Edith Grossman

Ethan Frome does not abide by the typical societal norm. His face gives off something “bleak and unapproachable,” (Edith Wharton 1). Due to his stiff figure and the scar upon his face, he gives off the persona of a ruined man and as a result no person thought of approaching him. Despite being alienated from his peers, Ethan remains quite sensitive. Furthermore, Ethan’s life at home does not help. His wife Zeena controls him and wants everything to run her way. She falls ill and goes out of her way

The Novella of Edith Wharton, Ethan Frome, is a tragedy. Ethan Frome suffered tragedy because of his character flaws, errors in his judgment, and forces beyond his control. Ethan Frome married a woman, Zeena, he was lonely and not truly in love with her. When her cousin, Maddie comes to live with them Ethan becomes infatuated with her. When Maddie has to leave, Ethan and Maddie decide to kill themselves so they never would have to leave one another. In the novella of Edith Wharton, Ethan Frome, Ethan

characters of Naturalist literature would be illustrated as simply the products of their environments; vessels devoid of spiritual guidance or fate that are subject only to their environments. An example of a Naturalistic novel is The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton; a novel set in late 19th century New York that follows Lily Bart: a young woman who was born rich but is slowly losing both her societal status and her money whilst she repeatedly avoids marriage, her only option to escape her fate: a life

Medieval Europe, and even in America. With centuries upon centuries of oppression, replicated on every end of the Earth, it is no surprise that even women have seen themselves as inferior, submitting to their male “dominants”. Some authors, such as Edith Wharton, used their novels to depict and cry out against this lack of sisterhood. In The Age of Innocence, Wharton shows that the women of late 19th century New York high society are restrained by the chains of the long ruling patriarchy, but rather

that were determined by men. This oppression was an injustice to women, as their freedom was stripped from their rights and their conduct had to mimick a perfect, rule abiding, male dependent individual. Women had a role to play, a role that author Edith Wharton believed had to be depicted in a 1920’s novel—through the characters of two contrasting woman. Playing the role of bad girl and good girl, Ellen and May illuminate the restricted roles forced upon women in Wharton's The Age of Innocence. To

In the novel Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, the main character Ethan is heavily influenced by the two women in his life, Mattie and Zeena. Both Mattie and Zeena contribute to Ethan's choices and life. These two women are both very similar and different as they share a common outcome but different traits. These two women are physically different as stated throughout the novel. In the novel Zeena's physical looks would be quoted in chapter 3, "the pale light reflected from the banks of snow made her

Essentially, there are many different ways to entitle oneself to a new beginning. In Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, the title character tries to establish a new beginning by trying to elope. Usually, one must remain on the path fate has put them on, but the melancholic Ethan Frome is forced to abide by destiny, doomed to stay with his wife, Zeena, even though he wishes to change his fate by continuing life with his wife's cousin, Mattie. Bound by oath to stay with his wife, Ethan comes to be even

=1. Nature's Siege on Ethan= In Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton illustrates Ethan's perpetual lack of control over his destiny through Nature which binds him to Starkfield with no hope of escape. Nature always has control over his life, and even when he attempts to take back any control over his life, it unrelentingly oppresses him. In the prologue, Wharton establishes that Winter dominates Starkfield like a military, blockading the people into isolation. Nature's winter surrounds the people and sends

Analysis of Anson Warley In Edith Wharton’s “After Holbein” In Edith Wharton’s “After Holbein”, Anson Warley is characterized as a self-centered snob who refuses to believe that he is no longer the young socialite that he once was. This denial forces him into a delusional state throughout the entire story. Interestingly, Wharton develops this character by allowing the reader to see pieces of his personality unfold by way of his delusions, as well as by the reactions of others toward him. Warley

In the book “Ethan Frome” many very important themes appear. These themes include: silence, isolation, and consequences. The most important and the one that appears the most in the book is consequences. The author presents these themes in ways to help the reader learn more in depth about the characters and the author. While also learning lessons about real life situations. The book is set mostly around the theme of responsibility vs. consequences. Not only does the book teach the reader about how