supposed to function, as a lighthouse for the New York Harbour and that is why it was maintained and operated by US Light House Board till 1901. However, during the time of World War I, President Calvin Coolidge declared it as national monument and its responsibility of maintenance and operation was given to National Park services.

        While fund raising campaign for the “Liberty Enlightening the World Statue” was commencing a novice poet of New York Emma Lazarus paid her tribute to the monument in the form of her esteem sonnet “The New Colossus”. The sonnet was written in 1883 with the aim to raise funds for the pedestal as it rightly portrayed the symbolic meaning of the statue and thus, found its place in the pedestal. Now, “The New Colossus” is engraved in the entrance wall of the pedestal. As a Jewish settler in America, Emma Lazarus knew how to pay her tribute to the nation, which has welcomed thousands of immigrants since its inception. She accurately wrote the optimistic and inspirational vibe of this monument on the immigrant and other spectators.  

  "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-tossed
to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door."  (77, Sutherland).  

        Statue of Liberty has been considered the classic project of construction and art of 19th century. It is an inspiration of Roman Goddesses of freedom, who is wearing a robe and holding a torch of light in one hand and a book of law (on which American independence date is inscribed) in the other hand. Statue of Liberty has been installed in Ellis Island and at New York Harbour, where tourists and immigrant can view it easily as soon as they enter in American domain. The monument covers almost 12-acre area of the Liberty Island and weighs about 225ton with 305 feet height. Tourists and visitors have to climb 354 stairs to view the spectacle sight from the windows in the crown. However, after September 11, 2001 attack, the staircase was locked for visitors and nobody could view from the crown of liberty. Yet, the park, pedestal, deck, museum and other affiliated tourist spots are still open for spectators to view its magnificence and it reopened on July 4, 2009 (Chan).