Final assessment on Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
Please blog your response. You do not need a formal heading; just put your name at the top. This is due at the close of class.
Does the tragedy of Ethan Frome result from circumstances, over which the characters have no control or from avoidable errors in judgment? Please take into account the three aspects of naturalism that we discussed in the class (economic circumstances, physical drives and environmental circumstances)and what affect they have on the character, plot or theme? You must have a detailed examples that clearly demonstrates you have read the book.
Savannah Goole:
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy that is Ethan Frome (the story, and the person) is built on circumstances over which the charecters have no control.
Environmental circumstances lead to Frome's issues. The isolation of the location of Starkfeield, burried in the mountains, influences Frome's feeling of isolation and baren-ness. The cold, frigid winter is a reflection of his wife Zeena's cold and bitter demeanor. The environment is of barren and farmland, surrounded by mountais and terrain that is hard to manage. The landscape connects to Frome's feeling's, and his inability to connect and grow the way he would like. He is trapped and cut off, both physically and mentally.
Economic circumstances play a huge role in the tragedy that is Ethan Frome as well. He lives in a world that his very bleak economically. The town is a farming town that is not very advanced or cultured it seems. Frome must rely on his wife a lot, and takes no initiative in his job. He seems a bit of a push-over. Economically, he feels trapped and more attatched to his wife; not wanting to leave what he has as a stability. Though running away with Mattie would be what he want's, it is not at all economically sound nor does it provide him any sort of stability.
Physical drives tie into every other circumstance that attribute to Frome's unfortunate circumstances. His more sexual, physical want for Mattie as opposed to frgid and more prude Zeena. This want and passion to have excitement, a life. His want to physically detatch himself from this town, his wife, the life he lives. Physical drives such as being intimate, creative, to live life under Frome's persuit of happiness. These drives even cause him to ultimately (physically) try and pull himself out of the life he is living by trying to sled suicidally into a tree with Mattie. Though he fails, the effort is there.
Victoria Mark
ReplyDeleteThe tragic events in Ethan Frome are the result of the choices of the characters. When Ethan made the choice to come home from college and take care of his mother, he never left when he could have sold the farm and continued his studies. When he marries Zeena because he does not want to spend another winter alone, he becomes tethered to the farm and does not have the courage to force Zeena to go into the city with him. He could have avoided these situations by having the courage to go after what he wanted. He can't stand up to Zeena when she insists on going to a neighboring town and seeking treatment for a disease she probably doesn't have. It was his choice to not assert himself that caused him so much suffering. He also lets himself get carried away by his fantasy life with Maddie, and he puts his future in her hands when he agrees to run into the tree to try to kill themselves. He is reminded of that decision every day because after the accident, he not only has to take care of a crippled Maddie and ill Zeena, but he also becomes crippled. If he didn’t get distracted by the wants of others, he might have been able to find happiness and reject Zeena’s cold manor and escape the isolation of Starkfield.
Leah Gardiner
ReplyDeleteIn the tragedy of Ethan Frome the character had numerous examples of which he had no control from some avoidable errors in judgment. Some of their decisions are based on economic circumstances, environmental, and physical circumstances. The first example of this is when Ethan married Zeena because he was so lonely. This could be considered a physical circumstance because he was so beyond lonely in the tundra like surroundings that he basically married the first woman saw which was a poor decision. His marriage was based on lust and became a blanket for his deep depression. An example of an environmental circumstance would be how the author uses the symbol of snow and winter to portray Ethan and all the characters deep sorrow and depression. Basically the setting in general is dark and barren, but the character Ethan makes bad decisions based on this deep depression in search for warmth. An economic example would be when Ethan had to work on his father’s farm but when his father died he had to live with his mother who went crazy and died which relates to the symbolism of the winter. So therefore he had to take over the farm and he had to make his own living instead of going to college which made him a poor man. It was hard to make a living off the farm because Starkfield has six months of winter. All of these events led to the part later in the story when Ethan decided that he didn’t want to have to make decisions anymore so he therefore killed himself.
Ashley Stevenson
ReplyDeleteThe tragedies surrounding Ethan Frome, his love for Mattie, why he is stuck in Starkfield, and why he is a person that keeps to him self is due to the circumstances he was in. By the time Mattie came along, he didn’t really know what happiness was as both his parents had passed, leaving him in a farm he could not thoroughly pay off nor could he go to school because he was indebt and had an injured wife. Had he not married Zeena, he may have had the freedom to finish his studies he did not finish when his father passed and find the true love of his life out of Starkfield.
Steven.
ReplyDeleteThe tragety of Ethan Frome results from the unfortunate circumstances that the characters have no control over. An example of these circumstances is the weather. The cold winter and mountainous geography make Starkfeild bitter, cold, dead, and secluded. This makes Ethan feel that he is trapped and has no way out. Another example is Ethan's economic status. He lives on a farm that is morgaged off so he really cant leave. It is winter so that he cant grow anything to make any money. His wife supports the family and he take almost no inicietive. An example of the physical drives thats impare Ethan is his love for Mattie and inability to love Zeena. He lays in bed with Zeena and wants so badly to touch her and show her affection but for some reason can never muster the courage. Mattie comes along and he is atracted to her much more than he is with his wife. Also the color red comes into play; Mattie wears a red scarf, symbolism for passion and heat in this frigid and lifless winter. All these circumstances that Ethan himself couldnt control led to his tragety.
Kari Simpkins….
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy of Ethan Frome, a novel by Edith Wharton, is some what similar to the Romeo and Juliet tragedy. The similarity is that in the end two characters risk their lives for the sake of their love for one another. They differ in that in Romeo and Juliet the characters actually die. In Ethan Frome they end up badly injured and back to the place that they were trying to escape from. This was the result of avoidable errors in judgment made mostly by Ethan, the main character in the novel. It is possible that one could blame the circumstances that he faced in his life that may have been inevitable. However, many of these circumstances were the result of some decision he had made throughout his life.
