Other editions of book Ethan Frome: By Edith Wharton - Illustrated

Perhaps the best-known and most popular of Edith Wharton's novels, 'Ethan Frome' is widely considered her masterpiece. The eponymous Ethan Frome lives in a typical New England village where he makes a living out of his stony farm and exists at odds with his wife Zeena, a whining hypochondriac. When Mattie, ZeenaÕs cousin, comes to live with them, love develops between her and Ethan. They try to end their hapless romance by steering a bobsled into a tree; but both end up disabled, tied to a long life of despair with Zeena. Zeena, however, is transformed into a devoted nurse while Mattie becomes the nagging invalid.

Burdened by poverty and spiritually dulled by a loveless marriage to Zeena, his older and ailing wife, Ethan Frome is emotionally stirred by the arrival of their youthful cousin, Mattie Silver, who becomes employed as household help. Mattie's presence not only brightens a gloomy house but also stirs long-dormant feelings in Ethan. However, their growing love for each other is discovered by the embittered Zeena, and it presages an ending to the tale that is both shocking and savagely ironic.

Ethan Frome, a poor, downtrodden New England farmer is trapped in a loveless marriage to his invalid wife, Zeena. Cold and manipulative Zeena oppresses Ethan's ambition and intelligence. When Zeena's young cousin Mattie arrives to help care for her, Ethan is immediately taken by Mattie's warm, vivacious personality. They fall desperately in love as he realizes how much is missing from his life and marriage. Tragically, their love is doomed by Zeena's cruelty and by the social conventions of the day. Ethan remains torn between his marital obligations and his urge to satisfy his heart's desire through to the thrilling and unanticipated conclusion.

Ethan Frome, a poor, downtrodden New England farmer, is trapped in a loveless marriage to his invalid wife, Zeena. His ambition and intelligence are oppressed by Zeena's cold, conniving character. When Zeena's young cousin Mattie arrives to help care for her, Ethan is immediately taken by Mattie's warm, vivacious personality. They fall desperately in love as he realizes how much is missing from his life and marriage. Tragically, their love is doomed by Zeena's ever-lurking presence and by the social conventions of the day. Ethan remains torn between his sense of obligation and his urge to satisfy his heart's desire up to the suspenseful and unanticipated conclusion. Perhaps reflective of Wharton's own loveless marriage, this sophisticated, star-crossed love story vividly depicts her abhorrence of society's relentless standards of loyalty. Ethan Frome is one of Wharton's most popular and best-known works.

Often regarded as Edith Wharton's finest achievement, Ethan Frome contrasts sharply with her usual ironic contemplation of fashionable New York society. Set in the bleak winter landscape of New England farmlands, this keenly-etched portrait of the simple inhabitants of a nineteenth-century village is a masterpiece of literary realism. Ethan is a patient, rough-hewn man tormented by a passionate love for his sickly wife's young cousin, Mattie, who has come to offer her domestic services. Restricted by the bonds of marriage--however loveless it may be--and the fear of public condemnation, Ethan's desperate quest for happiness leads ultimately to pain and despair. Ethan's story, with its tragic implications of what might have been, has held irresistible fascination for readers for over a century. The tale of a decent man's fall brought on by his finest feelings is a haunting study of the human conflict between desire and duty.

Often regarded as Edith Wharton's finest achievement, Ethan Frome contrasts sharply with her usual ironic contemplation of fashionable New York society. Set in the bleak winter landscape of New England farmlands, this keenly-etched portrait of the simple inhabitants of a nineteenth-century village is a masterpiece of literary realism. Ethan is a patient, rough-hewn man tormented by a passionate love for his sickly wife's young cousin, Mattie, who has come to offer her domestic services. Restricted by the bonds of marriage-however loveless it may be-and the fear of public condemnation, Ethan's desperate quest for happiness leads ultimately to pain and despair. Ethan's story, with its tragic implications of what might have been, has held irresistible fascination for readers for over a century. The tale of a decent man's fall brought on by his finest feelings is a haunting study of the human conflict between desire and duty.

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Ethan Frome Edith Wharton (1862 - 1937) Ethan Frome is a novel published in 1911 by the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author Edith Wharton. It is set in the fictitious town of Starkfield, Massachusetts, New England, where an unnamed narrator tells the story of his encounter with Ethan Frome, a man with dreams and desires that end in an ironic turn of events.