Zeena

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

considering all of the story’s main problems, Zeena appeared to be the villain who caused most of them. She should be considered the most villainous character due to the fact that she directly inhibits her husband’s happiness on various accounts, contributes to and indirectly encourages his destructive and rash decisions, and has the stereotypical villainous attribute of an intimidating presence, even when she is physically elsewhere. Without Zeena in his life, Ethan dfound himself in very different

the novel Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, Ethan’s wife Zeena plays an important role in the novel. Zeena changes Ethan through their marriage, and her illness. It is interesting when we find out that Zeena is actually Ethan’s cousin. It is questionable whether Zeena is sick or not. She often appears to be a hypochondriac. In the novel the narrator states that “Zeena, she’s always been the greatest hand at doctoring in the county” (5). If Zeena had the greatest hand at doctoring, she would be able

both birds and mice, is Zeena's domestic cat.” (Springer 8). So, as you can see, these two animals were chosen to show that Zeena will always have the upperhand on Mattie and Ethan can’t do anything to stop it. In nature, you can’t stop an animal from killing another because that is how they survive and that is life. In a similar scenario, Ethan has no control on what Zeena does because she has appropriated the role as the head of the household and, essentially, controls Mattie’s every move. Regarding

Zeena Frome is a character who embodies the traits of a bitter and resentful individual. Throughout the novella, Zeena is depicted as a woman consumed by her own ailments and grievances, which she uses as a shield against the outside world. One instance illustrating Zeena's bitter nature is when she constantly complains about her supposed illnesses, which serve as a means of control over Ethan. For example, when Ethan suggests bringing in a hired girl to help with household chores, Zeena opposes

The theme of this novel is the social and moral concerns on Ethan’s desire to cheat on his wife with her cousin Mattie. Wharton makes Ethan’s desire to cheat on his wife, Zeena, understandable because he doesn’t present Zeena positively he just presents her as a very sick woman. Wharton does however present Zeena’s cousin, Mattie, as a young a beautiful lady. There are several motifs such as, illness and disability and also the snow and cold weather that goes along with how Ethan’s decisions throughout

existence, Zeena and Mattie. There are both acutely different from each other but they also share some similarities between themselves. Zeena and Mattie are different in many ways in the matter of appearance, their outlook on life, and their interest in Ethan Frome but eventually it shows towards the end of the novel that Mattie is not so much distinct from these qualities after “the smash up”. The two main female characters, Zeena and Mattie differ in appearance quite a bit. Zeena is displayed

by Edith Wharton, Ethan and Zeena both value many different things. Their care for such different objects and ideas highlight how different these two are, as well as their different personalities. Zeena values her control over Ethan and their relationship, while Ethan values Mattie and not being alone. Zeena throughout the novella is portrayed as a controlling and tough character. Her values show that she cares mainly about being control and herself. For example, Zeena is always worried about her

In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, Zenobia ‘Zeena’ Frome serves as the chief antagonist. Zeena is portrayed as a malcontent, apathetic wife who adds to her husband (Ethan Frome)’s feelings of imprisonment and stands as an obstacle to his desires. While readers come to support or empathize with Ethan’s dreams for a life outside of Starkfield, full of adventure and passion, Zeena is vilified and often loathed by readers. Ethan paints her as a villain because she, coupled with crushing poverty, blocks

Furthermore, Zeena, a hypochondriac in the eyes of Ethan Frome, is used as a foil for Mattie Silver. In the dark and gloomy tale of Ethan Frome, the story emerges as an inverted fairytale. The “fairy maiden” anthropomorphizes into a greater evil than the Evil Queen, herself. Snow White was known for her pale skin, red lips, and her beautiful voice. Alike Snow White, Edith Wharton sedulously attaches red and light with Mattie Silver, symbolizing her with a red scarf. Ethan Frome and Zeena are associated