For example, economically, Ethan would be considered poor because he lives on a farm that is not very successful. Prior to, Ethan had aspirations to become an engineer and live in the town and make a name for himself. Instead, he married his wife, Zeena, whom he is not in love with and remained on his family’s farm only because she did not wish to relocate. The only reason Ethan married Zeena was because she had cared for his mother and he no longer wished to be lonely. If he had not married her he would have been able to move into town, become and engineer, and have a completely different life than the one he had. The reason for his loneliness was mostly the result of his environmental circumstance, the mountains. The Berkshire Mountains caused Ethan to feel isolated and lonely and to desire companionship. Ultimately he married Zeena to fulfill his desire. He could have moved away from the mountains and around civilization but he did not. Finally, because he was a man, it was only natural for him to be attracted to Mattie Silver. He longed to feel her warm, sensual, body as opposed to his wife’s cold frigid body. It was his fault that he was not able to control his emotions which led to he and Mattie trying to take their lives in order to be together without worry.
Willie Jones III..... Ethan Frome results from circumstances, over which the character have no control in where he lived. Ethan was a man that lived in Starkfeild a very cold atmosphere which made being lonely extra hard he married his wife because he didn’t want to spend another winter lonely. Eventually that begins to bite him in the, but one day his wife brings a family member in to live with them, at first he didn’t know she was family and he starts to build a relationship with her and he eventually feels a stronger love connection with her then his wife. Frome was sort of a weak man he didn’t have the guts to kiss Mattie and he didn’t have the guts to stand up to his wife he was trapped he couldn’t get away. The nature affected them he couldn’t leave his wife because he never left his town so he didn’t know what was out there because his town was isolated. Most of the time in the book he was imaging doing things with Mattie but never had the guts to do anything. He was trapped in lust and couldn’t get away from his boring arrogant wife. He was stuck surrounded by the echoes of the mountain. Ethan didn’t mean to do the things that happened between his wife and the lust he had with Mattie he just simply got caught up and couldn’t get out because he knew nothing but Starkfeild and the life style there he knew nothing outside the mountains of his town.
ReplyDeleteRodrigue O'Flaherty
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy of Ethan Frome results from the avoidable errors in judgment. This is true in the fact that if Ethan had not spent all of Zeena's money he would not have felt the need to use her for her money. Without this, he wouldn't have fallen deeper into his lust for Mattie. The environment also affects this because the snow storm sort of traps Ethan home with Zeena. Also, with him being married to Zeena while having feelings for Mattie, he wouldn't leave Zeena and Mattie wanted him to commit suicide so they could ultimately be with each other, but they somewhat fail and Ethan is forced to live with the ill Zeena and the crippled Mattie.
Naita Howell..
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy in the novel is a simple love story between the two. They go forth at chancing their lives for their love for each other. The ideal's they have are death but things don't progress to that step. The economics circumstances that happen in the novel are Ethan's struggle in search for money. He is determined as poor because of his living conditions on the farm. He had high dreams of becoming and engineer, move to a urban town, and make himself known. Instead he got married to Zeena(even though he didn’t love her) and stayed on the farm to satisfy her wishes of not moving. They married because although he didn’t love her she looked after his mother and besides that he didn’t want to be lonely. The physical drives that affected the characters plot where the attraction that Ethan had to Mattie. In actuality he loved her. Environmental circumstances that occurred in the novel can be described as the poverty,very rural and lonesome.
Joseph Gleason
ReplyDeleteIn the novel Ethan Frome, the main character demonstrates the ideals of the naturalism movement. The naturalist ideals was a doctrine of no control, they preached that everything was pre ordained and a person had no control over the circumstances in their lives. This is demonstrated in the novel with a variety of things ultimately culminating in the suicide attempt with the sled at the end of the book.
Several instances were beliefs that people had no control were demonstrated through the love interest of Ethan Frome with Mattie. Through the language when in the instances when Ethan wished to display his affection and is unable because of his lack of back bone to tell Mattie. The feelings are mutual with Mattie and she also does not express them.
Another example of this idea can be seen as well in then end of the book when Ethan was doomed to spend the rest of his life with the two women that started this whole thing in the first place. This as the book explains was meant to happen because the suicide attempt failed.
Shawn Powell II
ReplyDeletePeriod 3
In the novel Ethan Frome an avoidable tragedy occurred. Ethan was a lumberman and a bad farmer who feel in love with a young woman who became he and his wife’s housekeeper. His love affair with Mattie was avoidable if he had clung to his own wife. Entertaining the thoughts of longing to kiss her numerous times in his imagination had him slowly falling in love with her. He was very controlling with her as men in that time were to there wives but had a nonchalant attitude towards her. They were naturalist who took life for what it was and just went with the events of life unknowing of changing it. He and Mattie at the end of the book decided to attempt suicide and drive a sled into a tree. Afterwards he was forced to take care of a sick wife and crippled mistress.
Conor F.
ReplyDeleteThe tregedy of Ethan Frome has numerous accounts of problems. He resides in Starkfield which is on the country side. Strak from stark field means empty. So in this town there wasnt that many people. He is married to Zeena but has feelings for her cousin Mattie. Through the story he thinks of Mattie in his imagination. The enviorment affects this situation because theres a snow storm and no one could leave. Ethan was trapted in the house with both of the girls he has feelings for. The physical drive in the story was Ethan's lust for Mattie. Mattie was working as a maid for the house. The Economic circumstance of this story is that Ethan was spending all of Zeena's money. All of these circumstances affected the theme of loving two women. In result of the lust him and mattie attempt suicide but, it failed and him and mattie were crippled.
Alexanderia Mewborn
ReplyDeleteEthan Frome by Edith Warton is a a love story between 2 people. This novel show many examples of naturalism it also show examples economic circumstances, physical drives and environmental circumstances. The novel took place in the winter due to this it caused Ethan to live in imagination and depression. Ethan was married to a women name Zeena but he really didnt want to be with her. He then started seeing Zeena cousin Mattie. This upsetted Zeena she wanted to fire Mattie. he wanted to be with Mattie but didnt want to leave Zeena.
Amonee Read
ReplyDeletePeriod 3
Ethan Frome a novel by Edith Warton. This novel cultivates the importance of Self-control and making exquisite choices that can play a role in future occurences through the chrachters. IN this novel there were some very bad errors in judgement, Although if he would have taken the time to think before hand it might have turned out differently. Hence, Ethan allowed mattie to influence his decision on commiting suiciude with her. Although, Ethan was married to Zeena he had a sort of secretive relationship with his cousin-in-law mattie. Due to their love for each other , and the fact that Ethan wasn't going to leave Zeena for Mattie. Mattie then convicined him to commit suicide with her by sledding into a tree. In the end Ethan ends up almost dying and Mattie just ends up crippled and does not get to die with her love as she planned. Therefore you will find Zeena and a crippled Mattie along with Ethan in the house together. Now Ethan has to deal & take care of the two of them , Zeena being Sick , & MAttie crippled.
