Ethan Frome

Ethan Frome is a novel by Edith Wharton set in the fictional town of Starkfield, Massachusetts. The story is framed as a flashback narrated by an unnamed visitor to Starkfield, who learns about Ethan Frome’s tragic past through various townsfolk and his own observations. Ethan Frome is a poor farmer trapped in a loveless marriage with his hypochondriac wife, Zeena. The arrival of Zeena’s young cousin, Mattie Silver, brings a ray of hope and warmth into Ethan’s bleak life. Ethan and Mattie develop a deep, unspoken love for each other. However, their feelings lead to tension and complications as they are unable to escape their dire circumstances. As Zeena becomes increasingly suspicious and decides to send Mattie away, Ethan and Mattie, in a moment of desperation, attempt to end their lives by sledding into a tree. The suicide attempt fails, leaving Mattie paralyzed and Ethan severely injured. The story concludes with Ethan, Zeena, and Mattie living together in a state of mutual misery and dependence, their lives forever altered by the failed escape from their harsh reality. The visitor leaves Starkfield with a profound sense of the deep tragedy that has marked Ethan Frome’s life. —- ISBN: 9798327431607