Does the novel influence the writer, or does the writer influence what is written in the novel? I would immediately confirm the latter. A person’s life experiences and worldview are enclosed in the words and narratives that they write, however, does this make them credible? A person can insert their worldview, but if they write about a situation that is completely different than their own can you really say that they are credible to write about it in the first place? One such person is Edith Wharton, who writes several books that are similar to her life, but one of these is unlike the rest, Ethan Frome. Set in a small town in Massachusetts, Edith writes about a life that she never had or ever experienced. So does this discredit her as a writer, …show more content…
is her novel too dissimilar from her real-life experiences? However, when you look into the theme of the novel, and really a good majority of her novels, you can see where the similarities lie, and how this makes her an excellent novelist. When you peer into the married life of Wharton, you see that she is similar, but not completely the same as Ethan Frome, her book character; her personal life influenced this novel in more ways than one, and that sustains her as a credible novelist. As one of her more memorable characters, Ethan Frome is trapped in a less than joyful marriage with his wife Zeena.
Not holding much in common makes conversations hard for them, and Ethan admits to thinking of other things every time that his wife speaks as to not hear her drudgery. To have a seven-year marriage without communication is unhealthy at best and can lead to depression, as we start to see in the novel, Ethan Frome. Once you read into the life of Wharton you can see a similar occurrence. Being pressured into marriage at a young age Wharton chose a man who was her senior, who had no job other than sitting on a trust fund and had no hobbies that were similar to hers. She married him simply to make her life easier, with a nagging mother and friends on all sides, she wanted to live the frivolous life everyone wanted her to live. Writing herself in the place of Ethan he is described to have married Zeena, seven years his elder because he did not want to live alone in the house that his parents died in. Zeena was the only option at the time and before he knew it he was married to a woman who held no interests similar to his own. This is what Wharton and Frome have in common and I doubt that it is a coincidence. Purposefully writing Ethan as a mirror to her own situation would act as a consolation to herself. It makes everything Ethan feels about his marriage all the more real, because Wharton herself has felt that way before, and she is writing the character to her thoughts and
feelings. Although it seems like it is an open and shut case, she was writing about her own feelings and so this novel is automatically credible, however, Ethan’s case is slightly different to what Wharton’s life was like. Being rich helped her cope with her less than agreeable husband, while she could not escape her marriage she could run away to Europe. Paris was a great place for her to share her interests with like-minded people, even if her husband did not like this society. She surrounded her life and home with novelists, journalists, and others who could talk with her about her own poetry and writings, something that her husband could never do. Ethan, on the other hand, could not run away simply because he had the money to, he was trapped in his house with his intolerable wife. When he thought about running with Mattie Silver, it was only the fact that he would leave Zeena penniless that kept him from his chosen course. While Wharton was able to divorce, as she did later in life, Ethan was trapped in a life of mediocrity, and he would rather be unhappy than forsake his wife. These differences in status and wealth are what separates Ethan and Edith, even though they are both discontented with their marriages they have different ways of solving their problems. Wharton can simply live in Europe, have a separate bedroom as her husband, and eventually get a divorce. In an act of desperation, Ethan and Mattie try to commit suicide rather than live a life apart, because there is no other way for them to live together. These facts seem to discredit her as a writer, she never got so desperate as to try killing herself, she only buried herself in her own fiction. While I mentioned all of the things that would make it seem that Wharton could not possibly know what Frome is going through, because of differences in life, there is one thing that makes all of that irrelevant. Actually, Edith is more like Frome than we can imagine, because she wrote his entire being. How could she write a character who feels, who makes the reader feel, by simply making up the entire story? When a person picks up the book and reads it, they can feel the black depression that Ethan starts to fall into, the desperation, and the motives for his actions. This phenomenon is not possible without Edith having those feelings herself to insert into her book. It is known that Edith went into a kind of depression due to a loss of identity during her marriage, only to come out of it when she started to write in earnest. This points to the fact that to cope with her joyless life she wrote about how she felt in a narrative, and thus we have countless books by Wharton about unhappy marriages, including Ethan Frome. This points to her life impacting her story, and to be a credible writer in these matters. Although Ethan Frome and the person who created him, Edith Wharton, do not have a similar life setting they do experience similar emotions, which makes this novel credible to the situation. Wharton’s life impacts her writing in more ways than one, causing the novel to become deeper in meaning. The unhappy marriages of both Frome and Wharton are surprisingly similar, or rather not surprising because Edith practically inserted herself in the place of Ethan Frome. Also despite the fact that their life’s allotment in social class is staggeringly difference, it does not compare with the emotional influence that Wharton poured into this novel. All of this causes me to believe that Wharton is credible in her book and in her ideas.
