Zeena and Mattie

In Edith Wharton’s powerful work Ethan Frome, she introduces two leading female characters and instantly creates a comparison of the two within the reader’s eyes. This, not coincidentally, is the same comparison the protagonist Ethan constantly faces and struggles with throughout the novel. On one hand, Zenobia, commonly called Zeena, Frome has been a long-standing part of Ethan’s life. Years of marriage, although not always happy, combined with her always declining health, cause Ethan to feel indebted and sympathetic towards her. While, on the other, Mattie Silver, a relative of Zeena walks into the life of the Frome’s, and with her brings a new feeling of life and vitality to which Ethan has never experienced before. Her appearance in his life sparks feeling of passion, which in turn leads to an awkward tension created in the household where Ethan, Zeena, and Mattie all reside. The foiling actions and characteristics of these two women underlie the main struggle within Ethan throughout the novel.

From a shallow interpretation, these two women, Zeena and Mattie, appear to share almost no similarities throughout the novel. But delving deeper, allows the reader to see that these women, in fact share many commonalities, although many of these details are perhaps never shown to the reader, due to the fact that Zeena and Mattie, are continuously only shown through the skewed version of Ethan’s eyes. Ethan believes that Zeena is tyrannical, so her portrait is drawn in that light for the reader, and so on as Ethan only sees Mattie as the picture of perfection, and therefore many of her flaws are left unexposed to the reader. Apart from their somewhat unfair portrayal in the novel the two shares a deeper internal conflict, one that ...

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... and seek remedies, in turn draining the Frome’s of what little money they do have. Her face is said to have deep-sunken features, while she is said to wear unflatteringly loose clothing, such as brown calico and flannel. Also, Ethan having the non-confrontational personality that he does, allows Zeena to develop in a dominating, oppressive person. From physical appearance, to personality development, these two leading women share vast differences, and easily draw comparison between; perhaps the intent of Wharton’s writing the novel in this way.

In brief, Zenobia Frome and Mattie Silver is an easy pair to compare and contrast. Wharton’s writing style allows for the reader to note one main point: On the surface, these two characters are almost polar opposites, but on a deeper, internal level, they share deep-seeded emotional conflicts and pain during the novel.