THere are also three aspects of naturalism that form a foundation for the novel and affects the charachter, theme and plot in many different ways. There are many Physical Drives that come up in this novel. Hence , Ethan's lust for Mattie.
lisamarie,
ReplyDeletethe tragedy of Ethan Forme results from all the economic circumstances, physical drives and enviornmental circumstances he has gone through.Ethan had to deal with poor famring and poor transportaniton. Ethan was a very lonley guy. He was isolated due to the mountains where he lived. He is so lonley that he marries a girl name Zena just so he would not be lonley. He then losses those feelings for her and falls in love with Maddie. They end up wanted to end their lives because they feel it is so horrible but end up not dying. So Ethan ends up living a horrible life with both maddie and Zena. the characters had no control over this because Ethan was just a lonley and depressed man.
Adrianna says:
ReplyDeleteEthan Frome concludes with Ethan deciding to take his life because he could no longer do battle between his desires and social and moral orders. Ethan lacked the courage and strength of will to face this battle. He could’ve just simply chosen to go with his desires or what society asked of him. In my opinion this result is caused by both error in judgment and circumstances the characters had no control over. Ethan allowed Mattie to convince him to take his life which clearly was an error in judgment, how could you allow someone else to make that sort of decision? However, given enough time I believe Ethan would’ve taken his own life regardless of Mattie’s input. He was a person who lacked control and strength. Ethan was quite in love with Mattie but could never bring himself to touch her or allow what was natural to happen. While Ethan makes several errors in judgment there are also several circumstances he can not control. He couldn’t help loving Mattie it was natural and he couldn’t change the society he lived in. The conflict was never his feelings for Mattie; they never wavered. The conflict was more between his passions and the constraints society put on them. For example he finally has a night alone with Mattie, they are in the kitchen and he can not focus on anything else besides his domestic duties. Ethan endures an extremely difficult battle with desire and social and moral orders. I think that suicide could’ve been avoided if Ethan possessed more strength and courage but he was ultimately just a big wuss.
Boston Siwiec-
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy of "Ethan Frome" was a combination of different aspects:Economic and environmental circumstances,and physical drive. That led to events uncontrolled by the charaters. The Town of Starkfield had harsh winters that created a sense of isolation and loneliness. The enviormental aspects include. The town name its self was just full of bareness and emptyness. Ethan was painfully lonley so he is drawn to the warmth and comfort of mattie, and is repulsed by the frigity of zeena. Physical drives are Lust and to be virille man with imagination who is emotionally uncapable, and caused losts of fustrations. Economic influence and circumstances are Poor farming, the farm and lumber yeard are mortgauged and he cant leave zeena. His family has tradition a place. And theres bad transportation throught Starkfield.
sean da paul
Katie Quinlisk
ReplyDeleteIn the novel Ehtan Frome by Edith Wharton, the characters the reside in Starkfield undergo many unavoidable situations. Their decisions are influenced by economic circumstances, phsycial drives and enviormental circumstances. The narartor shows us the author's specfic uses of plot, theme and characterization to unfold the lives and descisons of Ehtan and those around him.
The economic circumstances surrounding Ethan initially bonds Ehtan to Starkfield. His fathers death propells him back to the poverish farm and away from his promising education. Then his inheritance of the farm, and marriage to Zeena left any hope for happiness and warmth barried in the frigid 6 month season of snow. Therefor these decisions where unavodable and he couldnt escape because he was now living on his meager farm and forfieted of a better opprotunity.
This economic circumstance is the base of what happens in the rest of the novel. This can be seen when Ethan contemplated eloping with Mattie but after considering his econmic stablity he realized that it was hopeless. This is a element of the naturalists school of thought.
Then the elements of weather effect the characters. Enviormental cirumstances push them to desperation. Ethan's passion is eveitablity extingusighed upon having his livley hood and marrige blanketed by the cold. The theme of snow symbolizing depression and poverty shapes all of the characters. Specifically the way in which Ethan and Mattie deside to end thier life. The idea od sucidice which Mattie proposes, through a sled ride is not only symbolic it is almost overly exaggerated. The idea that a beloved childhood tradition of snow frivolities is used as a method to kill yourself is utterly impractical and ironic. Crippling Ethan and Mattie, this foolish decision marks how tragic and desperate the long winters have made them.
The last influence was physical drives on the characters. Through Ethans eyes we can see how shrewish and evil Zeena is portrayed. This envitably makes the reader sympathetic to Ethans immoral thoughts about eloping and being unfaithful with Mattie. Throughout the novel we can see how indecisive Ethan is. He is enraptured by Matties warmth symbolized by her red ribbon and scarf but never acts upon his thoughts. When Zeena threatens to kick Mattie out Ethan despreatly asks Mr.Hale for his last salery in advance to elope with Mattie. Though he stops this plan is show his impassive tendencies to avoid making major decision. The only thing he does make a decison on (which is really Matties though) is to end his life, ending the need for making any other deicsion. Ehtan's indesicion and search for warmth through Mattie shows he desperation to attain love and happiness inside the barren Starkfield
Wendy Manly
ReplyDeleteThe events that occurred in the case of Ethan Frome were circumstances that the characters could have prevented. The tragedies in which the characters found themselves were under their control, and the fault lies within him. The events in which Ethan Frome found himself were caused by previous decisions, and were only the fault of his previous actions.
The decisions that Ethan made affected the events that occurred to him later in many cases, one of which is in the case of Zeena and Mattie. Because of the constant cold of the harsh winters Ethan felt lonely, leading to his marriage of Zeena. This decision was made not out of emotion or attraction, but in a search for companionship. Then when Mattie arrived, he was faced with real attraction. The cold and separation that Zeena represents is counteracted by the passion and energy represented by Mattie. Ethan would have had much less trouble trying to elope with Mattie if he had not married Zeena out of loneliness.