He could not get away from Zeena, nor run away with the girl he felt drawn to. There was no way Ethan could afford to get away even if he tried. Ethan could not afford to pay for himself to leave town, nor could he provide for the woman he desired. He also imagines life as if he were suddenly resolved from all the issues going on in his life. All the issues that went on, Ethan brought upon himself due to the way he managed his life.
He deals with her complaining, overpowering and demanding personality, and she acts like she is always ‘sick.’ However, he didn’t ignore his feelings for Mattie and he wasn’t strong enough to run away and escape. When he was planning to run away with Mattie, he had to go get money from Mr. Andrew so they could run away but on his way there he met Mrs. Andrew. She told Ethan, “I always tell Mr. Hale I don’t know what she’d ‘a’ [Zeena] done if she hadn’t ‘a’ had you to look after her… You’ve had an awful mean time, Ethan Frome” (Wharton 104). After Mrs. Andrew tells this to Ethan, he doesn’t go ask for Mr. Andrew to pay him and instead goes home. He feels ashamed for for making Mr. Andrew get the money he needs because last time Ethan asked for the money, Mr. Andrew couldn’t get it. He also feels guilty for hurting his friends and he doesn’t want to leave Zeena with nothing when he runs away with Mattie. This displays again, how Ethan is a weak
“Winter lies too long in country towns; hangs on until it is stale and shabby, old and sullen” (“Brainy Quotes” 1). In Edith Wharton’s framed novel, Ethan Frome, the main protagonist encounters “lost opportunity, failed romance, and disappointed dreams” with a regretful ending (Lilburn 1). Ethan Frome lives in the isolated fictional town of Starkfield, Massachusetts with his irritable spouse, Zenobia Frome. Ever since marriage, Zenobia, also referred to as Zeena, revolves around her illness. Furthermore, she is prone to silence, rage, and querulously shouting. Ethan has dreams of leaving Starkfield and selling his plantation, however he views caring for his wife as a duty and main priority. One day, Zeena’s cousin, Mattie Silver, comes to assist the Frome’s with their daily tasks. Immediately, Mattie’s attractive and youthful energy resuscitates Ethan’s outlook on life. She brings a light to Starkfield and instantaneously steals Ethan’s heart; although, Ethan’s quiet demeanor and lack of expression causing his affection to be surreptitious. As Zeena’s health worsens, she becomes fearful and wishes to seek advice from a doctor in a town called Bettsbridge giving Ethan and Mattie privacy for one night. Unfortunately, the night turns out to be a disastrous and uncomfortable evening. Neither Ethan nor Mattie speaks a word regarding their love for one another. Additionally, during their dinner, the pet cat leaps on the table and sends a pickle dish straight to the floor crashing into pieces. To make matters worse, the pickle dish is a favored wedding gift that is cherished by Zeena. Later, Zeena discovers it is broken and it sends her anger over the edge. Furious, Zeena demands for a more efficient “hired girl” to complete the tasks ar...
