Ethan FromePerhaps the best-known and most popular of Edith Wharton's novels, Ethan Frome is widely considered her masterpiece. Set against a bleak New England background, the novel tells of Frome, his ailing wife Zeena and her companion Mattie Silver, superbly delineating the characters of each as they are drawn relentlessly into a deep-rooted domestic struggle. Burdened by poverty and spiritually dulled by a loveless marriage to an older woman. Frome is emotionally stirred by the arrival of a youthful cousin who is employed as household help. Mattie's presence not only brightens a gloomy house but stirs long-dormant feelings in Ethan. Their growing love for one another, discovered by an embittered wife, presages an ending to this grim tale that is both shocking and savagely ironic. |
Contents
1 | |
Section 2 | 11 |
Section 3 | 17 |
Section 4 | 24 |
Section 5 | 37 |
Section 6 | 42 |
Section 7 | 46 |
Section 8 | 55 |
Section 9 | 62 |
Section 10 | 74 |
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Common terms and phrases
ain't answered asked began Bettsbridge called carried chair church clear close cold coming continued Corbury dark Denis doctor door drew drive Eady Ethan Ethan Frome eyes face farm feel fell felt Flats followed Frome gave girl give gone guess hair Hale hand head heard heart hill horse Jotham keep kitchen knew laughed leave lifted light lips lived looked married Matt Mattie Mattie's mean morning moved never night once passed reached road rose round seat seemed sense SHORT side silence sleigh snow sound Starkfield step stood STORIES stove suddenly supper suppose tell there's things thought told took touch trouble turned village voice wait walked wife William Shakespeare window winter wonder young Zeena