Ethan’s physical attraction to Mattie is taken to the next level when Mattie breaks Zeena’s pickle dish. The dish represented the marital commitment between Zeena and Ethan, and when Mattie broke it symbolized the physical attraction getting out of hand when Zeena was gone.
The economic problems in the attempt to elope between Ethan and Mattie were also Ethan’s own fault. His mortgage and the fact that he was already married were previous decisions affecting his future.
In the end, Ethan took his life due to the circumstances around him, which he had no control over. His relationships between the people around him were not going very well, for example his wife, Zenobia Frome. His feelings got the best of him, and the environment and the economy around him made an atmosphere that eventually affects all the characters in the story.
ReplyDeleteThe economy of the town of Starkfield, New England was taking its toll on on the characters. Ethan and Zeena were poor, but Ethatn kept on spending Zeena's money. This creates tension between them. When Mattie, Zeena's cousin, comes into the scene, Ethan becomes infatuated with her, which creates more tension. Ethan, being a weak-heartened man filled with melancholy feelings, was driven by his lust to create a relationship with Mattie. However, he fails to do so. The environment also takes has a role in the story. What made Mattie come into town was a snowstorm. The landscape of winter along with the moutain region creates a barren mood. Ethan's failed attempt to commit suicide eventually ends up living as a crippled person with both Zeena and Mattie.
Sarah E. Mullen
ReplyDeleteEthan Frome lives in the barren, cold, winter-y world of Starkfeild. Even the name implies that there is nothing in Starkfeild. When Ethan's mother is sick he comes home to take care of her. While there Ethan becomes afraid of being alone during the long, cold winter. He quickly, almost on a whim, marries Zeena. Zeena is cold and portrayed as a witch. She cannot satisfy what the loving Ethan longs for. When Mattie comes to live with Ethan and Zeena Ethan is drawn to her youth and beauty, things which Zeena lacks. Because Zeena is portrayed as completely undesirable it justifies Ethan's decision to cheat on his wife.
The cold, dark, barren environment and his cold, dark wife are the circumstances that seem to make Ethan cheat on her. Most of Ethan Frome is from Ethan's point of view Zeena is seen as even more cold than she actually may be and Mattie even more desirable.
Mattie's signature color is red. Red symbolizes both passion and transgression. It stands out in the setting of the novel, which is set in shades of white and grey. Ethan has a great physical desire for Mattie, though when they are alone they never touch and it is very silent. Ethan is a man who has wants but many times will not act on them. Mattie is the one who suggests committing suicide; Ethan seems to merely go along with the suggestion, being unable to deny her anything.
Ethan considers borrowing money from neighbors to escape with Mattie, bit he is afraid of the opinions of society and will not ask. He is economically cannot support he but is ashamed of his desires. He feels that what society thinks of you is important.
Because of the economic, enviornmental and physical circumstances Ethan seems to have no choice but to leave the fridgid Zeena. But had the story taken place from anothers' point of view his actions may not have been so justified. Some might say he deserved to be crippled.
Christopher M. Dake Jr.
ReplyDeleteIn the tragedy "Ethan Frome" by Edith Wharton, errors made by the characters are caused by unavoidable errors in judgment, do to environmental circumstance, physical drives, and economic circumstances. All of these the character's had no control over and with all these combined led to the final tragedy of suicide.
The environment in which Ethan had to live in was dreary to say the least, in Starkfield winters were harsh, left a sense of barrenness inside the characters, and even in the name stark, meaning bare, evokes a bare sense of nothing. The small village was in the Berkshire Mountains, mountains also isolated towns and villages. This motivated Ethan to want warmth and love from a companion, these physical drives are provoked by the harsh winters and lonliness of the town. Mattie the campanion he longed for was given a cherry colored scarf to illustrate to the reader her warmth that she brought to Ethan. Mattie was different than Ethan's wife Zeena, who was described to be frigid and saggie like the town, thats why Ethan wanted to get away from her. Economic circumstances that caused this tragedy were directly caused by the environment. The Farming in Starkfield was awful, and people didn't want to leave because tradition and the fact that their family's had been living on the land for years. Finally another circumstance that led to tragedy was that the farm and lumberyard were mortgaged so Zeena or Ethan couldn't leave, also they couldn;t escape the wretched town because the mountain transport was terrible.
in the slums
Aldin Hamzabegovic
ReplyDeleteMs. Parker
Ethan Frome response
03 February 2010
The tragedy of Ethan Frome results from avoidable judgment which the characters could have avoided. Throughout the story, there are economic circumstances, physical drives, and environmental circumstances that lead to the tragic conclusion of the story.
Stark field is the setting of the story. It is a region which is surrounded by mountains and harsh winters, characteristics which create a sense of isolation and loneliness among the characters. Ethan is a lonely character who has a wild imagination. Throughout the story, his imagination plays tricks on him forcing him to make decisions he does not wish to make. When Ethan decides to hold Mattie’s hand and kiss her, his imagination tricks him by creating an image of Zeenas face in place of Mattie’s, forcing him to step away, and not kiss the women he truly loves. His imagination creates much frustration. Ethan becomes emotionally impotent, which leads him to self destruct. Because they are poor, Ethan and Mattie can not run away because they don’t have the money to support themselves. They nearly run out of options of things to do when Zeena tells Ethan that they will be getting a “hired girl”/ maid. By not having money Ethan realizes that he cannot leave Zeena, and he must do something else in order to try and make him self happy.
When Ethan and Mattie realize that they cannot run away, they decide to commit suicide, by sledding into the elm tree. Their idea does not go as planned, and the twentieth century faith takes over.
Keyana Coley
ReplyDeleteEthan Frome by Edith Wharton
The misfortune of Ethan Frome result from circumstances, over which the characters have no authority three aspects of naturalism that convey these outcomes are economic circumstances, physical drives and environmental circumstances which also affect the character, plot or theme.
The only reason Mattie comes to live with Ethan and Zeena is because she was poor and had nowhere else to go so the family thought she could live with Zeena since she need a girl to help around the house, thus saving Ethan money. Ethan then falls in love with her. Ethan loves Mattie and wishes like a man he heard of before to runaway from Zeena and go west with her. However Ethan sold his security that he had and therefore could not borrow money to run. Ethan mill farm was not doing well and the man he sold his lumber to could not give him advancement. Also when he tells Zeena he has the ability to do this she presumes she can get rid of Mattie using a hired girl.
