Essay Database

Ethan Frome is the main character of Edith Wharton's tragic novel. Ethan lives the bitterness of his youth's lost opportunities, and dissatisfaction with his joyless life and empty marriage. Throughout the story Ethan is trapped by social limits and obligations to his wife. He lives an unhappy life with many responsibilities and little freedom. Ethan Frome studied science in college for a year and probably would have succeeded as an engineer or physicist had he …

…his obligations to his wife and now Mattie. Ethan Frome's practical sense of putting his responsibilities before his self-interests had a very negative affect on his life. His first decision of marrying Zeena had a big impact on everything he did afterward. It seemed that every thing he tried to do worked against his favor. With all the incidents that happened it seemed inevitable that responsibilities and obligations toward Mattie and Zeena would trap him.