Ethan Frome By Edith Wharton

Edith Wharton Born Edith Jones in an upper class New York City family in 1862 Privately educated by governesses and tutors both at home and abroad After two broken engagements, she married Edward Wharton, an older man suitable to her family’s financial situation and social class Wharton described her marriage as “a disaster intellectually, emotionally, and above all, sexually” Wharton had an affair with a journalist, which coincided with the collapse of her marriage

Biography Continued… When the couple divorced in 1913, Wharton had already been writing fiction, but her doctor advised her to take it up more seriously in order to relieve stress and tension In 1905, Wharton’s first critical success came with the publication of The House of Mirth She moved to Paris in 1910 and became one of the many American expatriates who rejected American society She received the Pulitzer Prize for The Age of Innocence in 1921 In 1924, she became the first woman to receive a degree from Yale University She died in Paris in 1937 at the age of 75

Realism In literature, realism is the attempt to depict life as it is usually experienced without miraculous events, unforseen coincidences, or supernatural intervention. The emphasis is on the way life is for ordinary people, whose behavior and speech mirror their social positions and cultural attitudes Realism is opposed to Romanticism, which represents life as we would like it to be An important component to Realism is the emphasis on the author’s objectivity Another characteristic of Realism is determinism, the idea that individual free will is severely limited by cultural and environmental forces The motives and behaviors of the characters are determined by heredity and environment In Wharton’s novels, conforming to social norms is constantly at odds with a rejection of conformity; Wharton insists that individuals consider each moral decision on its own terms

Ethan Frome: Novel Structure Ethan Frome is a frame story, which is a story within a story where the main narrative is presented. The “outer story” sets the stage for a more emphasized second narrative. Elements of a frame story: A frame story must be a story within a story The introduction and conclusion must take place at least twenty years later than the main story Both the introduction and conclusion are told from the point of view of the narrator, first person. The other chapters are told from the third person limited point of view.

Themes, Motifs and Symbols in Ethan Frome Themes: Society and morality as an obstacle to the fulfillment of desire Winter as a stifling force Isolation, freedom and confinement Manipulation Motifs and Symbols: Illness and disability Snow and cold Mattie’s red scarf and red ribbon The cat and pickle dish The sled

Ethan Frome Ethan is the protagonist and the titular character of the novella. Many scholars argue that he is a passive hero due to his lack of initiative. Background Information: Studied science enthusiastically after high school, but his father’s death and his mother’s illness force him back home to Starkfield Married Zeena out of loneliness after his mother died Extremely unhappy about his life, thoughtful and sensitive

Zeenobia “Zeena” Frome Zeena is Ethan’s wife and the main antagonist of the novella. She is portrayed as a vicious and cantankerous woman who degrades her husband every chance she gets. Zeena is desribed as a hypochondriac who already looks like an old woman; she is unattractive, cold, unhappy and complains continuously. Background Information: She came to Starkfield to take care of Ethan’s mother while she was ill Married Ethan shortly after his mother’s death Is seven years older than Ethan

Mattie Silver Mattie is Zeena’s cousin. Newly impoverished upon the death of her parents, Mattie accepts Zeena’s offer to live at Starkfield and help take care of her. Background Information: She is described as “quick to learn, but forgetful and dreamy” She is beautiful, cheerful and shares Ethan’s appreciation for nature She is constantly worried that Zeena does not like her and will send her away. Since she has no money and no connections for employment, this is a serious concern for her

The Narrator In conjunction with the components of a frame story, the Narrator will begin and end the story. Background Information: He remains nameless He is an engineer on a job at the powerhouse near Starkfield He is an outsider; he does not see the events, but retells them from eye witnesses Rents a room in Starkfield from Mrs. Ned Hale Hires Ethan to transport him to and from the train station