One of the main reason Ethan falls for the “prostitute like” Mattie other then seeing the shining red outer clothing she owns and seeing the red sunshine in her face which all represent his lust for her. However Ethan also loves Mattie because she is Zeena opposite counterpart in that she is innocent, beautiful, young, shapely and fertile. While Zeena body is old, dry, infertile and gives off a bitter effigy. Ethan also is described as being younger and thus much more virile than his wife. Mattie awakens this side of Ethan with her spring like traits hence giving him a new life whereas Zeena winter traits slowly kill all his hopes and ambitions.
The environment also explain the fate of the two lovers because no one leaves Starkfeild cold dry winters and Ethan will therefore have live in that stale place that is as cold and barren as his relationship.
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton develops the story of Ethan From and how he obtained his physical and mental state. His old appearance and confined personality causes the narrator the wonder about how Ethan became this way. Throughout the novel the narrator tells about what he knows of Ethan’s life as learned through stories from others and eventually Ethan himself.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator learns about the “smash-up” that caused Ethan’s unsettling looks. It first starts when Ethan develops feelings about his working girl, Mattie who is also the cousin of his wife Zeena. Over time the feelings grow stronger between Ethan and Mattie and they attempt to commit suicide together by sledding down a hill into a great oak tree. Although they do not end their lives, Mattie becomes somewhat crippled and Ethan gains a crippled appearance.
This tragedy of Ethan Frome is caused by circumstances, over which the characters have no control. Everything started when Ethan’s wife became ill and they hired Zeena’s cousin, Mattie to help care for her. The relationships that develop throughout the novel are uncontrollable and almost inevitable. Ethan’s relationship with Zeena, his wife, grows weaker and Ethan begins to lose feelings for her. While simultaneously he is gaining feelings for their working girl, Mattie. These relationships changed over time, with no way to stop the feelings.
These feelings, which were circumstances in which the characters could not control, led up to the tragedy of Ethan From.
Shontia Myricks
ReplyDeleteI believe that Ethan Fromes tragedy is partly the fault of the characters and partly the fault of the environment. Ethan chose to marry Zeena, he didn’t have to and the fact that their relationship was so loveless shows that he only married her for the comfort of not being alone in the desolate, frigid town of Starkfield. Or perhaps he felt as though her was trapped in his little snowy town and there was no outlet except for him to get married and try to live a good life. I believe it was a mistake on Ethans part to marry Zeena. It was a decision he made. I also believe that it was the environment as well as Ethans own feelings that helped him to fall so easily for the younger Maddie. She was young, shapely, promiscuous and jolly; everything Zeena wasn’t. His physical desire overtook his common sense when it came to Maddie and the fact that there was really no place for him to escape from her in the small town only added to the issue. In regards to Ethan Fromes accident, I would blame that on the economical circumstances as well as the environment. Ethan wasn’t a wealthy man, he was just getting by on what little money he and Zeena had. Ethan most likely thought that by sledding to his death he could escape the little town, escape the wife he never really loved and escape his pathetic life and live the way he desired.
Loui$ Ress3l
ReplyDeleteDue to many contributing factors, the tragedy of Ethan Frome was something that the characters had no control over. True, it was their feelings that led to this, but the environmental, physical and emotion drives that led them to a breaking point were also a big factor. Starkfield is where this takes place. Starkfield is an isolated place with the coldest winters, similar to the mind of Ethan Frome. Ethan has an isolated personality which reflects the setting of the story. Ethan has been in Starkfield for "too many winters". this winter drives Ethan into a manic state. there was no connection to the outside world, because the town was surrounded by mountains. Ethan was lonely in this setting and needed a companion, as to not be so isolated. Mattie wears a red scarf to symbolize the sensuality and the "warmth" of her personality that her presense brings to counteract Ethan's icy personality. Ethan is immediately attracted to Mattie. This is because Mattie, to put in plainer terms, "put out". She was the polar opposite to Zeena, Ethan's wife. Mattie was young and beautiful and radiating with lust that Ethan craved. Mattie is a parellel to the spring, which brings new life and new begginings. Zeena, however is a parelle with the winter. Winter is a harsh season that drains peoplee of their ambitions, goals and sanity. Seeing this change from harsh to beautiful, Ethan cannot resist. The environmental factors include the place that captures Ethan in a stalemate with the elements. He cannot emotionally progess, because the environment in which he is caught is cold and barren and desolate, similar to his heart and his mindset. These Physical, Emotional and Environmental drives all lead up to the tragedy of Ethan Frome.
JUSTIN BLAKE YELLS,
ReplyDeleteThe trajedy of Ethan Frome comes from many apects of his life such as, his position as a farmer in Starkfield, his lifeless marriage to Zeena, and his lack of family due to both his parents beigng dead. Being a farmer leads him to a life where he cannot leave his farm, because he does'nt want his animals to die, or the land to go to waste. As well as the fact that he farms in such a rocky soiled land, leads to very hard and weak harvests every autumn. His lifeless marriage to Zeene, give him a dull, romanceless, plain life. To add on to his problem, the addition of Mattie to his life, Mattie being fun, warm, and attractive, opens his eyes to what he has been missing his whole life.With Both of his parents being dead leaving him with Zeena as his only family, He finds himself with a small amount of support. Even leading him to follow every word of Mattie, even to this attempted sucide they joined eachother in(which was unsuccecfull).
Jonathan Madison
ReplyDeleteThe blame for the events that befell Ethan Frome falls solely on his shoulders; however there are certain aspects which helped move events along in the direction they went. The blame is his because of his physical wants. He marries Zeena simply because he does not want to be alone. He, without a doubt, had a choice in this matter but his fear of dying old and lonely took over and he made this decision. Upon realizing that he was essentially alone in his marriage to Zeena (which seemed to be only a marriage by standard definition and not characteristics) his want for something more led him to a romantic relationship with Mattie. This relationship is ultimately what led him to his fate; however other factors made this relationship possible. These factors are the choices he makes. By not selling the farm when he has the chance he sets in motion the domino effect that ends when the final domino he runs into does not fall and rather cripples him for life.