Ethan Frome, a novella written by Edith Wharton, communicates a story of Ethan and his life living with his ill wife, Zeena, when a new lover comes into his home. Ethan and Zeena live in a place called Starkfield, a cold and lonely location situated in the New England area. Mattie comes into Ethan’s life to help her cousin, Zeena, around the house as her sickness has obstructed her ability to do housework. This causes problems for Ethan because he starts to fall in love with Mattie as she stays with the Fromes. The isolation of Starkfield prevents Ethan from living his life the way he wanted to. That causes Ethan to abandon his dreams of college and moving away from Starkfield. Ethan becomes hindered by the isolation of Starkfield because of
Ethan marries Zeena so he won't be alone after his mother dies. She seemed like a very cheerful, vivacious person while his mother was sick. After their marriage all this changed. She became a very nagging, sick wife. Because of Zeena's "complications" they had to hire someone to help around the house. Mattie, Zeena's cousin, needed a place to live and seemed fit for the job. She moved in and Ethan took and immediate liking to her. He found someone that cared for him, was always happy, and could share his youth. All of which, Zeena was incapable of doing. Ethan longed to be with Mattie, but he was loyal to Zeena. Being married to Zeena was Ethan's first failure.
Throughout “Ethan Frome,” Edith Wharton renders the idea that freedom is just out of reach from the protagonist, Ethan Frome. The presence of a doomed love affair and an unforgiving love triangle forces Ethan to choose between his duty and his personal desire. Wharton’s use of archetypes in the novella emphasizes how Ethan will make choices that will ultimately lead to his downfall. In Edith Wharton’s, “Ethan Frome.” Ethan is wedged between his duty as a husband and his desire for happiness; however, rather than choosing one or the other, Ethan’s indecisiveness makes not only himself, but Mattie and Zeena miserable.
Ethan Frome is the main character of Edith Wharton’s tragic novel. Ethan lives the bitterness of his youth’s lost opportunities, and dissatisfaction with his joyless life and empty marriage. Throughout the story Ethan is trapped by social limits and obligations to his wife. He lives an unhappy life with many responsibilities and little freedom. Ethan Frome studied science in college for a year and probably would have succeeded as an engineer or physicist had he not been summoned home to run the family farm and mill. Ethan quickly ended his schooling and went to run the family farm and mill because he feels it is his responsibility. He marries Zeena after the death of his mother, in an unsuccessful attempt to escape silence, isolation, and loneliness. Ethan also feels the responsibility to marry Zeena as a way to compensate her for giving up part of her life to nurse his mother. After marring Zeena he forgets his hope of every continuing his education and he is now forced to remain married to someone he does not truly love.
...ss for yourself because in the end, one will regret it. Ethan’s morals prevent him from leaving Starkfield to pursue and achieve his dreams. He cannot baffle the traditions of his town. After Zeena tries to "foist on him the cost of a servant", forcing Ethan to let go of Mattie, he chooses to “leave with Mattie”. However, he cannot go through with the plan because he cannot bear to leave Zeena alone with her sickness. He knows she would not be able to take care of herself and cannot afford her own medicine. It is inappropriate to leave his wife in this bad condition. Therefore Ethan chooses to live an unhappy life instead of deceive his family and friends. Wharton portrays that by following society’s standards they will lose their hope and end up living in misery. Ethan chose to embark the obstacles and in the end it ruined him to a life of unhappiness and failure.
In Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, Ethan, a reserved young man was torn between two women. He was married to Zenobia Frome, but his true love was his wife’s cousin, Mattie Silver. Zeena and Mattie were different in all aspects. Mattie was a caring, loving, beautiful young girl, while Zeena was a sickly, shrewish woman aged well beyond her years. Ethan was continuously drawn to Mattie throughout the novel, as she was much more attractive and amicable than Zeena.
Perhaps Edith Wharton's reason for writing Ethan Frome, was that it so vividly reflected her own dreary life. Abandoned of any love as a child from her mother and trapped in a marriage similar to that of Zeena and Ethan, Wharton found herself relying on illicit love. This illicit love was also her favorite topic of writing, which helped her to escape her own tragedies. She spent many nights in the arms of other men searching desperately for the love she believed existed, but had never felt, which is evident in all of her writings.
