TL;DR
Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton, is a tragic love story set in 19th-century New England, exploring themes of love, duty, and societal constraints.
What is Ethan Frome about
Ethan Frome is a poignant novel by Edith Wharton that tells the tragic tale of a man trapped in a loveless marriage in a small New England town. The story revolves around Ethan Frome, his ailing wife Zeena, and her young cousin Mattie Silver. Ethan falls in love with Mattie, but societal conventions and a sense of duty prevent him from pursuing his desires. Written while Wharton lived in France, the novel became one of her most popular works. Through its depiction of the bleak, wintry landscape and the harsh realities of rural life, the novel forcefully conveys Wharton's abhorrence of society's rigid standards of loyalty and the consequences of adhering to them.
Ethan Frome 5 Key Takeaways
Ethan and Zeena's marriage
Ethan marries Zeena after she nurses his mother during her last illness. The marriage turns loveless and burdens Ethan, who remains with Zeena out of a sense of duty.
Arrival of Mattie Silver
Zeena's young cousin, Mattie Silver, comes to stay with them. Ethan falls deeply in love with her, providing a brief respite from his bleak existence.
Zeena's suspicion
Zeena grows suspicious of Ethan and Mattie's relationship and decides to send Mattie away, further complicating Ethan's emotional turmoil.
Sledding accident
In a desperate bid to escape their oppressive lives, Ethan and Mattie attempt suicide by crashing a sled into a tree. The attempt fails, leaving them physically crippled for life.
Tragic resolution
The story concludes with Ethan, Mattie, and Zeena living together in a state of mutual dependency and misery, each character's dreams and desires unfulfilled.
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Ethan Frome Best Reviews
- "In its spare, chilling creation of rural isolation, hardscrabble poverty and wintry landscape, Ethan Frome overwhelms the reader as a drama of irresistible necessity." — Alfred Kazin.
- "The novel's power lies in its depiction of an individual's struggle against societal constraints and personal misfortunes." — The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature.
Top Ethan Frome Quotes
- "I don't see's there's much difference between the Fromes up at the farm and the Fromes down in the graveyard..."
- "The return to reality was as painful as the return to consciousness after taking an anesthetic..."
Who should read Ethan Frome?
Ethan Frome is a must-read for those interested in classic literature, tragic love stories, and explorations of societal constraints. Readers who appreciate richly detailed settings and complex character studies will find this novel particularly engaging.
Ethan Frome FAQs
What is the Ethan Frome book about?
Ethan Frome is a novel by Edith Wharton about a man trapped in a loveless marriage in a small New England town. The story explores themes of love, duty, and societal constraints.
What is the point of Ethan Frome?
The novel conveys that when people fear violating societal rules, they risk becoming enslaved by them. Ethan's adherence to his marriage vows despite his love for Mattie exemplifies this theme.
Is Ethan Frome based on a true story?
Wharton likely based the sledding accident in the story on a real-life incident from 1904 in Lenox, involving five people.