-Spencer "Peekaboo" Pleninger-
ReplyDeleteEthan Frome was a man whose life was riddled with circumstances in which he was rendered powerless not by bad decisions, but decisions that soon soured after he made them, though they were fruitful previously. Each circumstance can be classified in three ways, economical, physical, or environmental and many examples may be pulled from the book. One example of an economic circumstance is that of the town’s limited market standpoint. Starkfield is a small town and with a small population, comes a small amount of money and a small amount of profit. Because of small pay, Ethan makes a small profit and because of his small profit, he cannot run away from Zeena with his beloved Mattie due to economic impossibilities.
This economical circumstance was brought about by a physical circumstance which would be Ethan’s desire for Mattie. Ethan’s physical desire for Mattie is repressed by the physical bonds of his marriage to Zeena and what legal bindings may occur were he to escape from her.
And finally, all circumstances from the book are bound together by the environmental situation. The economy is completely based on Starkfield’s isolation, leading to the multiple economic problems that Ethan faces and the physical drive is bound to the environment because to physically leave Starkfield would be a very strenuous and dangerous task during the winter time.
All the unfortunate circumstances in Ethan’s life chain together and choke him of all option to escape these bonds. Many would speculate that if he wasn’t such a “woman” or a “pansy-boy” that he could free himself of these chains but to them I say nay. If it were just a single circumstance that bound him against what he desired, maybe this would be possible, but alas… poor Ethan fought desperately, but was mentally and physically defeated.
I believe that both Ethan and the environment are to blame for the events that happened in his life. Ethan didn’t have to marry Zeena but because he was tired of being alone he married someone he wasn’t even interested in. The symbolism of the cold and winter weather ties into certain aspects. Ethan even tries to take his own life because of his lack of strength and lack of control of his own life but of course fails at that. An example of Ethan not having self control is when he starts to have feeling for Mattie even though he is married to Zeena he can't control his feelings towards her even trying to kill themselves at one point by sledding into a tree.
ReplyDeleteThe tragedies that occur in the eponymous Ethan Frome resulted from the circumstances, over which the characters had no true control over. In order to describe these circumstances the three aspects of naturalism; economic occurrences, physical drives, and environmental situations explain it clearly. Ethan’s wife, Zeena was very sickly and needed a personal aid to help her through out the day. Sense the Frome’s was fairly poor, Zeena had to consult her cousin Mattie silver to come and be her personal aid. So the cause of the Frome’s Economic failure, the introduction on Mattie was made. Once Mattie was placed into the picture, Ethan way of character began to gradually change and develop into a new person that actually admired Mattie. He began to have deep desires to have private pleasures with Mattie, even though he was committed to his wife. This influenced the physical drive in Ethan, to do new things with a significant other. Also because of the dreary cold climate, and opposite effect had occurred in the Frome’s household, in which usually occurs. The cold allowed Ethan to walk Mattie from and to the household, because she couldn’t be left alone in the bad weather. Dealing with these circumstances, Ethan and Mattie grew closer to one another and eventually falling in love wit one another. If these natural circumstances hadn’t occurred the chances of Mattie and Ethan situation probably would have never reached the point it had.
ReplyDeleteZachary Richards
ReplyDeleteAspects of the story Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton are unavoidable circumstances that the characters can not change which result in the characters becoming victims to their own misjudgment and lack of will to change. An unavoidable instance which causes the tragedy to unravel is the environmental circumstances laid upon them. Although coming home to take care of his mother was Ethan’s choice, staying was a lack of judgment in his case. He could have left and gone back to the city and finished his schooling but he chose to stay. That was his own will, his own mind telling him to stay in Starkfield, through struggle and those horrible winters; he chose. But besides the fact of him staying in this town, Massachusetts, he did not control the environment. He is at the will of “mother nature”. There is no amount of acts or even patronage that can be done on Ethan’s behalf to change the weather. He must endure these harsh long winters and live through it. In this mountainous region all that is left for him to do is farm, but due to the rough winters this is all in vain. He is trapped. He is trapped not only within his surroundings but in his mind, in his thoughts. He is isolated from the rest of the world, from growth, from development. It is this solitude or seclusion that is the cause of him seeking to not spend another winter alone. Thus resulting in his marriage of Zeena. She alone is another cause to this tragedy. She is a reflection of the surroundings, she is baron, thoughtless, they do not have tenable conversations and rarely do they touch. Ethan was physically attracted to Zeena, her hair was where his lust was mostly planted. He had been alone for so long he needed a companion, someone to be alone with him. With his marriage he also lost his only escape, back to the city. Zeena refused to leave with him and his non-aggressiveness caused him to stay, forced him to give in to her and not fight for his “freedom”. His freedom from society and the isolation, and from Zeena. Staying forced them to live through those harsh winters in the baron farm land, which caused and economic depression for their lives. They were poor. With only farming as his skill and leaving to the city to finish his schooling and learning possibly venturing into new fields of occupations, they stayed. They were unfertile, not only in the physical sense but mentally they did not grow. They had no children and were only yet were 6 years apart. There was no connection between them, no real spark. Staying in that town caused the spiraling downfall into the attempted suicide. Staying in that town their minds froze over just as the surroundings did, just like the rest of the environment they were frozen and stuck. Although the tragedy is based off of non circumstantial and mental reasoning errors there were also non controllable circumstances. They could not change the winter which was ever so harsh and freezing, leading to their demise. But they could have changed the path in which they lived their lives, they could have left. Staying was a judgment error which led to them having to deal with the environment which they could not change leading to their end.
