How far do you agree with the view that the tragedies in ‘Ethan Frome’ and ‘A View from the Bridge’ are brought about by individual characters rather

2096 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Pride and prejudice critical essays

Within A View from the Bridge and Ethan Frome the main protagonists are tragic figures. The origin of a tragedy comes from Greece, where the basis of the idea was a drama in which the protagonist is overcome by some superior force or extreme circumstance; this usually resulted in either disaster or death. As is true to most Greek tragedies the ending of the shown before the downfall itself. Most victims of tragedy were written to be of a high stature such as royalty, yet both Ethan Frome and Eddie Carbone were ordinary men who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances. Arthur Miller said in his famous essay ""Tragedy of the Common Man", Arthur Miller states, "I believe that the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in the highest sense that kings were."₅ In both texts, both Ethan Frome and Eddie Carbone reactions are determined by themselves as a character with the external factors acting as a catalyst to initiate their downfall.

The result of the tragedy is foreshadowed in both texts by the author. The use of a narrator to announce the result of the tragedy before the downfall is described and exposed to the audience is relevant to both texts. Both Arthur Miller and Edith Wharton use an external narrator. The narrator used in Ethan Frome, a businessman who is intrigued by Ethan. The narrator often describes/compares Ethan to his surroundings “He seemed a part of the mute melancholy landscape, an incarnation of its frozen woe"₂ This description suggests that Ethan is very withdrawn and has been affected by unfortunate circumstances. The use of the word "mute"₂ to describe him makes him seem to not be his complete self, as though he is holding back and suppressing his full personality. Many similarities can be drawn ...

... middle of paper ...

... lives incapacitated. Whereas it is Eddie's own chracter traits that are exposed by the characters and circumstances. His active role in his downfall caused "the situation slid inescapably toward disaster"₈ Both protagonists are victims of tragedy brought about by the individual characters themselves as well as external elements.

Works Cited

₁. wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/130/133428/glossary.html

₂. Ethan Frome Written by Edith Wharton.

Published by Wordsworth Classics.

ISBN: 978-1-84022-408-5

₃. Nature of Tragedy

Published by

ISBN:

₄. Student comparison to Arthur Miller.

Published by Susan C.W Abbotson.

ISBN: 0-131-30949-3

₅.

₆. A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller.

Published by the Penguin Group.

ISBN: 978-0-141-18996-3

₇. www.neh.gov/whoweare/miller/biography.html

₈. wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Show More
Related

  • Free Essays on Wharton's Ethan Frome: Weakness of Character

    654 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ethan Frome, the main character in the book entitled Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton, has many complex problems going on at the same time. His family has died and he has a wife that is continually sick, and the only form of happiness he has is from his wife's cousin Mattie. This, however, at times proves to be hard because of Ethan's wifes interference. Nothing seems to be going in Ethan's favor. One theme of the book is weakness of character; this is shown by Ethan’s marraige, his inability to stand up to his wife, and his involvement concerning the "accident."

    Read More

  • Archetypes In Ethan Frome

    369 Words  | 1 Pages

    Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is designed to be read like a fairytale. The novel contains many archetypes of a classic fairytale. These archetypes are brought to life in Starkfield, Massachusetts by the three main characters: Mattie Silver, Ethan Frome, and Zeena Frome. They can be compared to the archetypes of the silvery maiden, the honest woodcutter, and the witch. These comparisons allow the reader to notice similarities between Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome and the classic fairytale Snow White. The character Zeena Frome from Edith Wharton’s novel, Ethan Frome, resembles the evil witch from the fairy tale Snow White.

    Read More

  • Ethan Frome Tragic Flaw Quotes

    852 Words  | 2 Pages

    The tragic fall that Ethan Frome has is that he is a very concernful person. An example that of this flaw is when "'Somebody had to stay and care for the folks... Fust his father-then his mother-then his wife'" (Wharton 3). This quote demonstrates Ethan's flaw because he gives up

    Read More

  • Powerful Winter Imagery in Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome

    1479 Words  | 3 Pages

    Powerful Winter Imagery in Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome. Ethan Frome, the title character of Edith Wharton's tragic novel, lives. in his own world of silence, where he replaces his scarcity of words with images and dreams and fantasies. There is striking symbolism in the imagery. predominantly that of winter, which connotes frigidity, detachment, bleakness.

    Read More

  • Ethan Frome

    612 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Personality In Ethan Frome

    858 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the novel Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, the protagonist Ethan Frome has an unusual personality. Along with this, Ethan’s motivations seem hidden. Ethan mainly associates with his wife Zeena and his young lover Mattie. The reason his social circle is limited is because the town has shunned him. The people have isolated him due to the decisions he has made. The story begins with the new town Reverend who forms a special interest in Ethan. Furthermore, the story goes back in time to explain why the town treats Ethan the way they do.

    Read More

  • Ethan Frome’s Irresponsibility: Edith Warton's Ethan Frome

    900 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...decisive. He and his wife might have moved out to the city, where Ethan could have pursued his engineering career. And, when Mattie Silver came to live with them, Ethan Frome, content with his lot in life, would not have fallen into the love that caused his hardships. Ethan caused his own misfortune by not even attempting to make a change in his unsatisfactory life. As one of the ladies in town, Mrs. Hale, says: “I don’t see’s there’s much difference between the Fromes up at the farm and the Fromes down in the graveyard” (157). Ethan exists lifelessly. His unwillingness to change, lack of self-responsibility, sense of obligation, and lack of inner strength and courage all add up to his irresponsibility in creating his own misfortune, which sends him to his living grave.

    Read More

  • Free Essays on Wharton's Ethan Frome: Responsibilities

    705 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Trapped in Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

    911 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people oppose society due to the surroundings that they face and the obstacles that they encounter. Set in the bleak winter landscape of New England, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is the story of a poor, lonely man, his wife Zeena, and her cousin Mattie Silver. Ethan the protagonist in this novel, faces many challenges and fights to be with the one he really loves. Frome was trapped from the beginning ever since Mattie Silver came to live with him and his wife. He soon came to fall in love with her, and out of love with his own wife. He was basically trapped in the instances of his life, society’s affect on the relationship, love, poverty, illness, disability, and life.

    Read More

  • Fantasy is an Escape from Fear in Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome

    978 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Isolation In Ethan Frome By Edith Wharton

    2266 Words  | 5 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Ethan Frome

    644 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the novel, Ethan Frome’s sense of responsibility lives strong enough in him to forget about his own happiness with Mattie, to stay with his wife Zeena, and to take care of the town when all of the others have passed away. In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, Ethan’s sense of responsibility to his wife and land prevents him from achieving true happiness and causes his ultimate emotional death.

    Read More

  • The Novel Is Remarkable, and the Film Is Exceptional

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the same scheme, both in the movie and the book, the father is presented as abusive and alcoholic on many occasions. In words, the book gives a detailed account of the damages inflicted on Eddie by his father’s violence: “he went through his younger years whacked, lashed, and beaten.” (Albom 105) In the film, t...

    Read More

  • The Complex and Effective Structure of Ethan Frome

    865 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Tension in Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge

    1773 Words  | 4 Pages

    the very end of the first act that Eddie has met his match, and is

    Read More

More about How far do you agree with the view that the tragedies in ‘Ethan Frome’ and ‘A View from the Bridge’ are brought about by individual characters rather

Open Document