In the book “Ethan Frome” by Edith Wharton, Ethan, the main character in the book, experiences many episodes of isolation persuading him to escape from and cope with them with outlets of hope, only leading to a life of permanent isolation. The story depicts a classic ironic switch of roles and a triangle of unusual “love.” With many people coming and going, Ethan looks to rely on someone to relieve his isolation and communicate with, only setting him up for trouble.
While everyone is legally intitled to the pursuit of happiness, the truth of the matter is that very few ever achieve it. Ones morals, standards, conscious, or perhaps even fate, keep them from accepting a pure form of satisfaction. While a person can search and struggle their entire life for happiness, the truth of the matter is, that they will never be happy with what they have infront of them. The character Ethan, portrayed in Edith Whartons novel, Ethan Frome, is emotionally weak, he battles constantly with what he wants, how to get it, and what is ethically right. Ethan was obligated to care for his wife Zeena until death, but his misguided decisions lead him to be concerned only with his immediate happiness. Much like Ethan in Ethan Frome, people who concentrate on personal happiness, without factoring in personal responsibility, set themselves up for a painful reality check.
By August 1882, Wharton was nineteen when she became engaged to Harry Stevens, an eminent figure of the high class New York society. However, “by October of the same year, the engagement was broken” (Cliff Notes) due to the mother's interference of the engaged couple. Later on Wharton married her brother’s friend “Edward R. "Teddy" on April 29, 1885”(Cliff Notes). Since Edward came from a wealthy family, he was able to provide financial support for them. As a result, in 1902 the couple moved into a mansion named “"The Mount," in Lenox, Massachusetts”(Cliff Notes). Since Edward and Wharton were “intellectually and sexually incompatible”(Cliff Notes), this foreshadowed their divorce later on in “1913”(Cliff Notes). Wharton’s main justification for the divorce was “because of his unstable mental health and acts of adultery”(Cliff Notes). However, Wharton’s writing flourished after their divorce. She began to write to her “tragic love story Ethan Frome”(Cliff Notes) which became published in 1911, quickly becoming a very successful book. After Wharton’s divorce she lived in France and spent much of her early life there. After her move, “she returned to the United States twice”(Edith Wharton
Although when we are young, we commonly find ourselves gravitating to books with predictable endings that leave the protagonist and us with what we want, as we mature we develop a hunger for different, more thoughtful or realistic solutions. This is not to say, however, that we can be satisfied solely through the reading of any story that concludes with mere tragedy. The reason why the book Ethan Frome is so widely read is because there is a great deal of technique behind the element of mere tragedy. Edith Wharton is able to distinguish her novel through the use of irony. Irony has been the defining element of many great pieces of literature throughout time. The use of irony dates back all the way to ancient Greece when it was used by Sophocles in the play Oedipus Rex. Irony was also a key element in many of Shakespeare's works and appears in many famous short stories. In Ethan Frome, Ethan ends up falling in love with Mattie who at the time seems young and effervescent in comparison to his sickly, deteriorating wife. In attempting to free himself and Mattie from his commitment to Zeena, Ethan ends up causing Mattie to become paralyzed, taking with it her previous, lively characteristics. All the household responsibilities then fall into the hands of Zeena who is ultimately the most vivacious of the three.
In the novel Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton creates an interesting plot revolving around two star-crossed lovers. Unfortunately, there is only one important thing that gets in the way of these lovers, a wife who’s a hypochondriac. Zeena, the wife, finds herself in a particular situation, a situation where she needs to figure out how to get rid of Mattie. She tries everything to get rid of her, especially her illness, using it as an excuse to get what she wants, oppressing Ethan’s desires and needs. Despite her malicious actions, she creates a justifiable reasoning of her intent. In Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton creates a psychological response in regards to Zeena. Rather than being depicted as the villain of the novel, Zeena is merely the victim of