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton develops the charcter Ethan by showing the physical, economic, and environmental circumstances that he has in his life. Ethan is an avergae 28 year old man who has to live with a lifless wife named Zeena, that he has no feeling for. Ethan is in love with a woman named Mattie who comes to his home to watch over his sick mother. Ethan falls deeply in love with her, and begins to loose feeling for his wife. Ethan wants to run off with Mattie and only be with her, but they have econmic struggles. They both dont have enough money to run off, so they both try to find different way to be happy with each other. The setting takes place in Starkfeild where it is winter. The environment makes it difficult to communticate to others. That is why Ethan is isolated from society. The mountains, snow, and harsh winters makes it harder to live a normal life. The only reason the Ethan is so in love with Mattie is because her physical attraction that she brings to him. Mattie is emotionally impotent and she brings light into Ethan's life. Ethan's imagination causes him to see things that are not there and it makes him even more confused of life. When Zeena sees that Ethan begins to fall for Matie, she begins to get jealous and tells Ethan that they are hiring a new girl. Ethan and Mattie find out that they have no more choices so they decide sucide is the only way out to fullfil happiness with each other. When they go sledding thier plan is to crash into a tree, which is a big symbol in the book. After the accident they find that they are still alive but paralyzed. While Ethan was in the process of killing his self his saw an image of his wife that struck him, and caught him off guard. In the end there was still no happiness. Ethan had to go back home to a sick wife and crippled Mattie.
ReplyDelete-Shana Harris
karim yaport -
ReplyDeleteEthan Frome’s tragedy was from circumstances out of the characters control. Many circumstances from naturalist aspects like economical, physical and environmental that affect on the characters, plot and theme. The economical circumstances on the plot are on Ethan’s struggle to elope with Mattie however due to his economical situation he has no money. His sources of money are mostly dependent on lumber and farming which are not good steady sources of income in New England. The physical drive are Ethan’s marriage has forced him do want for warmth, “Guess he’s been in Starkfield too many winters,” the warmth Mattie symbolizes. This causes him to make life a series of hopes destroyed by circumstance. Ethan’s environmental situation is symbolized by winter and snow which buries him emotionally beneath the snow. Ethan dreams of escaping Starkfield however many naturalist circumstances affect escape and in the end his happiness.
Molly Howe:
ReplyDeleteIn Ethan Frome, Edith Warthon sets the tone of the book to show that the eponymous has no control over the events of the book. Through the setting, a barran, dry New England Strakfield, a town that is itself dying economically. The ecomonic factors of the characters, and the emotional stress that is put on Frome the events leading to Frome's demise is unavoidable. Ethan Frome lives with his lifeless wife, Zeena how is a hypercondiract, and now Mattie Silver has come into his life with seductive, spring characcter. Frome had no chose but to be seduced by Mattie, because his "wife" a woman that he married only so he was not lonely over the long winter has fallen silent. Frome's farm has been plummating economically for the past few years and Zenna and Ethan are thinking of not harboring Mattie any longer to save money a chose that neither one can ignore. Along with the fact that Ethan was in an accident about a half a century early and now is in a lot of pain, putting even more stress on the finaiacital factors of the realtionships. Mattie Silver, a young, joyful girl with the color of red symbolizing her with seduction brings light into Ethan Frome's life. Warthon sets the tone of her book using economic, emonitional drives, and enviormental factors to show how her eponymous has no control over his ending.
Taje Rollins
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy of Ethan Frome resulted simply from preventable errors in judgment. Ethan puts himself into many negative circumstances based on mistakes that could have been prevented. Environmental factors forced him to his first mistake. Ethan lived in a very isolated town with a small population. This means fewer opportunities in women. However, he married Zeena. His decision to marry her was based on unnecessary pressure. He did not have to marry her but he did. Their marriage was dull and it lacked the love and happiness required in a marriage. And on top of the fact that he was not happy, his wife was very dependent on him because of her illness. But he saw hope in her younger cousin who came to help her while she was sick. This is where the Ethan’s physical drives forces him to make more mistakes. Mattie and Ethan develop a small relationship. He lust for her. She is far more attractive than his wife and they share a liking in nature. He puts himself into a bad situation falling for her because it eventually ruins his life.
Zach Minier
ReplyDeleteEthan Frome’s life was not doomed from the start necessarily, his misfortune sprouted from the poor choices that he made, regarding key parts of his life. The first mistakes he made were in regards to his physical drives and environmental circumstances. Not wanting to be alone (physical) in the harsh New England winter (environmental), he hastily marries Zeena, the woman who is taking care of his mother. These choices set him to be trapped for the rest of his life. The introduction of Mattie seems to be a beacon of hope for Ethan, but his economic circumstances based on his choices regarding his physical drives and environmental circumstances prevent him from successfully eloping with Mattie when the opportunity arises. Interestingly enough, Mattie and Ethan’s attempted double suicide is only made possible because of the environmental circumstances. The snow being the road for their vehicle of death, the sled. Ethan’s economic circumstances, his physical drives, and his environmental circumstances make this novella a tragedy, making the entire plot possible.
Brianna Klaver:
ReplyDeleteI believe that the result of Ethan Fromes life is a result of his own judgment. Everything in that has occured in his life coul dhave most posotively resulted from his own personal choices, which then severely impacted how everything else fell behind in cordination with his first impulse choice. This first mistake was marrying Zeena purely because he was in fear of living his life alone. Then when he " falls in love" with Mattie silver, he now regrets having to be chained down with this hypochondirac wife. In a marriage that is essentially lonly with someone else living in the same house. The only thinkg that Zeena has to keep her occupied is having a new illness everyday, that she has to go to new cities to seek out docotrs that can fix her problems. The marriage really isnt a marriage, there is no communication between them. When Mattie and Ethan's relationship grows, he wishes that he could go off and ellope with her. Yet Ethan hs no money, another result of his poor choices. If he been more forceful with his wife, and made it clear that they where going to move when he had wanted to move to the city to have a better more productive. Yet, he let Zeena take hinm over and she put her foot down to stay and he made no other statements. In the present, he has no money because his farm is essentialy rotted away and left to nothing. When Mattie and Ethan decide to commit suicide together, it is ment to be an expression of their love for each other turns out to be an utter disaster. When They are both parylized and left to have no other life, Young mattie has no other future as a result of her impulsive love for Ethan and Thier actions to revolt. These tremendous concequences are the result of Ethans judgement being decived and his decisions, not in his favor.
Danielle Ryles:
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy of Ethan frome results from circumstances in which the characters could have avoided from avoidable errors of judgment.Environmental,physical and economic circumstances led to the conclusion of the stroy.The setting of the story takes place in Starkfield where there are harsh winters and mountains.The mountains basically isolates the characters and causes a sense of singleness. Ethan was a character who was secluded and had a imagination that went wild. His thoughts about Mattie caused him to make decisions he really didnt want to make. When Etahn Holds Mattie hand and is about to kiss her his imagination takes over and he see's Zeena's face and he steps away and does not kiss her.This causes much stress and Etahn becomes impotent. They are poor, Etahn and Mattie plan to run away but the fact that they have no money stops them from making that decision.ethan realizes he can not leave Zeena because of there money circumstance. Ethan and Mattie decides to attempt suicide but end up failing at the attempt.
The tragedy of Ethan Frome is from both circumstances in which the character had no control over and avoidable errors in his judgment. There are avoidable errors in his judgment that stemmed from the root cause of his tragedy. However, there were circumstances over which he had no control over. Economic circumstances, physical drives and environmental circumstances all play parts in the tragedy and the decisions that he made causing the destruction of his life. The relationships that develop throughout the novel are uncontrollable and almost inevitable. He falls in love with his wife Zeena’s cousin Mattie who becomes the help after her health starts failing. As his feelings for Mattie grow his relationship and feelings for his wife star to decline rapidly. To him his wife becomes the bitter bickering chain that holds him to the small country town and Mattie is the bird that will set him free and allow him to live the house he wish’s he had before he was tied down in marriage.
ReplyDeleteSebastian Ospina
ReplyDeleteEthan Frome by Edith Wharton is a story about a tragedy in the making. Containing symbolic foreshadowing and irony out of this world. As the story goes along, we witness the uncontrollable effects of nature. Circumstances such as economic factors, Physical Drives, and Environmental factors.
In the story Ethan and his wife Zeena are very poor. No money to spend or elope. Ethan owns a lumberyard, and a small farm. However, one would think enough money is created. This is not the case, owning land in the early 1900’s meant mortgages and more money needed. To add to the stress, they were forced to stay with such conditions, as both had very little experience or opportunities for the outside world. They were limited.
The mood of Ethan was very melancholy, depressed and lifeless. In addition, his relationship with his wife, was horrible, and as well lifeless. No motivation to make things better and happier. As Zeena slowly is pushed away form his emotions. Mattie ( Zeenas cousin) takes her place. Mattie is beautiful, sexy, young, and seductive. And there for Ethan when his wife couldn’t be. Ethan refers to her lovely red scarf, which symbolize life and attractiveness.
Harsh long winters take place during this ironic story. Agian Representing, giving the modd of the story. Harsh, cold that can break people apart or bring them closer.
These factors effect, actions, feeling, and the ironic theme. In the begging Ethan anmd Mattie took care of her. Unfortunatley, at the end Zeena was takingcare of Ethan and Mattie. Both Being crippled from an attempt of suicide to preserve thier love for each other. Tragedy exhuming to uncontrollable powers of Nature.
Damaris Santos:
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy of Ethan Frome resulted from circumstances in which the character had no control over. The tragedy was due to the environmental, physical and economic circumstances he was in and was undergoing. Environmental circumstances had a large impact on the conclusion due to the fact he was in a very isolated area in the mountains, which caused him to be very depressed and painfully lonely. Economic issues included poor farming, limited transportation, and the farm and lumber yard were mortgaged. Physical issues involved him being extremely sexually frustrated, which led to his serious imagination. He never actually touched Zeena, which led to his self destruction. He couldn't control any of these natural circumstances because of the fact that he was so deep in depression and loneliness he didn't know what to do in order to be happy or to gain self-happiness, which totally sucked because it led to a really sad ending. The end :)
The tragedy of Ethan Frome was caused by both poor judgment and uncontrollable circumstances throughout the novella. Ethan is unhappily married to Zenobia because he, in a desperate need for company after his mother’s death, wanted to keep her with him so he wouldn’t have to be alone, but that could also have been uncontrollable; a loneliness brought on by the silence of deep winter in Starkfield.
ReplyDeleteThe economic depravity of his house is an uncontrollable force, initiated by the maintenance of his mother’s disease, and then increased by putting up with Zenobia’s hypochondria during their marriage. On top of that, farming conditions in New England were terrible. As Ethan owns a farm, it is next to impossible for him to scrape out a living from the land, much less enough to keep up with his wife’s medical demands.
Falling in love with Mattie was not something that could have been prevented, however, if Ethan’s economic situation had not been so poor, he would have been able to save up enough money to run away with her and prevent the crippling event with the elm tree. In a way, that is also attributed to poor decisions; if Ethan had chosen to borrow money from the Hales instead of deciding against it in order to honor their trust, he could’ve had enough money to get away.
At the same time, perhaps Ethan and Mattie acting on their feelings towards each other was poor judgment in itself. If Mattie hadn’t felt the need to bring down the pickle dish to “make dinner pretty” for Ethan, Zeena wouldn’t have felt as threatened by Mattie as she did. Although the dish itself was an excuse for sending Mattie away, so perhaps it was poor judgment to invite her to live with them on Zeena’s part.
Perhaps many of the tragic events that occurred in Ethan Frome could have been prevented if the characters had made wiser decisions, but perhaps certain unstoppable factors would have brought them about anyway.
The tragedy of Ethan Frome does result from circumstances, in which the characters cannot control. These circumstances involve those that were economic, and social.
ReplyDeleteThe economic circumstances that the characters from the novella face are the poverished society. The cold winter that surrounds the village of Strakfield leaves a very harsh and gloomy mood that adds to the darkness of poverty. Ethan's farm had very small chances of producing the money needed just to stay afloat. In a northern village, the soil isn't very great for farming, as the nutrients needed for the soil are frozen, creating poor crops. Frome has a lumber yard that is the only way himself and his wife Zeena, can stay within living in the small isolated village.
The social challenges also played a very important role, especially in "friendly" relationships that Frome experienced in the novella. His gloomy relationship with Zeena seems rather dull and lacking an importance in life. The spark of seductive light, symbolized by Mattie, is the attempt to try and make Ethan grow away from dark and gloomy life. However, Mattie's personality turns into obsession that drives the two to the point of attempting suicide into a tree that only renders Ethan becoming crippled. It was inevitable, as the seductive and obsessed became the crippling social factor that led to the tragedy of Ethan Frome.
These economic and social factors inevitably led to the tragic novella. The poversihed and isolated society played into economic factors. On the other hand, seductive and lusty obsessions led to the social circumstances. With these two combined, they lead to the tragedy only known as Ethan Frome.